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You are here: Home » Recipes » Mexican Salads

Raw Nopales Salad

Published: Jul 26, 2020 · Updated: Mar 11, 2021 by Mely Martínez

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Raw Nopales salad
Raw nopales salad recipe

This easy-to-make Raw Nopales Salad has become very popular in Mexico. Cactus Paddles are usually called “Nopales” or “Nopalitos” in Mexico, and we use them in salads, stews, soups, and even in drinks (you can also grill them). It's a healthy and nutritious source of fiber.

Easy Raw Nopales Salad- Authentic Mexican

Raw Nopales salad

This is an Authentic Mexican Dish that you can enjoy as a side dish for a Mexican stew, or as a meal by itself served on corn tostadas.

Can you eat raw Nopales?

From time to time, people ask me if you can eat raw nopales, or if you have to cook nopales first in order to consume them. The answer is no, you actually don’t need to cook them in every occasion. In Mexico, we use raw nopales for making green juices and smoothies, which happen to be very popular breakfast drinks due to the many health benefits of the nopal. One of the major benefits of nopales is that they help lower your glucose levels, making them a perfect food for those with diabetes.

Raw nopales salad recipe

Outside of their use in beverages, nopales are usually cooked, so eating raw nopales is a bit of an acquired taste. Nevertheless, if you’re like me, and love nopales, you’re going to really like this Raw Nopales Salad!

How do you cook raw nopales?

Generally, nopales can be cooked in a pot with water, or added to a skillet where you’re preparing a dish that will include nopales (see this recipe on how to cook nopales). For this recipe, though, we won’t be cooking the nopales. Instead, we’re going to cure them using salt. This is a technique that has become very popular in Mexico, and one that I learned from some of my chef friends from Mexico.

How to serve this Raw Nopales Salad

Serve this salad on corn tostadas, use as an extra topping for tacos, as a side dish for grilled meats, chicken, or fish. You can also offer it as an appetizer with tortilla chips to your guests while you finish grilling meats.

Nopales salad recipe

Check out the process below, I hope you try it, and don’t forget to let me know how you liked it!

Other recipes using nopales

  • HOW TO COOK NOPALES
  • NOPALES SOUP
  • GRILLED NOPALES
  • NOPALES SMOOTHIE
  • PORK IN CHILE COLORADO WITH NOPALES
  • NOPALES WITH CHORIZO

How to make raw nopales salad

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DIRECTIONS:

Cutting nopales for nopales salad
  • Chop the nopales into small pieces, then place them in a medium-size bowl and stir in the salt.
  • Using your hands, gently squeeze and mix the nopales, making sure that all the nopalitos (pieces of nopales) are well covered with the salt. This step will release the viscous liquid from the nopales. You will start to see that it also forms some bubbles. Continue this process for 4-5 minutes, then set the bowl aside and let it rest for 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, chop the tomato, onion, serrano pepper, and cilantro.
Nopales rinsed in colander
  • After the 20 minutes of resting, place the nopalitos in a strainer to drain all the liquid that they have released. Rinse under running water to remove the viscous liquid. Shake the strainer to make sure that you remove as much water as possible.

Raw Nopales Salad Process

  • Place the drained nopales in a medium-size bowl, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, onion, serrano pepper, and cilantro.
  • In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, olive oil, black pepper, and oregano. Mix together, then drizzle the dressing over the nopales salad.
  • Top the raw nopales salad with the crumbled Queso Fresco and the avocado. Serve in small bowls and enjoy!
Raw Nopales Salad Recipe

Notes:

  • One delicious addition to this salad, believe it or not, is diced mango. If you choose to use it, add it when you combine the vegetables.
  • You can also use crunchy pieces of Chicharrones to top the salad at serving time.
Raw Nopales Salad Recipe

Raw Nopales Salad

Mely Martínez
This easy-to-make Raw Nopales Salad has become very popular in Mexico. Cactus Paddles are usually called “Nopales” or “Nopalitos” in Mexico, and we use them in salads, stews, soups, and even in drinks (you can also grill them). It’s a healthy and nutritious source of fiber.
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Salads
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4
Calories 153 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Large Nopales spines removed. (About 2 cups once chopped)
  • 2 tbsp. salt
  • 1 large tomato ⅓ cup, diced
  • ½ medium size white onion chopped (⅓ cup)
  • 1 Serrano pepper 1½ tbsp.
  • 2 Cilantro sprigs chopped (3 tbsp.)
  • 1 lime
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • ⅓ teaspoon Mexican oregano optional
  • ⅓ cup Queso Fresco crumbled
  • ½ avocado diced or sliced

Instructions
 

  • Chop the nopales into small pieces, then place them in a medium-size bowl and stir in the salt.
  • Using your hands, gently squeeze and mix the nopales, making sure that all the nopalitos (pieces of nopales) are well covered with the salt. This step will release the viscous liquid from the nopales. You will start to see that it also forms some bubbles. Continue this process for 4-5 minutes, then set the bowl aside and let it rest for 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, chop the tomato, onion, serrano pepper, and cilantro.
  • After the 20 minutes of resting, place the nopalitos in a strainer to drain all the liquid that they have released. Rinse under running water to remove the viscous liquid. Shake the strainer to make sure that you remove as much water as possible.
  • Place the drained nopales in a medium-size bowl, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, onion, serrano pepper, and cilantro.
  • In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, olive oil, black pepper, and oregano. Mix together, then drizzle the dressing over the nopales salad.
  • Top the raw nopales salad with the crumbled Queso Fresco and the avocado. Serve in small bowls and enjoy!

Notes

One delicious addition to this salad, believe it or not, is diced mango. If you choose to use it, add it when you combine the vegetables.
You can also use crunchy pieces of Chicharrones to top the salad at serving time.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cupCalories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 2946mgPotassium: 245mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 456IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Greg

    September 15, 2020 at 1:29 am

    5 stars
    This was amazing! I especially loved the mango in it, what a great idea. Too bad I can't make more of this at once and keep it around for 3 or 4 days, it seems to get a little slimy

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      September 15, 2020 at 9:21 am

      Hello Greg,
      Yes, it is something that you make to eat fresh the same day. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Lia

    July 28, 2020 at 7:25 pm

    5 stars
    Se ven delicioso! They look amazing! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      July 29, 2020 at 10:56 am

      Hello Lia,
      I hope you try this recipe for raw nopales salad pretty soon!

      Reply
      • Carmen

        January 17, 2021 at 1:40 pm

        My friend gave me fresh, already cleaned nopales, tomatoes, onion and cilantro--a mini kit--if you will. I used your method to boil them and then made this salad. I added some diced pineapple and it was delicious. Thank you so much. Enjoy reading your site.

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Mexico in my kitchen | Mely Martinez

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.

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