Ensalada de Nopales
Ensalada de Nopales (or Cactus Salad) is a tasty, vegan-friendly, and refreshing side dish that's a staple in Mexico. It's quick and SO versatile. You can pair it with just about everything!
Servings: 4
Calories: 133kcal
Ingredients
To Cook the Cactus:
- 2 paddles cactus
- 4 cups water
For the Salad:
- 1 tomato diced
- ¼ onion diced
- 1 jalapeno diced
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- Juice of 2 limes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup Queso fresco crumbled (optional)
Instructions
To Cook the Cactus:
- Using a sharp knife and a glove, remove the thorns from both sides of the cactus pad.
- Cut off the side edges and tough bottom end.
- Slice and dice the nopales.
- Rinse the nopales.
- Place the diced cactus in a stock pot and cover with water. About 4 cups.
- Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Drain and rinse well. Let cool before assembling.
To Assemble the Salad:
- Mix the tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and cactus in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix olive oil, lime, oregano, and salt.
- Add the dressing to the cactus mixture.
- Mix well.
- Let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Mix in queso fresco (if using) right before serving.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Word to to the Wise: To save time, purchase nopales that have already been cleaned and trimmed. You can find them whole or diced at many Mexican grocery stores.
If you buy nopalitos already diced, use them up right away. They produce more baba (or slime) when they are cut.
Pro Tip: When cleaning the cactus, the thorns tend to fly everywhere when you are removing them. Try doing this in the sink. It will make for easy clean up.
Nutrition
Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 313mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 532IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 0.3mg