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Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings in Santa Fe Sauce

By 9 Comments

Party guests will go wild over these crispy oven baked chicken wings with Santa Fe Sauce. Wings are baked then tossed in a combination of hot pepper sauce, and Asian sweet chile sauce, creating an exciting flavor that’s a bit sweet and just right spicy. And learn this unique no-fuss oven roasting method for crispy baked wings.

We love our New Mexico style recipes. Another one of our popular appetizer ideas with a kick of heat is this one for Spicy Deviled Eggs. Make a double batch, they disappear fast.

crispy baked wings with celery sticks and ranch dressing.

Way back when, I used to make quite a production out of preparing chicken wings. Flouring, deep frying, draining, then tossing them in a large bowl covered as securely as I could with foil and then shaking the dickens out of them to coat with hot wing sauce.

That is how I watched the wing shops do them. What a delicious mess.

I believe about the 100th time I spent over an hour cleaning up, I swore off the frying method for grilled wings and a quest to find a crispy oven baked chicken wings recipe that would save my sanity.

A method that would keep those wings nice and crispy, just like we all like them. And without the mess.

These baking powder chicken wings are the answer to your party dreams. Let’s take a look.

Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe

  • Simply stated, everyone loves chicken wings, it’s the perfect crowd pleasing, game-day appetizer.
  • This method creates crispy baked wings that are nice and crunchy on the outside and tender juicy on the inside.
  • These baking powder wings are pretty much hands off, until you’re ready to dip them in Spicy Ranch Dressing.
  • You’ll get everyone’s attention with this addictive Santa Fe Sauce. Unique and delicious.
  • You’re learning a new cooking technique and secret, baking powder helps draw out the moisture in the skin of the chicken. Less moisture equals a crispy baked wing.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Rich, red, sweet, spicy … you’ll love the vibrant flavor of this Santa Fe Sauce and this method for crispy wings in the oven.

Ingredients to make baked chicken wings.
  • Chicken Wings: 3 pounds chicken wing pieces.
  • Hot Sauce: Since this is a Southwestern chicken wings recipe, use your favorite Mexican hot sauce rather than a Buffalo Wings sauce. We like Cholula Hot Sauce here.
  • Chili Sauce: Asian chili sauce is a combination of sweet, spicy, tangy and savory. It also may be labeled Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. Make sure you purchase a product that is labeled “sweet” as opposed to chili sauce labeled Garlic Sauce. There is a substantial difference in flavor and heat level. Thai Kitchen brand makes a sweet sauce is readily available at most stores.
  • Baking Powder: Aluminum free works best for flavor.
  • Chili Seasoning: A powder that is a combination of several spices. Chili seasoning is what you use to season chili soup.
  • Chile Powder: Chile powder is a single blend where a certain type of dried chile peppers are ground to powder state. A New Mexico Chile Powder is preferred for this recipe, or Ancho Chile Powder works well here.
  • Dry Rub: Choose a bbq flavored dry rub. Or a homemade meat seasoning will work here.
  • Salt: Use Kosher salt please. Kosher salt is preferred by chefs because it penetrates food better and gives any dish a more pure salty flavor. Save the sea salt for the table to adjust flavor.
  • Butter: Butter is a staple ingredient for any chicken wing sauce. It helps the sauce stick to the meat and brings an added buttery flavor.
  • Ranch Dressing: These chicken wings are pure Southwestern in nature. So choose Ranch Dressing for your dipping sauce. It just makes sense.

How To Make Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings

You will need to start the process a few hours in advance. Just place the chicken wings in a large bowl, sprinkle on some salt and baking powder. Stir to coat the wings, then refrigerate for a couple of hours. The rest is a breeze.

Purchasing pre-cut chicken wings is an ideal time saver for this recipe. Costco sells a large bag of frozen drumettes and wingettes that are of good quality. Just thaw them before starting this recipe.

I don’t have a lot of freezer space, so I buy a 3 pound package of full chicken wings at the super market which means you have to separate the drumette, the wingette and the wing tip.

Which ever wings you purchase will make good crispy baked wings.

How to cut chicken wings to make wings.

The drumettes and wingettes are used in chicken wing recipes. When you spread the whole chicken wings apart, you can easily see the joints and where to cut. Using a sharp knife, separate the three pieces and toss out the wing tips. (The smaller piece on the right)

Mixing baking powder into chicken wings for crispy baked wings.
Seasoning chicken wings for crispy baked wings
  • Step 1: Using a paper towel, pat the wings dry then place wing pieces in a large bowl. Use Baking Powder: Sprinkle on baking powder and stir to coat all of the wings. Place the wings in the refrigerator and let them rest for 2 hours.
  • Step 2: Remove from the refrigerator and sprinkle on meat seasoning. A dry BBQ rub works well here, or you can use a homemade meat seasoning. Stir to coat.
Seasoned chicken wings on a sheet pan fitted with a wire rack.

Step 3: Place the wings on a large rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. This is important because the rack allows air to circulate around the wings and also keeps them up and out of any liquid that accumulates in the pan during cooking. And speaking of that liquid, line the sheet pan with foil for easy clean up.

Baking chicken wings on sheet pans.
  • Step 4: Bake the wings for 30 minutes at 250 degrees. After 30 minutes, turn up the oven heat to 400. Bake for an additional 45 minutes or until wings are crispy brown. Oven temperatures vary, so start checking after about 40 minutes. Starting the wings at a lower temperature will help them cook more evenly before crisping at 400 degrees.
Sauce ingredients for baked chicken wings.
Sauce for baked chicken wings.
  • Step 5: While the wings are baking, make the Santa Fe sauce by combining sauce ingredients. Use that same large bowl that you’ve thoroughly washed in hot soapy water to remove chicken bacteria.
  • Step 6: Using a whisk, stir the sauce well to combine.
Mixing sauce with baked chicken wings.
  • Step 7: When the wings are done, place them in the bowl with the sauce. Cover the bowl, I use a dinner plate. Hold on tight and then shake to coat the wings with the Santa Fe sauce.

Serve crispy oven baked wings immediately and devour.

Ranch dressing makes a perfect dipping sauce for these Southwestern style wings. Prepare this delicious Spicy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe. Or use Blue Cheese Dressing. Don’t forget those celery sticks.

Pro Tip: How Does Baking Powder Make Chicken Crispy? Coating meat, chicken in this case, with a dusting of baking powder alkalizes the surface of the meat making it harder for the proteins to bond which results in keeping the meat more tender when cooked. Baking powder contains cornstarch which will pull moisture from the skin. The drier the skin, the faster it will crisp.

Common Questions For Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings

Leftovers? How Do You Reheat Wings To Keep Them Crispy?

To keep those crispy chicken wings crispy, re-heat them in the oven. A 350 degree oven temp for 10 – 15 minutes will yield a hot wing that’s still cripsy. Don’t use the microwave, it will turn that crispy skin flabby. You can also use an air-fryer. Preheat air-fryer to 380 degrees. Cook until heated, about 3 – 4 minutes.

At What Temperature Are Chicken Wings Fully Cooked?

Chicken wings are fully cooked at 165 degrees. Check the temperature by placing a digital real thermometer probe in the thickest part of a drumette.

Important Tips For Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings

  • Pat The Wings Dry: One of the keys to insure that baked wings come out crispy is to pat the wings dry before proceeding with the recipe. Moisture will make the baking powder gummy and the wings will steam rather than crisp.
  • Don’t Skip The 2-Hour Resting Time: This time spent in the refrigerator will allow the baking powder to draw moisture from the skin of the chicken. Which means those wings will crisp easier.
  • Use A Rack: Use a sheet pan with a rack. Keeping those wings elevated allows air to circulate around each individual wing, which equals crispy wings.
  • Line The Sheet Pan: Line the sheet pan with aluminum foil. This makes for easy clean-up, plus that foil will create extra heat to help crisp the wings. I like to use parchment paper to line sheet pans, but don’t try it for this recipe. The extended cook time at high heat will scorch and perhaps burn the paper.

Storage

  • Store chicken wings in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • You can also freeze the wings in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. I like to use a zip-lock style freezer bag. The bag will lay flat saving freezer space. To reheat, let the wings thaw in the refrigerator over-night.

Recipe for Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings with Santa Fe Sauce

Dipping a baked chicken wing into ranch dressing.

Come Super Bowl time, we all love a big platter of chicken wings, and they’ve got to be crispy. So skip the frying and try this oven-roasted method.

Party guests will go wild over this Santa Fe Sauce for wings. A combination of hot pepper sauce, and Asian sweet chile sauce, both chili seasoning (a seasoning mix) and chile powder (a single ground chile powder) makes a delicious flavor combination. Give ’em a try.

More Game-Day Appetizer Ideas

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

crispy baked wings with celery sticks and ranch dressing.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings in Santa Fe Sauce

This is a recipe for crispy oven baked chicken wings using a unique roasting method to keep those wings stay nice and crunchy. After baking, these oven baked wings are tossed and drenched  in an exciting sauce that's a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy. Next time you're serving up wings, think outside the Buffalo and BBQ box. Get everyone's attention with this addictive baked wings recipe.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine: Southwestern
Servings: 4
Calories: 592kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds chicken wings drumettes and wingettes, about 30 pieces.
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons dry bbq rub or meat seasoning
  • ⅓ cup hot pepper sauce we like Cholula
  • ½ cup sweet chili sauce we like Maggi
  • ¼ cup butter melted
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons chile powder A single blend chile powder, we like Chimayo, milder Ancho will work.
  • Ranch Dressing for dipping sauce

Instructions

  • Pat wings dry with a paper towel and place the wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle in the baking powder and salt. Toss the wings to coat, then refrigerate for 2 hours.
  • Remove wings from refrigerator and sprinkle with the dry BBQ seasoning. Toss again.
  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
  • Place the wings on a large sheet pan fitted with a wire rack. This is important because the rack allows air to circulate around the wings and also keeps them up and out of any liquid that accumulates in the pan during cooking. Line the sheet pan with foil for easy clean up.
  • Bake the wings for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn up the oven heat to 400. Bake for an additional 45 minutes or until wings are starting to brown. Oven temperatures vary, so start checking after about 40 minutes.
  • While the wings are baking, wash out that large bowl with hot soapy water and rinse well to get it clean and bacteria free. Mix the sauce ingredients in the bowl.
  • When wings are done, dump them into the sauce, cover the bowl with a plate large enough, or use foil, and shake the bowl well to coat the wings with sauce. 
  • Serve immediately with Ranch Dressing for dipping sauce. 

Notes

If using a milder chile powder such as ancho, add a pinch or two of cayenne for more heat.
Recipe Notes: 
  • One of the keys to insure that baked wings come out crispy is to pat the wings dry before proceeding with the recipe. Moisture will make the baking powder gummy and the wings will steam rather than crisp.
  • Don’t Skip The Resting Time: This time spent in the refrigerator will allow the baking powder to draw moisture from the skin of the chicken. Which means those wings will crisp easier.
  • Use A Rack: Use a sheet pan with a rack. Keeping those wings elevated allows air to circulate around each individual wing, which equals crispy wings.
  • Line The Sheet Pan: Line the sheet pan with aluminum foil. This makes for easy clean-up, plus that foil will create extra heat to help crisp the wings. I like to use parchment paper to line sheet pans, but don’t try it for this recipe. The extended cook time at high heat will scorch and perhaps burn the paper.
  • Leftovers? How To Reheat Chicken Wings: To keep those crispy baked wings crispy, re-heat them in the oven. A 350 degree oven temp for 10 – 15 minutes will yield a hot wing. Don’t use the microwave, it will turn that crispy skin flabby.

Nutrition

Calories: 592kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 1689mg | Potassium: 691mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1590IU | Vitamin C: 23.8mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 3mg

Crispy Baked Wings with Santa Fe Sauce … It’s Party Food

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

This recipe for Crispy Baked Wings with Santa Fe Sauce was first published December 2018 and republished January of 2022 with step by step photos.

Chicken Poblano Soup With Hominy

By 10 Comments

This chicken poblano soup is bright with lime juice, savory with tender chicken, Southwestern in nature with hominy and lively spices. A hearty soup that’s fresh, tasty and very weeknight friendly. Let’s take a look.

If this recipe has piqued your interest, don’t miss my recipe for Southwest Spicy Chicken and Cabbage Soup. Clean eating never had it so good.

Chicken poblano soup with hominy and limes

We make a lot of soups here on the Ranch, and this chicken poblano soup recipe is one of our favorites. The flavor, the overall texture and the fact that it’s easy are just a few of the reasons.

Another great Southwestern soup recipe to take a look at is this one for Rotisserie Chicken Soup. On the table pronto – it’s easy.

Here’s Why You’re Going To Love This Soup

  • It’s easy. Once the roasting, chopping and shredding is complete, this poblano chicken soup recipe is on the table in a jiff. In about 45 minutes, you’ve got a delicious Southwestern soup that the whole family will love.
  • If you’re a hominy fan, you’ll really like this recipe. The texture it brings to the soup is superb.
  • It’s healthy. Low carb, lean protein, vitamins from the lime juice and peppers = yes please.
  • It’s a good-looking soup. Adding turmeric brings a lovely healthy glow to the overall appearance.
  • And the best part of all, the flavor is simply outstanding.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make chicken poblano soup
  • Shredded Chicken: To make this chicken poblano soup even easier, use shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken. Shred both dark and light meat. Or you can use shredded chicken from two cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts.
  • Chicken Broth: Use regular or low sodium.
  • Hominy: Use canned, frozen or dried. You’ll find instructions below if using frozen or dried.
  • Poblano Peppers: Roasted and chopped.
  • Cotija Cheese: A Mexican crumbling cheese.
  • Limes: Fresh squeezed for the juice.
  • Jalapeno Pepper: Seeded, veins removed and chopped.
  • Sweet Onion: Chopped.
  • Spices: Dried thyme, dried Mexican Oregano and Turmeric.

Ingredients Swaps and Subs

  • Cheese: If you can’t find Mexican Cotija cheese, purchase feta cheese. It is similar in texture and flavor to Cotija.
  • Mexican Oregano: One might assume that you can simply switch out regular (Mediterranean) oregano for Mexican Oregano. Mexican oregano is different in flavor that it has a grassy and citrus note, which compliments Mexican food, compared to the sweeter and anise flavors of Mediterranean oregano. The fact is that Marjoram is more similar to Mexican Oregano. Marjoram follows suite with the citrus flavor notes.
  • Jalapeno Pepper: If you feel that a jalapeno pepper is just too hot, use an Anaheim pepper instead.

Pro Tip – About Pozole (Hominy)

  • Using canned hominy will make this recipe a very easy fix. However, if you can find frozen posole I urge you to purchase a couple of bags and keep a stash in the freezer. Especially if you’re a fan of any soup with hominy. It will elevate your experience.
  • Frozen pozole doesn't have to be soaked ahead of time. For this recipe, using a three-quart saucepan, add enough water to cover the pozole by a couple of inches. No need to thaw it first. Bring it to a simmer and cook until tender, about two hours. Then proceed with the recipe. The texture of frozen is far superior to canned.
  • You can also use dried posole, found on the Mexican food aisle at the grocery store. but plan ahead as you’ll need to soak the dried pozole overnight. And then cook it stovetop until tender. Again, add enough water to cover the dried hominy by about two inches. Soak overnight. The dried pozole will soak up some of the water, so the next morning add more water to cover again to two inches and then simmer for about three hours, or until tender. Drain and proceed with recipe.
  • Note: If using dried or frozen hominy, you may need to add more chicken broth to this recipe. These varieties can soak up a lot liquid even after they’re cooked.

Step by Step Instructions

Cooking onions and jalapeno pepper in a Dutch oven.
  • Step 1: Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once the pot is hot, add a couple tablespoons of neutral oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the medium dice chopped onion. Cook, stirring frequently for about five minutes. Add the chopped jalapeno pepper and cook until fragrant. About one minute.
Adding spices to chicken poblano soup
  • Step 2: Add the roasted chopped poblano peppers, broth, the canned or cooked hominy and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and then cover and simmer for about five minutes. Stir occasionally.
Adding shredded chicken to chicken poblano soup

Step 3: Add shredded chicken to simmering soup and let it cook about five minutes. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, top with the cheese, and serve immediately. For any Mexican soup, I like to lightly crush tortilla chips and sprinkle over the soup, or a tasty little crunch. Fresh cilantro is always a welcome topping and is a good twist of freshly ground pepper.

Tips and Faqs

Can I use Chicken Thighs To Make This Recipe?

Absolutely. Dark meat carries more flavor than chicken breast. Just roast or fry the chicken thighs prior to making this soup. Then cube or shred the meat. Plus chicken thighs are less expensive than chicken breast.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes you can. You can prepare this soup in advance and then gently reheat stovetop before serving. Making this a great recipe for entertaining.

How to cook a poblano pepper?

For this recipe we’re roasting the poblano peppers before adding them to the soup. If you have a gas stovetop, place the peppers directly over medium high flame and turn, turn, turn. Using tongs works well here. Once the peppers are charred (not burnt) place them in a plastic zip-loc bag. Don’t seal the bag and let the peppers steam for about ten minutes. Then using your hands (not water) scrape most of the charred skin from the peppers. I like to leave a little skin on for a smoky flavor. You’re ready to chop and peppers and add them to the soup. I have a video on You Tube about roasting poblanos. Check it out. You can also place poblano peppers on a sheet pan and about 5 inches under the broiler. Turn often until charred.

Is this soup low carb?

Hominy is made from corn, which is relatively low carb. This soup contains 8 grams of carbs per serving.

Are Poblano Peppers Spicy?

Poblano peppers are considered to be a mild chile pepper, however once in a while you’ll come across a spicy one. If you simply don’t want to take the chance, substitute a green bell pepper, or a can of mild chile peppers from the Mexican food aisle.

Tips For Success

  • Can’t Find Poblano Peppers? Use and roast a green bell pepper. You can get a similar smoky charred flavor by roasting them in the same manner as a poblano pepper.
  • Chicken: Equal amounts of roasted boneless-skinless chicken breasts or thighs can be used in place of rotisserie chicken. Just roast them in the oven for about 30 minutes, then when cool enough to handle, shred or chop the meat.

Storage

  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. The soup should last 3 – 4 days.
  • This soup can be frozen and will be good for 3 – 4 months. Again, use an airtight container. I like to use a zip-lock freezer bag. It’s easy to push the air out and it lays flat so as not to take up much room in the freezer
  • To reheat, let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat stovetop or in the microwave.

Recipe for Chicken Poblano Soup With Hominy

Chicken soup with poblano peppers topped with cotija cheese.

If you’re looking for a Mexican style soup with hominy, I can guarantee you’re going to enjoy this recipe. I hope you give this chicken poblano soup a try.

Serving tip: I love serving this soup in a shallow white dish.

What to serve with Chicken Poblano Soup? A simple tossed salad is always a good choice to keep this a light healthy meal. Topped with blue cheese dressing is always popular or a healthier mustard vinaigrette. Molcajete Guacamole would be a welcome appetizer served with Paloma Cocktail or Micheladas.

More Easy Mexican Chicken Soup Recipes

I consider soup to be my specialty, so if you’re looking for more soup recipes, don’t miss my Soup and Stew Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular chicken soup recipe on my site for Sopa Ranchero, Southwest Chicken Soup.

And if you love the flavors of New Mexico, don’t miss this recipe for Pork Posole. A simple recipe that’s dressed up with all of your favorite toppings.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Chicken poblano soup with hominy and limes
Print Recipe
4.75 from 4 votes

Chicken Poblano Soup With Hominy

This chicken poblano soup is bright with lime juice, savory with tender chicken, Southwestern in nature with hominy and lively spices. A hearty soup that fresh, tasty and very weeknight friendly
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: Southwestern
Servings: 4
Calories: 512kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces rotisserie chicken meat removed from bones and shredded
  • 1 Tablespoon neutral oil canola works good here
  • 1 medium sweet onion chopped, about 1 ½ cups
  • 1 jalapeño deveined, deseeded, minced
  • 2 poblano peppers roasted, tops and seeds removed and diced
  • 4 cups chicken broth If using dried or frozen hominy, you may need additional broth, as these varieties can soak up more liquid, even after cooked.
  • 15-ounce can hominy drained. White or yellow hominy
  • ⅛ teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano crumbled if the leaves are large
  • ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 4 Tablespoons lime juice fresh squeezed
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • ½ cup cotija or feta cheese

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in jalapeño and cook, stirring until fragrant, about a minute.
  • Add the poblano peppers, broth, hominy, oregano, turmeric, and thyme. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Add shredded chicken to simmering soup and let it cook about 5 minutes. stir in the lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, top with the cheese, and serve immediately.

Notes

Additional toppings: I like to lightly crush tortilla chips and sprinkle over the soup, or a tasty little crunch. Fresh cilantro is always a welcome topping and is a good twist of freshly ground pepper.
Using a rotisserie chicken is not the number one key to success to this recipe. It just makes this recipe easier.  Substitute shredded cooked chicken breast or cooked chicken thighs if you wish.
Roasted Poblano Peppers: For this recipe we’re roasting the poblano peppers before adding them to the soup. If you have a gas stove top, place the peppers directly over medium high flame and turn, turn, turn. Using tongs works well here. Once the peppers are charred (not burnt) place them in a plastic zip-loc bag. Don’t seal the bag and let the peppers steam for about 10 minutes. Then using your hands (not water) scrape most of the charred skin from the peppers. I like to leave a little skin on for a smoky flavor. You’re ready to chop and peppers and add them to the soup. I have a video on You Tube about roasting poblanos. Check it out.
Hominy Guide For This Recipe
Using canned hominy will make this recipe a very easy fix. However, if you can find frozen posole I urge you to purchase a couple of bags and keep a stash in the freezer.
Frozen pozole (healthy ¼ cup) doesn’t have to be soaked ahead of time. For this recipe, using a 3 quart saucepan, add enough water to cover the pozole by a couple of inches. No need to thaw it first. Bring it to a simmer and cook until tender, about 2 hours. Then proceed with the recipe. The texture of of frozen vs. canned is far superior.
You can also use dried posole (healthy ¼ cup), found on the Mexican food aisle at the grocery store. but plan ahead as you’ll need to soak the dried pozole overnight. And then cook it stovetop until tender. Again, add enough water to cover the dried hominy by two inches. Soak overnight. The dried pozole will soak up some of the water, so the next morning add more water to cover by two inches and then simmer for about 3 hours or until tender. Drain and proceed with recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 230mg | Sodium: 1715mg | Potassium: 1030mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 356IU | Vitamin C: 75mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg

Chicken Poblano Soup … It’s What’s For Dinner

Easy Balsamic Cranberry Vinaigrette

By 26 Comments

Cranberry Vinaigrette is a classic Holiday salad dressing and perfect for a pear and walnut salad. Made with canned cranberry sauce, this is an easy salad dressing to whip together.

Cranberry Vinaigrette with pear, walnut, blue cheese salad.

This cranberry vinaigrette is simply outstanding for a pear salad.It’s easy to make using canned cranberry sauce, which blends well with balsamic vinegar, orange juice and sugar.

The tartness of this cranberry vinaigrette enhances the flavors of sweet pears and bold tangy blue cheese. And walnuts chime in with a nice crunch.

Very festive for salad recipe for Fall, Winter and especially nice for the Holidays.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make cranberry vinaigrette pear walnut blue cheese salad.
  • Canned Cranberry Sauce
  • Red Onion
  • Blue Cheese
  • Pears
  • Orange Juice
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Walnuts
  • Olive oil
  • Sugar
  • Tender Greens, Red leafed lettuce or Bibb Lettuce are good choices here. Adding some thin strands of Frisee or Arugula will add a nice texture and appearance.

Ingredient Substitutions:

  • Pears: Any type of pear will work fine for this recipe. If you can find red pears, like Anjou pears, your salad will be even more an impressive presentation.
  • Onion: The deep color of red onion is attractive in this salad. If you find the flavor too strong, simply substitute yellow or sweet onion.
  • Walnuts: Substitute pecans for walnuts.
  • Sugar: Substitute an equal amount of honey.
  • Blue Cheese: Bleu cheese, or blue cheese is a category of cheese that contains the mold Penicillium. Gorgonzola is a specific type of blue cheese from Northern Italy. Both are used extensively in cooking and are very popular with wine and food. Gorgonzola has a unique taste and appearance. Both blue cheese or gorgonzola will work beautifully for this salad. And are a perfect cheese pairing for pears. Both are sharp and salty with a strong smell. Please refer to my recipe article for Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, for more information about which type of blue cheese to use.

Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy

Mixing ingredients together in an orange bowl to make cranberry vinaigrette.
Using a whisk to blend ingredients together to make cranberry vinaigrette.
  • Step 1: Place cranberry sauce, olive oil, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, sugar, ginger and salt into a medium bowl.
  • Step 2: Using a whisk, blend the ingredients together until smooth and well mixed.

Pro Tip: Freeze Ginger. Keep that knob of ginger in the freezer. Whenever you need a small amount for any recipe, just remove it and use a zester or microplane zester to acquire the amount you need and then return the rest back to the freezer for future use. You don’t even need to peel the ginger. EASY and practical.

Pear, Walnut, Blue Cheese salad.
  • Step 3: Prepare Salad. Divide washed and dried chopped lettuce leaves evenly among 6 chilled salad plates. Thin slice the pears. Divide pear and onion evenly among leaves. Top each serving with about 1 generous Tablespoon blue cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts. Drizzle each serving with about 2 ½ Tablespoons of the cranberry vinaigrette. Freshly ground pepper is always welcome. Serve immediately.
Can This Cranberry Vinaigrette Be Made Ahead?

Making the vinaigrette ahead makes this an incredibly easy salad to assemble right before dinner. Prepare the vinaigrette as early as three days in advance. Store the vinaigrette in a Mason style jar and give the vinaigrette a good shake before serving.

Can I Make This Salad Ahead?

Prepare salad 30 minutes in advance. Prepare the greens, and slice the pears. Dip the pears into some orange or lemon juice so they won’t turn a dark color. Place the greens on salad plates, arrange the pears and sprinkle on the red onion and crumbled blue cheese. When ready to serve sprinkle with walnuts and dressing. You can also pass the dressing at the table. Don’t dress the salad in advance. The acid in the cranberry dressing will cause the greens to wilt.

Can I Use Leftover Homemade Cranberry Sauce For This Recipe?

Absolutely yes. Everyone has their own style of cranberry sauce, but adding the balsamic vinegar, oil and remaining ingredients will turn it into a lovely cranberry dressing.

Tips For Success

Choose a good quality, mild flavored olive oil to make this dressing. Save that big bottle of Costco olive oil for sauteeing.

Other Uses For Cranberry Vinaigrette

Even though a pear and walnut salad is a perfect partner for cranberry vinaigrette, switch things up:

  • Start with baby greens, add some sweet sliced apples and rings of sliced sweet onion. Sprinkle with some salty feta cheese.
  • Try Baby Kale and Granny Smith Apples sprinkled with sunflower seeds.
  • Drizzle over slices of toasted baguette topped with blue cheese.

Storage

This cranberry vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just give it a good shake before re-using. Store in a sealed container. Ball canning jars work well here.

What To Serve With This Salad

This cranberry vinaigrette brings with it a “special feel” starter salad for a special meal. Serve this as a starter for Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin, Prime Rib Roast, or even a special chicken dinner like Chicken Galliano.

This Easy homemade Cranberry Dressing made with canned cranberry sauce is a perfect special feel salad for Fall, Winter, Thanksgiving, Holidays and beyond.

More impressive side salad recipes

And don’t miss my comprehensive article on how to make the best Accompaniment Salad. Just say “no” to sad salads forever.

And if you’re looking for more side dish recipe ideas, don’t miss my Salad category. You’ll find lots of great recipe ideas. One of the more popular is this homemade Red Wine Vinegar Dressing. Salad greens never had it so good.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Cranberry Vinaigrette with pear, walnut, blue cheese salad.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Cranberry Vinaigrette Recipe

Cranberry Vinaigrette is a classic Holiday salad dressing and perfect for a pear and walnut salad. Made with canned cranberry sauce, this is an easy salad dressing to whip together.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Salads, Salad Dressings and Vinaigrettes
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 6
Calories: 190kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • For the Cranberry Vinaigrette
  • ½ cup cranberry sauce canned
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • For The Salad
  • 1-2 heads Delicate lettuce Bibb, Butter, Red Leaf. About 12 cups.
  • 2 pears sliced
  • 1 cup red onion chopped
  • ½ cup blue cheese crumbled
  • 3 Tablespoons walnuts chopped

Instructions

  • To prepare the cranberry vinaigrette: Place cranberry sauce, olive oil, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, sugar, ginger and salt into a medium bowl. Use a whisk to blend the ingredients to a smooth texture.
  • To prepare the salad: Divide washed and dried chopped lettuce leaves evenly among 6 chilled salad plates.
  • Thin slice the pears. Divide pear and onion evenly among leaves. Top each serving with about 1 generous Tablespoon blue cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts. Drizzle each serving with about 2 ½ Tablespoons of the cranberry vinaigrette.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Tip: Toss the sliced pears with a bit of the orange juice to preserve color in the pear. Do this only if you’re making the salad about 30 minutes before serving.
Making the vinaigrette ahead makes this an incredibly easy salad to assemble right before dinner. Prepare the vinaigrette as early as three days in advance. Store the vinaigrette in a Mason style jar and give the vinaigrette a good shake before serving.
A good rule of thumb is serving 2 loose packed cups of greens per salad plate to serve 1 person.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 232mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 1032IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1mg

Cranberry Vinaigrette … It’s Whats for Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

New Mexico Style Cowboy Chili

By 10 Comments

This Cowboy Chili is vibrantly red and earthy with kidney beans, New Mexico Chile Powder and tomato paste. A perfect balance of Southwestern flavors. Hearty and robust, keeping ingredients simple and pure gives this hearty recipe its unique layers of flavor.

Whether making chili with dried beans or canned beans, everyone loves a hearty bowl of beef chili …. This Cowboy Chili is about as hearty as you can get, but if you’re looking for lighter versions, don’t miss this one for Chicken and White Bean Chili.

Cowboy chili topped with sliced jalapenos and grated cheddar cheese

What Is Cowboy Chili?

Cowboy Chili is a hearty rustic style chili that differs from from a Texas style chili, or a Texas style Chili con Carne, This classic Mexican and Southwestern recipe features beans. Beans were used for additional protein. An easy and filling Chuck Wagon staple to keep those Cowboys fed on their cattle drives.

Why This Southwestern Version Works

  • The ingredients are straight forward and simple. And more than likely you’ll have the spices you need already in your pantry.
  • The recipe is simple to make. No fuss, and no special culinary skills needed.
  • You control the heat level, adding as much New Mexico chile powder needed to suit your heat tolerance.
  • This is one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day. You’re going to love having leftovers.
  • This recipe can be made either stovetop or in a slow cooker. You’ll find instructions for both below.
  • Making chili with dried beans is more nutritious and more flavorful than using canned beans.

Back when I first started my food blog in 2009, there were just a handful of food bloggers, compared to the thousands today. We were a tight knit group, becoming virtual and many times in-person friends.

One of my very early blogging acquaintances was experienced and creative Chef Christo who lived in New York City, but was born and raised in New Mexico. He suddenly passed away in 2015 and the last recipe that appeared on his site was his Cowboy Chili Recipe.

It’s hands down the best dry bean chili recipes that I’ve ever had. And with it’s Southwestern influence, simply stated, it’s absolutely crazy delicious.

It’s everything you’d expect from a New Mexico chili recipe and from a chef who was an expert on the cuisine.

Let’s take a look.

Table of contents

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make cowboy chili.
  • Lean Ground Beef – 93% lean and 7% fat works good here. You want enough fat to give flavor, but not enough to make the dish greasy.
  • Kidney Beans – I highly recommend to make chili with dried beans. They’re healthier and more flavorful than canned beans. To keep the chili rustic and rich with color, I like to make chili with red beans.
  • Onion – Sweet or Yellow Onion, chopped.
  • Tomato Paste – Rich tomato paste may be my favorite pantry item of all times. It's concentrated and rich in flavor adding nuance and body to any recipe.
  • Cumin – Another powerhouse must have spice for your Southwestern pantry, cumin has a slightly sweet warming flavor with a nutty element.
  • Chile Powder – I’m lucky to live close enough to New Mexico that I have the luxury of having an arsenal of New Mexico chile powders in my pantry. My favorite is Chimayo Chile Powder. It’s beautiful vibrant orange-red color and earthy flavor is a special treat. A must have seasoning for Cowboy Chili.
  • Garlic – Three cloves, minced.

Safety Tips For Kidney Beans

Red Kidney Beans and also Cannellini Beans (White Kidney Beans) can be toxic when cooked in the crock pot. They contain toxic levels of lectin which can cause stomach and gut illness. To eliminate this threat, you need to boil these beans for 30 minutes before adding them to a crock pot meal like this soup. Slow Cookers simply don't reach a high enough boiling temperature to remove these toxins. You can use canned kidney beans and add them towards the end of cooking. Canned kidney beans have already been prepared correctly.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Ground Beef – Substitute ground turkey or ground chicken in place of beef. If using either of these leaner meats, this will call for a splash of oil for browning. Neutral flavored canola oil is a good choice.
  • Beans – Pinto beans are a good substitute for Kidney beans. However, you’ll lose that deep red appearance of the final dish. Black beans would also be a good choice. You can use canned kidney beans, but you’ll need to reduce the amount of liquid. See full instructions in the recipe card. Please stick with dry beans for chili, the end result will be superior.
  • Chile Powder – Don’t have New Mexico Chile Powder? Substitute Ancho Chile Powder or even cayenne. You can also order New Mexico Red Chile Powder from sources such as Made in New Mexico. Resist using Chili Seasoning, as that’s a blend of many spices used in other chili recipes.
  • Substitute one of the cups of beef broth with your favorite rich beer.

How To Make Cowboy Chili – It’s Easy

Browning ground beef with onions to make Cowboy Chili.
  1. Step 1: In a large fry pan, brown the ground beef, adding onions and garlic to season.
Adding New Mexico Chile Powder to make Cowboy Chili
  1. Step 2: Add the cumin and chile powder and stir until everything is coated. If it’s not spicy enough add more red chile powder. Cook, stirring for about two minutes.
Adding tomato paste, how to make cowboy chili.
  1. Step 3: Add the tomato paste and water, stirring and simmering for about 15 minutes. You’ll have a consistency that will remind you of Sloppy Joes.
  2. Step 4: You’re ready to add this mixture to the cooked kidney beans along with two cups of water. Let this simmer for about 15 minutes to marry the flavors and serve.

Pro Tip: If you do find that your particular can of tomato paste has an extra acidy tone, add a splash of vinegar or a squeeze of honey. It will tame that sharp flavor.

Tip For Success

  • 85/15%: Choose a ground beef mix labeled 85/15% (85% lean, 15% fat). An 80/20% mix will make the chili too greasy. Save it for making homemade hamburgers. A grade leaner, like 93/7% will be too lean and you’ll miss out on that beefy flavor. Save that blend when making Old Fashioned Meatloaf.

What Garnishes Go Well With Chili?

This chili recipe is so robust in flavor, we like to keep it simple with slices of fresh jalapeno peppers and some grated cheese. But here are some other ideas:

  • Corn Chips. Serve with a bowl of corn chips. We like to crush them with our hands over the chili once it’s served.
  • Sour Cream: A dollop of sour cream or Mexican crema work well here.
  • Onions: Even though this chili contains cooked onions, some fresh raw chopped sweet onions make a great topping.
  • Cilantro: Chopped cilantro is a popular topping for chili soups.
  • Chopped Avocado

What To Serve With Cowboy Chili

A bowl of Cowboy chili wouldn’t be complete without a side of Cornbread. They simply go hand in hand.

Cowboy Chili FAQ’s

What’s The Easiest Way To Cook Dried Kidney Beans?

I like to use my crockpot. However, if you do this, you need to boil them 30 minutes stovetop before using the crockpot. Then place the beans in the base of your crockpot with enough beef broth to cover the beans by a couple of inches, about 3 cups. Add a dollop of lard or bacon grease and the beans will be even creamier. Cook on low for five to six hours, or until beans are tender. The age of the bean will determine cooking time. The fresher the beans, the quicker they cook. Once they’re tender, don’t drain and add the ground beef mixture that you’ve made. Cook on low for two more hours. If you’ve never tried it, chili with dry beans is the way to go.

Can I Make Cowboy Chili In The Crock Pot?

That’s how I make it. Using the method above cook the kidney beans, once the beans are tender, add the cooked ground beef mixture (Steps 1 – 3 above) directly to the crockpot, without draining the beef broth from the beans. Add 2 cups of water and cook on low for two hours.

How To Thicken Chili Without Overcooking It

Pro Tip, How To Make Chili Thicker: If you feel like there’s a tad too much liquid once the chili has cooked, the best way to thicken chili is to add masa harina or corn meal. The flavor profiles of these two ingredients compliment the chili flavor. Just add a couple of tablespoons and stir very well. Simmer for about five more minutes. You can also add fine crushed corn chips. They’ll absorb some liquid. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher to smash some of the beans. Some recipes may advise to add flour or cornstarch by making a slurry with water. These two ingredients can compromise that famous chili flavor. Save those thickeners for beef or chicken gravy.

Make Ahead

As with any type of soup, stew or chili, it always tastes better the next day. This is a great recipe to make in advance, heat and serve the next day. Great for entertaining a hungry game-day crowd. Which also makes it ideal to travel for a pot-luck gathering. Just make ahead, store in the refrigerator, then heat stovetop in your big soup pot. Feeding a crowd: This is an easy recipe to double.

Storage and Reheating

  • Cowboy Chili will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 – 5 days sealed in an airtight container.
  • You can also freeze this chili and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. I like to use zip-loc style freezer bags. Just fill the bag to about 2 inches to the top, squeeze the air out of it and then lay it flat in the freezer. This saves storage room rather than storing it in a square container. Be sure to use a sharpie and label the bag with contents and date.
  • To reheat, thaw the chili in the refrigerator overnight. Re-heat leftovers stovetop in a small saucepan, or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl.
New Mexico style Cowboy Chili Recipe topped with cheese and jalapeno peppers

This Cowboy Chili Recipe is one of the easiest and tastiest chili recipes around. Easy to prepare and rich with Southwestern flavor, you must give it a try.

It’s perfect for game day, or comfort food on a cold night. And chili with kidney beans results in such a rich looking and tasting soup.

And if you love homemade Southwestern Mexican flavors as much as we do, don’t miss my Soup Category. You’ll find lots of recipe ideas, including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chili with Pork.

Explore More Southwestern Chili Recipes

You can’t live in our part of the country without having a stellar lineup of chili recipes. Each with a different flavor profile, and each for a different occasion. Check out hearty these chili recipes.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Cowboy chili garnished with grated cheese and jalapeno pepers.
Print Recipe
4.78 from 9 votes

New Mexico Style Cowboy Chili

Vibrantly red and earthy with kidney beans, New Mexico Chile Powder and tomato paste, this chili is a perfect balance of Southwestern flavors. Hearty and robust, keeping ingredients simple and pure gives this Cowboy Chili Recipe its unique layers of flavor.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Soaking Dried Beans12 hours
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: Southwestern
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 10
Calories: 258kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried kidney beans Cooked
  • 3 cups Beef broth or water
  • 2 Tablespoons lard or bacon grease
  • 1 Pound lean ground beef 85% lean – 15% fat ratio recommended
  • 1 large sweet onion chopped. About 1 – 1 ½ cups
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Tablespoons cumin powder
  • 2 Tablespoons Chile Powder Preferrably New Mexico Chile Powder, And Chimayo Chile Powder even more preferred. Add more if your heat tolerance will allow.
  • 6 ounces tomato paste Good quality. Either Cento or Muir Glen.
  • 2 cups water
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Garnishes listed below

Instructions

  • Soak dried beans overnight in water. Use enough water to cover the beans by an inch or two. The next morning, drain the beans and cover them with beef broth. If using your crockpot, boil them stove top 30 minutes before placing them in the crockpot. You can also make this in a Dutch Oven Stovetop. Add the lard or bacon grease to the beans and simmer covered until tender. Depending on the age of the beans, this could take a 2-3 hours in a Dutch oven, or 5 hours in a crockpot on low.
  • Once the beans are tender, start making the chili. Brown the meat in a large skillet. When meat is about half browned, add the onion and cook, stirring often until onion is starting to become soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.
  • Add the cumin and chile powder to the ground beef and stir till everything is coated. If it's not spicy enough add more red chile powder. The original recipe calls for 4 tablespoons. I used 2 tablespoons. It all depends on the heat of the chile powder and your heat tolerance level.
  • Cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. When all of this is a nice deep red color, then add the tomato paste and water.
  • Simmer gently for 15 minutes. You'll have a mixture that reminds you of Sloppy Joes. Add this mixture to the cooked beans (don't drain beef broth from the beans). Simmer for 15 minutes in a Dutch oven. If you're using your crockpot, add the beef mixture and the two cups water to the cooked beans and cook on low for 2 hours.
  • Serve with garnish and cornbread. Garnishes can include chopped avocado, sliced jalapeno peppers, sour cream, grated cheddar cheese and cilantro.

Notes

Easiest Way To Cook Dried Kidney Beans: I like to use my crockpot. However, if you do this, you need to boil kidney beans 30 minutes stovetop before using the crockpot. Then place the beans in the base of your crockpot with enough beef broth to cover the beans by a couple of inches, about 3 cups. Add a dollop of lard or bacon grease and the beans will be even creamier. Cook on low for five to six hours, or until beans are tender. The age of the bean will determine cooking time. The fresher the beans, the quicker they cook. Once they’re tender, don’t drain and add the ground beef mixture that you’ve made. Cook on low for two more hours. If you’ve never tried it, chili with dry beans is the way to go.
If using canned beans for this recipe, substitute three 15.5 ounce cans, drained and rinsed. You’ll still need to add the beef broth for the liquid for this chili. but omit the water called for later in the recipe. When cooking dried beans in beef broth, the beans will soak up some of that broth. The canned beans won’t soak up the broth because they’re already cooked, so water may not be needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 473mg | Potassium: 1097mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 906IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 6mg

Cowboy Chili …. It’s What’s For Dinner

Homemade Catalina Dressing Recipe

By 46 Comments

Homemade Catalina Dressing, this sweetheart dressing of the 1960’s comes to life in your own kitchen. It’s easy to make, ready in under 10 minutes, and bursting with layers of flavor that are totally irresistible. Catalina dressing is famous for being drizzled over that Fritos-Doritos Taco Salad.

Catalina dressing with tossed salad.

What is Catalina Dressing?

Catalina dressing is that bright red, sweet-tangy salad dressing you probably remember from diners, potlucks, or that one aunt who always brought the "fancy" salad. It's tomato-based, a little sweet, a little sharp, and unapologetically bold. Think French dressing's louder cousin. Same family. Bigger personality. Catalina Dressing for Taco Salad is probably it’s most popular use, but can also be used as a marinade or even a dipping sauce.

Catalina Dressing vs French Dressing, What’s The Difference?

They are similar in flavor but usually there is a difference in color. French dressing tends to use less tomato products resulting in a lighter tone. Catalina leans harder into tomato, sugar, and vinegar. More punch. More color. More "what is that and why do I like it so much?”

The flavor of Homemade Catalina dressing makes the difference more obvious, with a rounder, sweeter and louder flavor than the more polite French dressing.

Why Make Catalina Dressing At Home?

What Does Catalina Dressing Taste Like? If you’ve never had homemade Catalina dressing, adjectives that come to mind to describe the flavor are pizzaz, tangy, sweet, thick, luscious, creamy (yet dairy free) and just plain exciting.So much better than the bottled version, and we’ve been drizzling it all week over a big bowl of salad greens for a quick side dish.  

  • The vibrant rich rusty color alone is alluring to the senses and a hint to it’s irresistible flavor.
  • It takes about 15 minutes to make. Once the ingredients are gathered, just whisk and serve.
  • It’s an easy make ahead dressing that you can pull out of the fridge when dinner is ready. And it will be ready to drizzle over any salad you toss together all week.
  • You’ve probably already got everything in your pantry to make this recipe.
  • And as we all know, homemade dressings are always preferable to the shelf stable bottled versions with a list of unrecognizable ingredients.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The line up of ingredients to make this recipe brings to light the reason the end flavor result is so exuberant. Simple pantry items for a quick dressing.

Ingredients to make homemade Catalina dressing.

Key Flavor Components

  • Oil, I like Extra Virgin Olive Oil here.
  • Vinegar, I like Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Tomato base, grab that bottle of Ketchup
  • Sweetener, granulated sugar
  • Seasoning, grated onion, chili seasoning, paprika and mustard powder.

That's it. The balance matters. Sweet shows up first. Vinegar brightens overall flavor. Tomato pulls it together. A little onion and garlic give it backbone. Paprika adds that familiar diner-style warmth.

These ingredients are all important to give this Catalina Dressing Recipe its appealing vibrant color and rich flavor.

Ingredient Subs and Swaps

CanYou Make Catalina Dressing Without Ketchup?

  • Ketchup is the most convenient option here, but if you’re out, use Tomato Paste with a bit of sugar. It’s a wonderful ingredient that brings a richer, rounder cleaner flavor. Culinary school drilled that into me. Tomato paste was an MVP in our kitchen with ketchup basically non-existent.

More Swaps

  • Vinegar: Cider vinegar is a all-around great vinegar for flavoring about anything where you need a “tang”. Red Wine Vinegar would be a good substitute here. And white vinegar, or Champagne Vinegar will also work well for this recipe.
  • Paprika: Regular paprika is called for in this recipe. But try Smoked paprika to give it a little bit different flavor profile.
  • Sugar: Substitute ⅓ cup of honey for the granulated sugar. Honey is sweeter than sugar, so you’ll need less. You can also use Agave Syrup.
  • Onion: Substitute ½ teaspoon onion powder for grated onion.
  • Oil: You can also use a neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil.

How To Make Homemade Catalina Dressing

Mixing ingredients to make homemade catalina dressing.
  1. Step 1: Choose a mixing bowl that’s large enough to easily whisk ingredients without them spilling out. Add all of the ingredients and using good old fashioned elbow grease, whisk vigorously until well blended.
  2. Blender Method: You can add everything to a blender or food processor to do the mixing for you. The power of the blades will give you a glossier appearance, but I feel like it makes for more cleanup.

Pro Tips:

This recipe calls for grated onion. Grated onion blends well and delivers more onion flavor than chopped onion. It also brings a smoother texture. It somewhat “juices” the onion which again, distributes more pure onion flavor. The easiest way to grate an onion is to grab your box grater. Use the large holes. The smaller holes will produce too much of a mushy watery texture. Cut the onion in half, remove the paper skins and start grating the flesh.

How To Serve

  • 1. Bacon Burgers. Top burgers with bacon slices and some Catalina Dressing.
    2. Brush over chicken wings and grill, basting with more dressing as you cook.
    3. Mix ¼ cup Catalina dressing, 4 ½ teaspoons of onion soup mix with 1 Tablespoon grape Jelly. Slather this mixture over boneless skinless chicken breasts and bake at 350 degrees for 30-ish minutes or until internal temp of chicken reaches 165 – 170 degrees.
  • Make Catalina Meatballs: Place meatballs on a sheet pan and drizzle with Catalina dressing. Bake according to directions.
  • A friend told me she uses it as a dip for French Fries.

Storage – How Long Does Catalina Dressing Last?

  • Refrigerator: This dressing will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks. I like to store it in a Ball canning jar with a tight lid. I like glass over plastic because plastic can hang on to smells. If it separates, that’s normal, that’s homemade. Just give that jar a good shake. Please no countertop storage, it needs a cold fridge for food safety.
  • Freezer: Double the recipe and freeze some for later. This dressing will keep in the freezer for up to three months. I like to store it in a freezer safe zip lock style bag. Just stand the bag up, pour in the dressing and then carefully squeeze the air out. Why this method? You can lay it flat and save on freezer space. Just thaw in the refrigerator over night before using.

Variations

Catalina Dressing is somewhat of an institution, so I like to keep the original recipe as it is, but, if you’d like to have fun:

  • Spicy: A pinch of cayenne or a splash of hot sauce wakes it up fast. I do this when using it as a marinade.
  • Healthier: This one's easy. Don't use bottled stuff that contains high fructose corn syrup.
  • Sugar Free: Use your sugar free sweetener adding a little at a time at the end of blending. Start small. Taste as you go. Catalina shouldn't taste fake-sweet.

FAQ’s

What Can I Use Instead of Catalina Dressing?

French Dressing or Russian Dressing have similar color and flavor profiles.

Is Catalina Dressing The Same as Russian Dressing?

They are similar in profile salad dressings, however, Russian Dressing has chile sauce and mayo added. To make Russian dressing even spicier, you may find some horseradish added.

Why Is It Called Catalina Dressing?

I’ve read this dressing was invented in Catalonia Spain. I’ve also read that Kraft Corporation first came up with the recipe and it’s name. Catalina was their version of French Dressing.

Is Catalina Dressing Gluten Free?

This homemade version is naturally gluten free as long as the ingredients you use are. Some bottled brands aren't, so labels matter.

Recipe For Catalina Salad Dressing

Homemade catalina dressing in a mason jar with a tossed salad in the background.

So don’t hesitate, give this Catalina Dressing Recipe a try. Drizzle it over your favorite bowl of salad greens, or make this classic Taco Salad recipe. A salad that the whole family will love.

More Homemade Salad Dressings

Homemade salad dressing and vinaigrettes are routinely very easy and quick to make and always better than store bought. And more times than not, you’ll have the ingredients you need on hand right there in your pantry. Here are some of our favorites.

And if you’re looking for more salad dressing recipes and salads, don’t miss my Salad Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular salad dressing recipe on my site for Creamy Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Catalina dressing in a mason jar.
Print Recipe
4.75 from 8 votes

Homemade Catalina Dressing

Homemade Catalina Dressing, this sweetheart dressing of the 1960's comes to life in your own kitchen. It's easy to make, ready in under 10 minutes, and bursting with layers of flavor that are totally irresistible. This dressing is famous for being drizzled over that Old Fashioned Taco Salad.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Salads, Salad Dressings and Vinaigrettes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 210kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon grated onion or more to taste
  • ½ cup cider vinegar
  • ⅔ cup ketchup
  • 1 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients into large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour into a jar and store in the refrigerator.
  • Blender Method: You can add everything to a blender or food processor to do the mixing for you. The power of the blades will give you a glossier appearance, but I feel like it makes for more cleanup.

Notes

How to grate onion:
This recipe calls for grated onion. Grated onion blends well and delivers more onion flavor than chopped onion, it brings a smoother texture. It somewhat “juices” the onion which again, distributes more pure onion flavor. The easiest way to grate an onion is to grab your box grater. Use the large holes. The smaller holes will produce too much of a mushy watery texture. Cut the oven in half, remove the paper skins and start grating the flesh.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 511mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Catalina Dressing Recipe…It’s What’s for your favorite tossed salad.

This recipe was first published March of 2013, and updated December of 2021 with step by step instructions and better photos.