Mexican · Salad · Easy
Nopales Salad
Tender cactus paddles tossed with tomato, onion, and queso fresco in a lime vinaigrette. Fresh, tangy, and uniquely Mexican.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Nopales Salad, in 5 ideas
- Nopales taste like a cross between green beans and okra, with a pleasant tang
- Rinsing after boiling removes the slippery texture some people dislike
- This salad is a staple of Mexican home cooking, especially during Lent
- Nopales are incredibly nutritious, high in fiber and vitamins
- Serve alongside grilled meats as a bright acidic counterpoint
What you need
Ingredients
- 1 lb nopales (cactus paddles), diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp oregano
- Salt to taste
How to make it
Directions
- Boil the diced nopales in salted water 8 to 10 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse.
- Let cool completely.
- Whisk olive oil, lime juice, oregano, and salt into a vinaigrette.
- Toss the nopales with tomatoes, onion, and cilantro.
- Top with queso fresco and serve chilled.
Money saver. Buy pre cleaned diced nopales in bags at Latin markets; they save all the de spining work for about the same price.