How To Cook Nopales (Cactus Paddles)

If you've never cooked nopales before, you're in for a treat. This vegetable staple of Mexican cuisine is full of vitamins and can be used in various recipes. In this post, I'll show you the most common way to cook them and give you a few ideas for dishes that you can make with them. They are all super easy to make!

How to Choose the Cactus Paddles

The weather is getting warmer here, and instead of the same old garden salad, I decided to make a nutritious Ensalada de nopales mix with lemons, olive oil, and spices. It's a delicious cactus salad!

We sadly do not get fresh 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 are still crispy, and that is what matters when you choose the nopales. (If they are soft and bendable, do not buy them).

Since I have a few paddles left, I decided to share how to cook nopales properly and how I like to serve them in various recipes!

History Behind Nopales

The nopal cactus is native to Mexico and has been a part of the country's cuisine for centuries. It was even a staple food for the Aztecs! The word "nopal" comes from the Nahuatl word "nochtli" which means "prickly pear." The cactus paddles are also sometimes called "cactus leaves" or "prickly pear cactus paddles ."

The nopal cactus is a type of succulent and is part of the cactus family. It grows in arid climates and can reach up to 15 feet in height. The plant has long, flat paddles that are covered in small spines.

The paddles are the part of the plant that is used in cooking like we are doing today!

🙋‍♀️ FAQ

Before I share my recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked about preparing cooked cactus.

Can you eat nopales raw?

The short answer is yes; you can eat raw nopales. Most of the most popular ways in Mexico is adding raw Nopales to your Green Smoothie. However, when eaten raw, many people find they have a slimy texture (baba) and are not as tasty as when cooked. If you want to try them raw, I recommend cutting them into thin slice pieces and adding them to a salad. Check our Raw Nopales Salad HERE.

Are cactus paddles healthy?

Yes! Nopales have a lot of health benefits. They are a great source of fiber, vitamins A and vitamin C, and minerals like calcium and iron. They are also low in calories and fat.

How do you make nopales not slimy?

In Mexico, people have different techniques, like cooking them in a copper cauldron, using green tomatillos husks, or adding a tablespoon of baking soda to the water before cooking. 

The key to making cactus pads not slimy is to cook them properly. You want to ensure that you cook them long enough to be soft but not too long, or they will become mushy.

What do nopales taste like?

They are often compared to green beans, okra, or asparagus in terms of flavor.

Ingredients for Cooking Nopales

Here is a list of ingredients you'll need to cook nopales...

• Nopales (cactus paddles)
• Tomatillo husk
• White onion
• Garlic clove
• Salt

Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

Cooking Tip:

• If this is your first time cleaning Nopales. 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.

How to Cook Nopales Instructions

To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions on how to cook nopales!

Clean the nopales

• Place the cactus paddle on your cutting board and trim off the edge using a sharp knife.
• 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 nopales.
• Finally, rinse the cactus paddles and return them to your clean cutting board.

Cook the cactus paddles

• 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 teaspoon of salt, and the tomatillo husk.
• Simmer uncovered for about 6-8 minutes or until tender on medium-high heat.

Note: 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.!

How To Serve

Whenever I make a big batch of cooked cactus paddles, I like to make various recipes.

My go-to is this raw nopales salad! It has sliced nopales, tomatoes, onions, serrano peppers, queso fresco, avocados, and lime juice. It's light yet filling- perfect for a quick lunch!

I also like to make these nopales and eggs for breakfast. It's my husband's favorite breakfast, with a fresh, crusty bolillo and a side of refried beans.

Note: Another cooking method is grilled nopales served topped with melted cheese or with corn tortillas as tacos. Make 3-4 small cuts to each nopal after cleaning the spines; brush them with olive oil and grill them on a pan for about 3 minutes on each side over medium heat. 

More Authentic Mexican Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for cooked cactus, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

• Chile Colorado With Pork and Nopales
• Nopales A La Mexicana
• Mexican Nopales Con Carne Molida (Ground Beef)
• Green Cactus Juice
• Nopales With Chorizo

I hope you make cooked nopales and use them in some of your favorite recipes! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment below and tell us all about it!

For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. in español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina 

¡Buen provecho!

Mely

📖 Recipe

How To Cook Nopales (Cactus Paddles)

Mely Martínez

If you've never cooked nopales before, you're in for a treat. This dish is popular in Mexico and can be used in a variety of recipes. In this post, I'll show you the most common way to cook them and give you a few ideas for dishes that you can make with them. They are all super easy to make!

4.86 from 34 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Basic Recipes

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 14 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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.

Clean the Nopales

• Place the cactus paddle on your cutting board and trim off the edge using a sharp knife. 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.

Cook the Cactus Paddles

• 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

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup cooked nopalesCalories: 14kcalCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 2gSugar: 1g

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