Licuado de Nopal (Cactus Pineapple Smoothie) 🌵 is a refreshing Mexican smoothie made with fresh nopal, pineapple, orange juice, and a little turmeric. It’s naturally sweet and an easy way to add nopales to your day.
If you are a cactus fan, also try my Ensalada de Nopales and Nopales con Huevos.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️
- A great way to try nopales. If you’ve never had cactus before, the pineapple and orange juice make it easy to enjoy.
- Fresh and refreshing. Pineapple and orange juice give this licuado a naturally sweet, citrusy flavor.
- Simple ingredients. You only need four ingredients and a blender.
- Naturally high in fiber. Fresh nopales add fiber along with their mild, slightly vegetal flavor.
- Easy to customize. If you’re new to nopales, start with a little more pineapple and add more cactus as you get used to the flavor.
-Maggie
🌵 What does nopal cactus taste like?
Nopal has a mild, slightly vegetal flavor. I usually compare the texture to asparagus, although nopales can have a little more of a slippery texture when cooked. In this smoothie, the pineapple and orange juice balance the flavor nicely.
👩🏼🍳 Instructions
How to Prepare Fresh Nopal
- Place the nopal on a clean surface.
- Hold one end of the nopal and use a knife to remove the other end.
- Cut around the nopal, removing the sides.
- Using a sharp knife remove the thorns.
- Move the paddle around to remove all the thorns.
🌟 Pro Tips
Please be very careful. If you do this quickly, the thorns will fly around.
Make sure no children are around. Also, you might need to sweep up the kitchen floor if any thorns go flying.
To prevent the thorns from flying, scrape off the thorns close to the surface you are working on.
To dice: Cut perpendicular to the slices to create diced nopales.
Nopal, nopales, and nopalitos are all words you’ll see used for cactus.
Many stores sell them already diced and packaged. This is normally how I buy them.
I also add a little turmeric for its earthy flavor and beautiful golden color. You don’t need much, and it doesn’t overpower the pineapple and orange.
Make the Licuado de Nopal
- Cut the pineapple into chunks.
- Add nopal, pineapple, turmeric, and orange juice to blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour and enjoy.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
For this licuado, I recommend using fresh, raw nopales. Jarred or cooked nopales have a different texture and flavor and can make the smoothie taste different.
Carefully remove the outer edges and all of the spines with a sharp knife. Then rinse the nopal and chop it into smaller pieces before adding it to the blender. Be careful when handling fresh nopales because the tiny spines can be difficult to see.
Yes. You can replace the orange juice with water. I prefer freshly squeezed orange juice because it adds sweetness and a little extra citrus flavor.
Nopal is a nutritious vegetable and this smoothie can fit into a balanced diet, but it should not be considered a weight-loss or “fat-burning” drink. Drinking this smoothie by itself does not guarantee weight loss. If you’re watching your sugar or carbohydrate intake, keep in mind that pineapple and orange juice naturally contain sugar.
Yes, but I think it tastes best fresh. If you have leftovers, store them in a covered container in the refrigerator and use within 1 day. You can also freeze the smoothie for longer storage. Thaw it in the refrigerator and stir well before drinking.
Some people call Licuado de Nopal, “Quema Grasa” or “Fat Burner.” These names come from the belief that the combination of nopal and pineapple can help with weight loss. However, this smoothie isn’t a fat-burning drink, and drinking it alone won’t cause weight loss.
More Smoothie Recipes
- Licuado de Platano
- Green Ginger Smoothie
- Piña Colada Smoothie
- Mango Pineapple Smoothie
- Papaya Smoothie
- Jugo Verde
If you’re new to nopales, this Licuado de Nopal is an easy place to start. The pineapple and orange juice make it sweet and refreshing, while the fresh nopal gives it that classic Mexican twist.
Cactus Pineapple Smoothie (Licuado de Nopal)
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chopped
- 1 cup fresh cactus chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice or water
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour and enjoy!
Thank you I am diabetic and overweight with high blood pressure,
I’ve been drinking this for about two months everything has dropped,
My doctor even said whatever I’m doing continue doing it, thank you so much.
Wow! That’s amazing. Congrats.
Very helpful information besides which ingredients to use
So happy you liked the recipe. I love this drink!
Today I tried it for the first time I just say I’ve been missing out. Great taste I will try it again .
I’m glad you liked this. It tastes great and feels good drinking.
Do I drink it at morning or before I go to bed?
Nopal is high in fiber, which makes it a great addition to a morning smoothie or shake. Consuming high-fiber foods in the morning can help regulate digestion throughout the day and prevent constipation. It is not recommended to consume this licuado before going to bed, as the fiber content may cause discomfort or indigestion while sleeping.
How long do you do this for and how often.
I have only done with week at a time. Space it out between a few months. Also, it tastes good. 🙂
Can you just make with Nopoles no pineapple
I made it with a packet of Steve and Nogales no pineapple it was delicious. Please leave comment
Thank you for this receipe! If you add turmeric, I learned that it absorbs better when you add a little fat (like coconut oil) and pepper (just a small pinch will do!)
Can I freeze the dethorned & cubed nopal by itself? Will the weight loss properties still hold? I’d like to bag it & add it to smoothies without the preparation steps every single time. Thank you for the recipe & backstory by the way, it was an enjoyable, informative read.