Best Cuban Salad Recipes

CUBAN SALAD

Steps:

• Combine romaine, tomatoes, avocados, onion, and black beans in a large bowl; toss to combine.
• Whisk lime juice, honey, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. While constantly whisking, stream in the olive oil until dressing is well combined.
• Drizzle some of the dressing over the salad, toss, taste, and add more dressing if desired. If there's any extra dressing, refrigerate for later use.

KICKED-UP CUBAN SALAD

Steps:

• For the salad: Add the avocado, lettuce, red onion, jalapeno and pineapple to a large bowl.
• For the dressing: Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, cumin, cayenne and salt in a small bowl. Pour some of the dressing over the salad and toss, adding more if desired. Reserve any extra dressing for later use.

EASY CUBAN SALAD

Steps:

• Combine olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a 1-pint container or jar with tight-fitting lid. Tightly close the lid and shake until the ingredients are well blended. Refrigerate until ready to toss with the salad, or up to 3 days.
• Combine chopped romaine, tomato wedges, sliced radishes, sliced red onion, and chopped avocado in a large bowl. Add as much dressing as you like, and toss all ingredients. Refrigerate unused salad dressing.
• Serve dressed, tossed salads on individual salad plates.

CUBAN AVOCADO, WATERCRESS, AND PINEAPPLE SALAD (ENSALADA DE AGUACATE, BERRO, Y PIñA)

Steps:

• Preparing the Watercress
• Place the watercress in a colander and rinse under cold running water to remove any grit or sand. Discard any yellowing leaves and remove the tough stems; for this salad, you want only the leaves and tender stems. Pat dry with paper towels and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the salad.
• Broiling the Pineapple
• Preheat the broiler. Place the pineapple slices on a baking pan and sprinkle the sugar evenly on top of them. Broil about 4 inches from the heat source, turning once, for 10 minutes on each side, until lightly golden brown. Let cool, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
• Preparing the Dressing
• Place the garlic, olive oil, vinegar or lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.
• Peeling the Avocado
• Cut the avocado(s) lengthwise in half around the pit and remove the pit. Place the avocado halves cut side down on the work surface and slice lengthwise into 1-inch-wide wedges. Peel each segment by hand or with a paring knife, and cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Assembling the Salad
• Place the watercress in a medium bowl and toss with half the dressing. Arrange on a large platter.
• Add the pineapple and avocado to the same bowl and toss with the rest of the dressing. Mound the pineapple and avocado over the bed of watercress. Garnish with the slivers of red onion and serve immediately.

GLAZED SUGAR LOAF PINEAPPLE AND LOBSTER SALAD GARNISHED WITH TOASTED COCONUT AND CUBAN STYLE CITRUS GRILLED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Mix vanilla seed, sugar, and rum together in a large bowl. Add the pineapple and marinate for 15 minutes. Cook pineapple with melted butter in large pan over medium-high heat in batches until pineapple has caramelized. Cool and cut into small diced pieces. Set aside.
• Cut tails lengthwise and crack shell. Pull out meat but keep tail attached at tail end. Season with Bijol, salt, and pepper. Brush with butter. Roast until cooked, approximately 15 minutes, basting with butter a few times. Cool and dice.
• Combine lobster, pineapple, mango, papaya, water chestnuts, red pepper, carrots, bamboo shoots, chives, and cabbage and mix gently with 1/4 cup of the Lime Mango dressing.
• Preheat a grill: Cut sugar cane into 4 skewers, about 4 to 5 inches long. Season with Bijol, salt, and pepper. Mix butter, zest, and fruit juice then brush shrimp with butter mixture. Grill, basting with butter mixture until shrimp is fully cooked.
• Place 3 to 4 pineapple chips on bottom of plate and place coconut in center of chips. Fill coconut with salad. Garnish with lengthwise chips and pineapple leaves. Spoon a tablespoon of dressing on each plate. Lean shrimp skewer against coconut and plate at an angle.
• Start by adding everything from lime juice to cilantro and blend.using a burr mixer, hand held electric mixer or whisk. Slowly add in oil while continuing to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. For the pineapple chips: Peel and cut the pineapple in half width-wise. Cut small wedges out of the pineapple to create thin flower slices. Cut other half lengthwise to remove the core. Dip into simple syrup and place on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a sheet pan at 200 degrees in oven for about 4 hours until dried out to create chips.
• Bring all ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan. When the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Remove the vanilla bean.

CUBAN CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Place the chicken in a medium saucepan, and cover with cold salted water. Place the pan over high heat, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until chicken turns opaque, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water; set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut into 1/8-inch dice, and set aside in a large bowl.
• Place the potatoes in a saucepan; cover with cold salted water. Place pan over high heat, and bring water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer potatoes until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Remove potatoes from water; set aside to cool. Peel, cut into fine dice, and add to the chicken.
• Add the diced red pepper, eggs, onion, peas, and cilantro to the chicken mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mayonnaise, and mix until combined.
• Place about 1 tablespoon salad on top of each aranita. Garnish with julienned red peppers and cilantro leaves, and serve.

CUBAN BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Mix oil, cilantro. lemon juice, vinegar, cumin, jalapeno pepper and oregano in large bowl until well blended.
• Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly.
• Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
• Stir gently just before serving.
• NOTE: Salad may be prepared the day ahead. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• SUBSTITUTE: Lime juice may be substituted for lemon juice if desired.

GLAZED SUGAR LOAF PINEAPPLE AND LOBSTER SALAD GARNISHED WITH TOASTED COCONUT AND CUBAN STYLE CITRUS GRILLED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Cuban Shrimp Skewers:
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Mix vanilla seed, sugar, and rum together in a large bowl. Add the pineapple and marinate for 15 minutes. Cook pineapple with melted butter in large pan over medium-high heat in batches until pineapple has caramelized. Cool and cut into small diced pieces. Set aside.
• Cut tails lengthwise and crack shell. Pull out meat but keep tail attached at tail end. Season with Bijol, salt, and pepper. Brush with butter. Roast until cooked, approximately 15 minutes, basting with butter a few times. Cool and dice.
• Combine lobster, pineapple, mango, papaya, water chestnuts, red pepper, carrots, bamboo shoots, chives, and cabbage and mix gently with 1/4 cup of the Lime Mango dressing.
• Preheat a grill: Cut sugar cane into 4 skewers, about 4 to 5 inches long. Season with Bijol, salt, and pepper. Mix butter, zest, and fruit juice then brush shrimp with butter mixture. Grill, basting with butter mixture until shrimp is fully cooked.
• Place 3 to 4 pineapple chips on bottom of plate and place coconut in center of chips. Fill coconut with salad. Garnish with lengthwise chips and pineapple leaves. Spoon a tablespoon of dressing on each plate. Lean shrimp skewer against coconut and plate at an angle.
• Lime Mango Vinaigrette:
• Start by adding everything from lime juice to cilantro and blend.using a burr mixer, hand held electric mixer or whisk. Slowly add in oil while continuing to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pineapple chips:
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. For the pineapple chips: Peel and cut the pineapple in half width-wise. Cut small wedges out of the pineapple to create thin flower slices. Cut other half lengthwise to remove the core. Dip into simple syrup and place on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a sheet pan at 200 degrees in oven for about 4 hours until dried out to create chips.
• Simple Syrup:
• Bring all ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan. When the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Remove the vanilla bean.
• Professional Recipe: This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and makes a large quantity. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe in the proportions indicated and therefore cannot make any representation as to the results.
• Cracking Coconuts: Tap with a cleaver, applying pressure around top of coconut. Tap around and around the top of the coconut until the top breaks off. Reserve coconut water.

CUBAN BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Mix oil, cilantro, lemon juice, vinegar, cumin, jalapeno pepper and oregano in large bowl until well blended.
• Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Cover. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Stir gently just before serving.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS AND RICE WITH FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Sort, wash and soak beans; drain and rinse beans. 2. In a 4-quart pot, saute onion in butter or coconut oil until tender. Add beans, broth, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, salt, and red or cayenne pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 3. While beans are cooking, rinse the rice. Place in another pot with the water and salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 50-60 minutes. 4. After rice has been started, make the fruit salad in a large bowl. 5. When beans are tender, stir in the greem pepper and rum. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. 6. Serve beans over rice in wide soup bowls. Top with fruit salad and then a dollop of sour cream.

CUBAN POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Peel (or not) the potatoes and boil with a good bit of salt.
• Drain and then cube when cool.
• Add salad ingredients to potatoes.
• Mix Dressing ingredients and then toss with salad ingredients& potatoes.
• Best if let to set overnight in the refrigerator, but let sit on counter 30 minutes before serving for the flavors to be most apparent.

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Toss together beans, yellow and red peppers, celery, onion and parsley.
• Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic& cumin and toss into bean mixture.

CUBAN GARLIC SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients throughly with wire whisk. Serve at room temperature.

CUBAN-STYLE TILAPIA SALAD

Steps:

• In 1-cup glass measuring cup, beat all dressing ingredients with wire whisk.
• Set oven control to broil. On rack in broiler pan, place fish; spray tops of fish with cooking spray. Sprinkle tops of fish with 2 tablespoons lime juice and the seasoned salt. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat 6 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.
• Meanwhile, on each of 4 plates, arrange 1 cup salad greens. Divide pineapple among plates. Place fish on or next to greens. Sprinkle greens and fish with mint. Serve with dressing.

CUBAN POTATO SALAD WITH SCALLION VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside. When cool, transfer to a large bowl and combine with black beans.
• In a blender combine the scallions, sour cream and lemon juice. Pulse a few times to mix, then puree until smooth. Add salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Blend just to combine. Garnish with chopped chives.
• Drizzle vinaigrette over salad, then toss until potatoes and beans are well coated.

CUBAN BEANS AND RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Add the first 6 ingredients to a bowl; toss gently to combine.
• Add in remaining ingredients; toss well.
• Serve chilled or at room temperature.

CUBAN SALAD

Steps:

• in blender
• mix garlic seasoning juice vinegar
• slowly add oil.
• for salad
• plate lettuce
• top with tomato slices down center
• radishes on sides of tomatoes
• onions rings on top of tomatoes.
• and avocado slices on outside edge of plate.
• serve dressing on side.

CUBAN CHAYOTE SALAD

Steps:

• Boil chayotes until tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and cut into 1" cubes.
• Mix the rest of ingredients and pour over cubed chayote.
• Place in refrigerator for about 1 hour.
• Serve over lettuce. Enjoy!

CUBAN LENTIL SALAD WITH SPICY VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring the water to a boil and add the salt. Add the lentils, reduce the heat to low, and cook covered for 30 minutes. The lentils should be tender but not mushy. Take care not to overcook them or they can fall apart. While the lentils are cooking, in a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook gently for 5 to 6 minutes, or until softened and just slightly golden. Do not allow to brown. Remove from the heat and add the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt. Stir in the vinegar and then transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl. Drain the lentils in a colander, and immediately transfer them to the bowl. Toss together until the lentils are evenly coated with the dressing, then drizzle the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil over the top and toss again just to mix. Cool to room temperature, stir in the scallions and jicama, and serve immediately, or refrigerate for 1 or 2 hours, to allow the flavors to marry. Garnish with sprigs of parsley and lemon wedges.

CUBAN POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 10 minutes; drain, then combine with black beans in a small bowl. Allow to cool.
• Meanwhile, in a blender combine green onions, sour cream and lemon juice; puree until smooth; add salt, pepper and mayonnaise.
• Blend until combined; pour over potatoes and beans.
• Toss until well coated; garnish with chives.