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How To Cook Nopales (No Sticky Texture!)
Nopales (cactus paddles), in Mexican cuisine, are used for endless recipes: prepared cold, sautéed, fried and even roasted. Today you’ll learn all about nopales plus how to prep and cook them without the sticky texture.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 16 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 small to medium nopales paddles
- ¼ onion
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- a handful of cilantro with stems
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or ¼ tsp table salt)
Instructions
Clean the cactus paddles
- Using a sharp knife, carefully hold the nopales by its stem with kitchen tongs or a kitchen towel and trim the edges off.
- With the tip of the knife, scrape off its thorns. Then turn it to the other side and scrape down its stem until you get to the soft part.
- Rinse under cold water.
- Sliced nopales into strips or squares depending on how you’re going to prepare them.
- Tip: make sure you leave as much flesh as possible. That will make the nopales less slimy when cooking them.
Cup of Yum
To cook the cactus
- In a medium pot, add the cut nopales with the onion, garlic, salt and cilantro. Heat over medium and cook until the slimy juice has disappeared. About 13 to 15 minutes.
- Cool and store in an airtight container or use in your planned recipe.
Nutrition Information
Serving
100grams
Calories
16kcal
(1%)
Carbohydrates
3.33g
(1%)
Protein
1.32g
(3%)
Sodium
21mg
(1%)
Potassium
257mg
(7%)
Fiber
2.2g
(9%)
Vitamin A
457IU
(9%)
Vitamin C
9.3mg
(10%)
Calcium
164mg
(16%)
Iron
0.59mg
(3%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 2servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 16
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 100grams | |
| Calories | 16kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 3.33g | 1% |
| Protein | 1.32g | 3% |
| Sodium | 21mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 257mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 2.2g | 9% |
| Vitamin A | 457IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 9.3mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 164mg | 16% |
| Iron | 0.59mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.