The Mexican kitchen is known for its vibrancy. The recipes are versatile with strong taste and a wide array of colors. Did you realize that most Mexican dishes have ingredients with the colors of the flag (red, green, and white)?
Today, we’ll be sharing with you the recipe of one of the most famous Mexican dishes, Romeritos!
Romeritos are plants that resemble baby spinach. They’re usually prepared with vegetables and shrimp and eaten on Easter and Christmas. The dish is tasty and exotic, and it’s totally worth a try.
Let’s get to know more about the mysterious plant and learn how to prepare it.
What Are Romeritos?
Romerito is a wild herb that grows throughout Mexico in fall and early winter. It’s also known as “seepweed.” The leaves are thin, long, and pale green.
They resemble rosemary, only with a softer texture and appearance. It’s called “little rosemary” for a reason!
Don’t be fooled by their resemblance to rosemary, though.
Romerito and rosemary aren’t interchangeable in recipes. Romerito is more tender, and it’s not as aromatic as rosemary.
To describe its taste best, we’d say that romerito tastes similar to spinach.
You can also cook it and serve it like spinach. Whenever you can’t find romeritos, you can replace them with baby spinach.
Apart from the nice taste, romeritos are beneficial, where they’re rich in vitamins A and C. They also include iron and potassium.
Romeritos History
Before the European conquest of Mexico and during Mayan times, native Mexicans relied on a vegetarian diet feeding on what they harvested from their land.
They embraced a system called the “Milpa Cycle,” where some crops like Romerito, corn, and beans are grown with rotation with grass.
Romeritos belong to the family of “quelites.” These are simply edible plants that grow in agricultural fields wildly.
Some of them can be eaten raw, like corn, while others need cooking, like romeritos.
Preparation of Romeritos
If you’re not in Mexico, your best bet to find real romerito is in an area where there are a lot of Mexicans who might be planting it.
You can also get some seeds and plant romerito yourself in your own garden or plant pot.
You should prepare your romeritos by going through them one by one to cut the tough branches, leaving only the soft ones.
Rinse the plant thoroughly with water to get rid of any dirt or grit. We can’t stress how important this is.
How to Make Romeritos?
Romeritos is a traditional Mexican dish made of the romerito herb mixed with shrimp and potatoes with mole sauce.
It’s usually cooked on New Year’s Eve, Christmas, and Lent.
Another common way to cook them is to make Romerito patties with dried shrimps.
Shrimps are finely cut, powdered, then soaked in a batter of eggs.
You make round patties from this mixture, fry them in oil, then add to them boiled romeritos and potatoes.
- Preparation time: 35 minutes
- Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 kg of romeritos
- 1 and a half cup of mole sauce
- 6 pieces of Nopales
- 1 cup of dried shrimp
- 3 potatoes
- 2 tomatoes
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Chili pepper (optional)
Step 1
After you’ve prepped the romeritos and cleaned them, cut the nopales into medium-sized chops. Don’t overdo it because they’ll shrink when cooked.
Step 2
Cook the potatoes with a little salt, then add the chopped nopales. Peeling the potatoes is optional here, but native Mexicans don’t. This will take around 10 to 15 minutes. Drain them after you’re done.
Step 3
Now we’ll prepare the shrimp. Toss them in a hot pan to take the heat shot. Remove the heads and tails, and peel the shells. (Some people like to put the shells in the blender and use the resulting paste as a base for the dish).
Another variation is to mix shrimp powder with eggs to form round patties. You fry these patties in oil and serve them with the romeritos mix.
Step 4
Time to cook the romerito. In a pan, cook the romerito for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, you should’ve lifted the potato/nopales mix off the heat.
Step 5
Prepare the tomato sauce. Put the tomatoes with one cup of water in the blender. Then, pour it into a casserole with hot olive oil.
When you first heat the olive oil in the pan, you can add some chopped onion and minced garlic to enhance the taste. Stir well till they’re golden, then add the tomato.
Mix it till the texture thickens. You can add tomato paste for a richer taste. 10 minutes and it should be ready.
Step 6
Add the mole to the same casserole of tomato sauce and keep stirring till you reach a good consistency. (Mexicans like to add dark chocolate at this step, you can try it but not for the first time. It’ll be a tad overwhelming!)
Step 7
Add the dry shrimp to the mixture and stir for 5 minutes. Then, pour in the potato and nopales mix and the romerito. Keep stirring and leave on low heat till you’re done.
Step 8
Serve with bread and have a nice meal!
Serving Romeritos
Romeritos are traditionally served during Mexican holidays, especially Christmas and Lent.
Their rich, earthy flavors and hearty texture make them a centerpiece of celebratory meals.
Here are some tips for serving Romeritos to highlight their traditional charm:
1. Presentation Matters
- Traditionally, Romeritos are served in clay pots or ceramic bowls, which help maintain warmth and give an authentic touch to the presentation.
- For a family-style feast, use a large decorative platter and garnish with freshly cooked shrimp cakes for an inviting look.
2. Accompaniments
- Serve Romeritos with warm corn tortillas. They are perfect for scooping up the mole and enjoying the herbaceous greens.
- Add a side of white rice or Mexican-style red rice to balance the dish’s rich flavors.
- Pair them with refried beans or nopales salad for a complete and satisfying meal.
3. Beverage Pairings
- Complement Romeritos with traditional Mexican beverages:
- Ponche Navideño (a warm fruit punch) during Christmas.
- Champurrado (Mexican chocolate drink) for a comforting pairing.
- A refreshing Agua de Tamarindo or Horchata if served in warmer weather.
4. Garnishing
- Sprinkle lightly toasted sesame seeds over the dish for added texture and an extra nutty flavor.
- Place a few whole shrimp cakes on top for visual appeal and to emphasize the dish’s protein component.
5. Perfect for Sharing
Romeritos are best enjoyed in a communal setting, where the dish is shared among family and friends. Its bold flavors and unique ingredients invite conversation and celebration, making it more than just a meal—it’s a culinary experience.
Whether served as the star of a festive holiday table or as a comforting family meal, Romeritos bring a taste of tradition and warmth to every occasion.
Chef’s Tips & Tricks for Romeritos
You can experiment all you want when cooking romeritos.
One of the nice ways to do it is to integrate nutty flavors into the recipe. You can use sesame oil, almonds, or peanuts.
The nutty flavor enriches your dish and elevates it to a whole new level.
If you’re a fan of spices, then you go down the route of garlic, onion, or chiles.
They’re commonly added to the romeritos dish and they’re usually a part of native Mexican dishes.
You can add as many vegetables as you want to your romeritos dish. Among the most common greens to add are peas and green beans.
To do this, cook them in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes, then leave them to cool and peel the pea pods.
They should be left aside and then added to the mix on the last step.
They do add nutritional value and add a nice touch of color to your dish.
Romeritos Wrap Up
The savory -and sometimes spicy- dish is a perfect surprise to prepare for your family on occasions.
Be it Christmas, New year’s, or Easter; they’ll cherish a dish of romeritos from time to time!
Just like Mexicans, be bold and don’t shy away from experimenting in the kitchen. You can replace olive oil with corn or avocado oil.
You can add as many herbs as you want, and as we said, you can add vegetables. Bread crumbs can be an excellent addition to the dish, as well.
Romeritos Recipe
Romeritos are a traditional Mexican dish often enjoyed during Christmas and Lent. This version uses romeritos, mole sauce, dried shrimp, nopales, and potatoes, resulting in a delicious and hearty meal.
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh romeritos (cleaned and stems removed)
- 1 ½ cups prepared mole sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 6 pieces of nopales (cactus paddles), diced
- 1 cup dried shrimp
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- 1–2 chili peppers (optional, for heat)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Romeritos:
- Clean the romeritos thoroughly by removing tough stems and any dirt.
- Blanch them in boiling salted water for 3–5 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the Nopales:
- Dice the nopales and boil them in water with a pinch of salt for 10–15 minutes, or until tender.
- Rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove any remaining slime and set aside.
3. Cook the Potatoes:
- Dice the potatoes and boil them in salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. Toast the Dried Shrimp:
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the dried shrimp for 1–2 minutes to bring out their flavor. Set aside.
5. Prepare the Sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté for 5–7 minutes until soft and saucy.
- Add the mole sauce and stir well. Thin the sauce with a little water or broth, if needed, to achieve your desired consistency.
- Season with salt and add chili peppers (if using) for an extra kick.
6. Combine Everything:
- Add the romeritos, nopales, potatoes, and toasted shrimp to the mole sauce. Mix gently to ensure all ingredients are coated with the sauce.
- Simmer the mixture for 10–15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together. Adjust seasoning with salt as needed.
7. Serve:
- Serve the romeritos hot with warm corn tortillas or Mexican rice on the side.
Notes
For an even richer flavor, lightly crush the shrimp before adding them to the dish.
If you prefer a less spicy version, omit the chili pepper.
You can add sesame seeds as a garnish for a traditional touch.
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.