I wasn’t sure how to name this post… many ideas came to mind, like:“What to do with cactus pads”, “Some recipes using nopales”, etc., and the list could go on a few more lines, but I decided on just: “How to cook Nopales - cactus paddles” and I hope you find them easy to prepare.
Nopales - Cactus Paddles
The weather is getting warmer here and instead of the same old lettuce, tomato, etc., salad, I decided to make a nutritious Ensalada de nopales. We do not get the freshest nopales around here but, who’s complaining? You can see in the pictures that they look close to their expiration date, with dark spots here and there, but they were still crispy and that is what matters when you choose the nopales. (If they are soft and bendable, do not buy them).
Now… Let’s go cook some nopales!!
How to cook Nopales - Cactus Paddles
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the cactus paddle on your cutting board and, using a sharp knife, trim off the edge. Scrape the spines, thorns or eyes, running your knife from back to front until completely clean. Turn the cactus paddles and do the same on the other side. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Repeat the same steps with the rest of the cactus paddles. Finally, rinse the cactus paddles and take them back to your clean cutting board.
- Place a medium size pot with 4 quarts of water to boil.
- Cut the cactus paddles into small strips.
- Once the water is boiling add the cactus, onion, garlic, ½ tsp. of salt and the tomatillo husk. Boil uncovered for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. The cactus will exude a sticky substance and most times will foam, so, pay special attention to this step to avoid the foam to spill over.
- Once cooked, drain and rinse the cactus. Let them drain completely or pat them dry with paper towels. Now, your nopales are ready to be prepared into salads, scrambled eggs, as an addition to your Mexican stews, etc.
Note: Nopales also taste really good grilled and topped with melted cheese. Just make 3-4 small cuts to each nopal after you cleaned the spines; brush them with oil and grill them for about 3 minutes on each side.
Nopales Salad
DIRECTIONS:
Place the nopales in a large bowl; add the chopped tomato, onion, serrano peppers and cilantro. Mix the ingredients. In a separate bowl mix lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add this to the nopales mixture and stir. Top the salad with crumbled fresh cheese and avocado slices. (Radishes go well with this salad also). Eat with corn tortillas or tostadas.
NOPALES WITH EGGS FOR BREAKFAST
Add the oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped green onions and stir-fry for a minute. Add the nopales and cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Add the eggs and cook until tender, stirring as needed. Add salt to taste.
HOW TO COOK CACTUS PADDLES (NOPALES)
Ingredients
- 6 nopales cactus pads
- 1 tomatillo husk to reduce the viscosity effect
- ¼ white onion
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ tsp. of salt
NOPALES SALAD
SERVES 4
- 6 nopales cactus pads chopped and cooked
- 1 ½ cup chopped tomato
- 2 serrano peppers finely chopped
- ½ cup of chopped onion
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ⅓ cup of olive oil
- 1 avocado
- ½ cup crumble fresh cheese
- Corn tortillas or tostadas to serve
NOPALES WITH EGGS FOR BREAKFAST
- ⅔ cups of nopales chopped and cooked
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp. of chopped green onions
- Salt to taste
Instructions
VERY IMPORTANT TIP: Use kitchen tongs to hold the nopales or, better yet, wear gloves to protect your hands from the thorns. Once you are familiar working with cactus paddles then you can try to clean them without gloves.
- Place the cactus paddle on your cutting board and, using a sharp knife, trim off the edge. Scrape the spines, thorns or eyes, running your knife from back to front until completely clean. Turn the cactus paddles and do the same on the other side.
- Repeat the same steps with the rest of the cactus paddles. Finally, rinse the cactus paddles and take them back to your clean cutting board.
- Place a medium size pot with 4 quarts of water to boil.
- Cut the cactus paddles into small strips.
- Once the water is boiling add the cactus, onion, garlic, ½ tsp. of salt and the tomatillo husk. Boil uncovered for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. The cactus will exude a sticky substance and most times will foam, so, pay special attention to this step to avoid the foam to spill over.
- Once cooked, drain and rinse the cactus. Let them drain completely or pat them dry with paper towels. Now, your nopales are ready to be prepared into salads, scrambled eggs, as an addition to your Mexican stews, etc.
NOPALES SALAD
- Place the nopales in a large bowl; add the chopped tomato, onion, serrano peppers and cilantro. Mix the ingredients. In a separate bowl mix lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add this to the nopales mixture and stir. Top the salad with crumbled fresh cheese and avocado slices. (Radishes go well with this salad also). Eat with corn tortillas or tostadas.
NOPALES WITH EGGS FOR BREAKFAST
- Add the oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped green onions and stir-fry for a minute. Add the nopales and cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Add the eggs and cook until tender, stirring as needed. Add salt to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
More recipes using Nopales: Grilled Cactus Recipe, Nopales Smoothie, Nopales Recipe, Fava Bean and Cactus Soup.
Receta en Español Cómo cocinar nopales.
Marysela
Look forward to reading your recipes. Please can you please if possible would love to see some for tamales. Thanks
mmartinez
Hello Marysela,
There are several recipes for tamales in the blog. Follow this link to see them all. TAMALES
Elsie L. Mendiola
Hi Mely! I never had Nopalitos in a salad, so I will give them a try. As for scrambled with egg,onion and tomato, that is the only way my parents made them, and I learned to love them that way! Very cool post, thanks!
Mely Martínez
Hi Elsie,
They are very popular as a salad or as a side dish, serve with rice and the main dish. Also, you can enjoy them as a topping for tostadas.
Bertha Garcia
People in Ecuador do not know that Nopales are edible! Napolis do grow out in the country! I did cook us three times, but that was not enough! People in Ecuador would benefit so much if they learn to cook Nopales!
Dina
I love nopalitos my mom made them with eggs an added garlic an chili powder an im glad she influenced me to keep my tradition going its sad that my children generation only eat fast food.
Dave
Looking Forward to these recipes cactus all over my yard with the tuna