5.0 from 18 votes
Ensalada de Nopales, Cactus Salad
This is an easy, healthy salad that hinges on the young paddles of the prickly pear cactus. If you don't gather them yourself, you can buy them already de-spined, and sometimes already diced, in Latin Markets. One note on this salad: Eat it straight away. It will get a bit slimy if you leave it for a day or two.
Prep Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 184 kcal
Course:
Salad
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
- 4 nopales paddles, despined
- fine grain salt
- 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 serrano or jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (regular oregano is fine)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
- 1 avocado, diced (optional)
Instructions
- Dice the nopales and toss with salt. You want all the cut sides of the nopales to have salt on them. Put them in a colander in the sink and let this drain for 1 hour. When the time has elapsed, rinse the nopales under cold water until they are no longer slimy, which should take maybe 3 to 5 minutes. Pat dry with a kitchen towel put into a large bowl.
- While the nopales are sitting in the colander, mix the diced onion with a little salt and the lime juice and let them pickle a bit. This takes the harsh edge off the raw onion. If you want, you can add the minced chiles to the lime juice, too.
- When you're ready, mix all the ingredients together and serve.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
184kcal
(9%)
Carbohydrates
11g
(4%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
15g
(23%)
Saturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Cholesterol
17mg
(6%)
Sodium
218mg
(9%)
Potassium
449mg
(13%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
765IU
(15%)
Vitamin C
21mg
(23%)
Calcium
116mg
(12%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 184
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 184kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 17mg | 6% |
| Sodium | 218mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 449mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 765IU | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 21mg | 23% |
| Calcium | 116mg | 12% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.