This Nopales with chorizo recipe will surprise you that the combination of flavors go so well together. You will love this dish over a soft warm corn tortilla o even a flour tortilla.
Nopales with Chorizo Recipe
Not long ago I was reading a post from my fellow blogger Chez What? From his comments about the taste of foods, I started to think about something that many food bloggers face when writing a recipe: it's accuracy.
How can you give an accurate recipe if everyone’s taste is different? Of course, it is important to have the precision of weights and amounts on baking bread and pastries, but a regular everyday dish like this Nopales with chorizo with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices is a different story.
What if you do not like onions or garlic? Some people do not like onions at all! Many of the recipes that I prepare are done adding a dash of this, a hint of that, a handful of something else and more than once adding something extra until I get it to my own liking.
This simple Nopales with chorizo in a spicy salsa is one of my favorite ways to eat nopales. I love making it often without thinking in amounts or weights, and for the first time, I am writing down the recipe for my own future reference. Enjoy it and make it any way you want, after all, you are tasting it.
How to make Nopales with Chorizo Recipe
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. (Please check the ingredients list for Nopales with Chorizo below)
- Add the chorizo (casings removed) and keep cooking about 8-9 minutes. Stirring from time to time.
- While the chorizo is cooking place the tomato, serrano pepper and 1 cup of water in a saucepan and cook on medium heat until tomatoes and pepper are tender. After cooking, place the tomato and pepper with a ¼ cup of the water in your blender and process until you have a smooth sauce. Set aside.
- Once the chorizo has cooked add the nopales and stir.
- Add the sauce to your nopales with chorizo, and let it simmer for a few minutes just to let the flavors to blend. Adding more water if the food in the skillet becomes too dry. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately with corn tortillas.
This recipe for Nopales with chorizo can be also made with a salsa verde instead of using the Tomatoes in this recipe.
Buen Provecho!
UPDATED: JULY 14TH 2018
Now tell me, do you cook by taste or by the book?
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
More recipes:
Nopales a la Mexicana
Nopal Cactus Juice
Nopales with Chorizo
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked nopales prickly pear cactus paddles
- 3 chorizos about 2 oz each
- 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 2 medium tomatoes about 1 ½ cup diced
- 1 serrano pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground cumin optional
- Salt and ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the tomato, serrano pepper and 1 cup of water in a saucepan, and cook on medium heat until tomatoes and pepper are tender. They will take about 15 minutes to cook.
- While the tomatoes and peppers are cooking. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add the chorizo (casings removed) and keep cooking about 8-9 minutes. Stirring from time to time.
- Once the tomatoes and peppers are cooked, place them in your blender with a ¼ cup of the water, and process until you have a smooth sauce. Set aside.
- When the chorizo is cooked add the nopales.
- Stir in the sauce, and let it simmer for a few minutes just to let the flavors to blend. About 5 minutes. Adding more water if the food in the skillet becomes too dry. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately with corn tortillas.
Teresa Vicente
Absolutely LOVE this recipe!!! So delicious, quick & easy! All of the ingredients are staples in my kitchen and best of all, my family loves it too! Nopales are our favorite.
Tiffany
Can i use a jar of nopalitos i have for this?
mmartinez
Hello Tiffany,
yes, you can. I know, not everyone can find fresh Nopales and the ones from the jar are good. Happy Cooking!
Luisana Cayetano
We are trying this recipe right now! Thanks Mely.
Mely
Hello Luisana,
Do come back to tell me the results.
adry
BEAUTIFUL BLOG DI CUCINA , SALUTI DA MILANO-ITALIA ,
shell crocker
Hi Mely,
Thank you so much for your reply. So do you think this meal would be best served with rice and beans? I know rice and beans are traditionally served with most Mexican meals ( I've learned 'something' after 20 years, LOL), so when my DH said no beans with the enchiladas I was surprised. I'm making this today. I'm planning on serving it today with rice and a bit of avocado, perhaps a bit of crumbled queso fresco. Thanks for the recipe.I'll let you know how it comes out!! I love your blog! 🙂
Mely
I guess, I am late to reply to this entry. That is the way I will serve this dish with the avocado.
Happy cooking and come back soon.
Mely
shell crocker
Hi,
Your blog is great! I don't know if my first post went through as I was not signed in. I was wondering if you could suggest what to serve with this, rice, beans? I have been married to a Hispanic man for 20 years and have amassed quite a collection of authentic Mexican recipes. However I often don't know what to pair with them. For example I made homemade enchilada sauce and beef enchiladas and served them with beans. My husband loves the recipe but, said enchiladas are not traditionally served with beans. So, while my recipes are often a success, my 'pairing' is not. Any suggestions?
Thank You for a wonderful blog.
Shelley
Mely
Hello Shell,
Yes, I got your first post. Thank you.
Traditionally, Mexican meals are served with rice and beans, either one or both is fine. But for a balanced meal, I prefer to serve the meals with steamed zucchini or chayotes, topped with some crumbled Mexican fresh cheese and sometimes even a little bit of Mexican cream. For example, the enchiladas that you mention will go well with a Nopales Salad as a first course or a Chicken Vegetable Soup. Still, enchiladas are usually served by themselves in most regions.
If you are serving a dish of meat or Chicken, then rice and some lettuce/tomato salad is fine. Adding beans will be too much protein in one meal. Rice goes well with a lot of the "guisados", but when making meals using tortillas then omit the rice.
If you still have questions, please feel free to send me an email.
Mely
shell crocker
Hi, I would like to know what to serve this with, traditionally is it served with rice, beans? I have an Hispanic husband, we have been together 20 years.I'm constantly looking for new authentic recipes to add to my collection. I have quite a repertoire already. But, often mistake what to pair with the dishes. Any suggestions on what to serve with this one?I want to make it soon.
Thank you for your wonderful blog!
Shelley
Highonfaith@aol.com
Dee Bertelsen
Hey:
I go by recipe the first time...just so I basiclly know what I'm "supposed to be doing.."
Then each time, based on family feedback, the recipe gets tweaked till its a favorite, and becomes mine..
BTW your site is awesome! !
Mexico in my kitchen
Jack
Hola Jack,
Puedes usar cualquier tipo de chile picante que tengas disponible en tu localidad.
Si no hay frescos, enlatados son un buen substituto.
Mely
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Ziho,
Esta receta la aprendi de una tia que le encantaba comer muy picante. De hecho ella la hacia con mucho chile. La he visto en la Huasteca de Veracrus y San Luis tambien.
Saludos!
Mely
Ziho
Ayy Mely, como siempre me deleito en tu blog con esas recetas tan deliciosas!
La vez pasada me preparé unos tacos de este guiso, leí que según era platillo de Guadalajara... qué tan cierto es esto?
Swathi
Mely,
Do you think i can use fresh Nopales to make some spicy with them. How it taste. This one is tempting. I will try without chorizo. Love the new look of your blog.
Gloria
I have never tried nopales with chorizo, but I will. Nopales is also one of my favorites, besides all kinds of chili.
Maria@BubblegumandDuctTape
oh this sounds like a DELICIOUS recipe, I will definitely makes these soon. I love chorizo but I normally just make it with beans or eggs. I love nopales too.
When I'm cooking, I do a lot of "a dash of this, a dash of that" too. I think that you get to a point where you know how much you like of what in your dishes, and they cook to your perfection.