Take a sip of this homemade green cactus juice for a healthy and refreshing drink to enjoy this summer! This green juice is super simple to make and all you need are 4 ingredients to make it.
Nopal Cactus Juice | Licuado de Nopales
Summertime in Texas can be scorching, so I always come up with delicious smoothies and drinks to cool off. I love making fresh agua frescas and a few fruit smoothies (like this strawberry banana yogurt smoothie).
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But, with green drinks becoming increasingly popular, I decided to share a classic Jugo Verde (Spanish for green juice) recipe from Mexico- homemade green cactus juice!
This drink is made with Mexican nopales, which are cactus paddles. They are a great source of antioxidants, vitamin c, vitamin a, and minerals.
It's really light and refreshing!
History Behind Green Cactus Juice
This Green cactus juice has been around for centuries and is popular in Mexico. It's considered a healing drink and has been consumed for years before the green smoothie craze started here in the states.
Doctor Felipe II considered that the juice of the cactus leaves & its fruit remarkably extinguishes fever, quenches thirst, and moistens the dry intestines. (1)
This drink, made with Mexican nopales and fruits like pineapple and orange juice, has been around for years in Mexico.
Cactus juice is often used to treat various health issues! Many doctors and regular human beings like us swear by the advantages your whole body will gain from drinking this refreshing drink every morning.
They say nopales have a lot of nutrients and health benefits for our bodies.
Some health benefits of green cactus juice include the following:
- Improved digestion
- Supports the immune system
- Helps with weight loss
- Anti-inflammatory properties
The cactus has even been used to help with diabetes and high blood pressure.
I just drink it to add more fiber to my diet once in a while when fresh nopales or the prickly pear cactus are available at my local Latin market.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nopales Juice
Before I share my Nopales drink recipe, here are a few questions I want to answer about this recipe.
What does cactus juice taste like?
This cactus juice recipe is a refreshing drink with sweet and tart flavors, thanks to the additional fruits. If you make it with just nopales, it will be more earthy in flavor. Like many vegetables, nopales are full of fiber, so if you are thinking of adding more veggies to your diet, why not try this juice?
I have a lot of nopales left over. What can I do with it?
To give you an idea, Nopales can be cooked like a poblano or bell pepper. In Mexico, you can find them in many recipes like cooked with scrambled eggs, mixed with meat, Mexican style with tomatoes,jalapeños, onions, and garlic in tacos, or as a cactus salad (ensalada de nopales)
I love to cook with nopales and make many different dishes! Here are some of my favorites:
How to Make Green Cactus Juice
Ingredients
Here is a list of ingredients you'll need to make this green drink recipe.
- Cactus paddles (with no needles)
- Fresh pineapple
- Orange juice (or water)
- Ice cubes
- Sprig of parsley (optional)
Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Instructions
This recipe for green cactus juice is really easy to make, and no juicer is needed! Here's what you need to do:
- First, chop the cactus pads into small pieces to make them blend easily.
Note: Make sure there aren’t any needles left on the skin of the cactus paddles.
- Cut the pineapple into slices and then into even cubes.
- Place the cactus and pineapple into a blender with orange juice (or water). Add more liquid if needed.
- Process everything until it's all smooth, and... voilà!
Serve and enjoy!
Note: Use a colander or strainer if the drink has too much pulp. This drink is perfect, but you can always add your favorite vegetable, like kale, cucumber, celery, or spinach. Try adding a string of cilantro or a little lime juice for an additional touch.
Side Dishes
Whenever I make a batch of cactus juice, I like to eat something light to go with it like a piece of toast with a bit of guava jam or Xec, a citrus and jicama salad!
More Authentic Mexican Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe for green cactus juice, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
- Guava Agua Fresca
- Sparkling Mexican Limeade and Orangeade
- Easy Papaya Drink
- Prickly Pear Juice
- Mango Agua Fresca
For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. in español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina
I hope you make this Jugo de nopales! 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!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
📖 Recipe
Green Cactus Juice With Mexican Nopales
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized fresh nopal pad needles removed
- 1 slice of fresh pineapple about ½ cup
- 1 cup of fresh orange juice or water
- A sprig of parsley and ice cubes optional
Instructions
- Chop the nopal into small pieces, making sure there aren’t any spines/thorns left on the skin.
- Chop the pineapple slice into cubes
- Place all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth, and… voilà!
Notes
- If fresh pineapple is not available you can easily use frozen pineapple chunks.
- However, fresh nopales are required to make this juice, Nopales sold in a jar are already cooked, and won't work on this recipe.
- You can find Nopales being sold at Latin Stores or some grocery stores in regions with a large Mexican Population. Nowadays, you can even find Nopales in Asia. But for sure you can find them in Central and South America.
- If you have leftover Cactus Juice, store it in your fridge to enjoy the next day. Some people in Mexico make enough to store in a pitcher inside the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
(1) Francisco Hernández, Historia Natural de la Nueva España, Tomo 1,
R Easter
I love it! I've heard you should drink it only in ayunas, and take breaks from it. Someone said nine days max, and the jar I bought says 21 days max. Have you heard of it being bad for you or dangerous when taken for a long period of time? Just curious if I should limit my intake. But for the flavor and the way it has helped my cravings for sweets, I'd love to take it every morning.
mmartinez
Hello R Easter,
Many people drink it every day without any side bad side effects. But, they usually make the smoothie with fresh ran nopales.