Ensalada de Nopales

I’ve been eating nopales for as long as I can remember. These cactus scoops are a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine and my mother has always been a big fan of incorporating them into different dishes like nopales con huevo and quesadillas de nopales en chile rojo.

This salad is another way I’ve learned to incorporate them into my cooking. My husband has never been a big fan of nopales, but when he tried this recipe he couldn’t get enough! I have officially converted it.

Here’s why I love this recipe:

• Easy side dish. If you like pico de gallo, you will love this ensalada de nopales. It’s crunchy, super versatile, and can be paired with many meals. The nopals and veggies give it a great texture!
• It’s healthy in the most delicious way. Nopales, or cactus paddles, are a refreshing vegan and vegetarian ingredient. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals, and when mixed with even more veggies like tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños, they make a truly delicious and healthy side dish.

What is Nopales Salad?

Ensalada de Nopales, also known as cactus salad, is an authentic Mexican side dish featuring cactus paddles and diced vegetables such as tomatoes, onions and jalapeños, lime juice, salt and Mexican cheese such as panela or queso fresco .

It’s a bright, spicy, and versatile dish that can be paired with many meats like carne asada and chicken asado, or served on its own as a light lunch along with some corn tortillas.

Nopales are the main component of this recipe. To learn more about nopales and how to prepare and clean them, see my blog post here.

ingredients

• Nopales: You can find nopales at most Hispanic grocery stores. Be sure to choose firm, bright green nopales for the freshest taste. Many stores sell fresh cleaned and cut nopales. If you find them, get them! See my notes for using canned or jarred nopales.
• Tomatoes: I used plump Roma tomatoes which I cut into fine cubes.
• Jalapeno: I removed the seeds and hairs from the pepper before cutting it into cubes. You can leave the seeds if you want it spicy.
• White onion: I used white onion but if you prefer you can also use yellow or even red onion.
• Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice adds brightness and a great citrus flavor.
• Coriander: It adds a little fresh herb flavor that really elevates the salad.
• Panela cheese: Queso panela has a delicate flavor and holds its shape well. You can also use queso fresco or cotija if you can’t find panela.

How to make nopales salad

Nopalese cuisine. In a medium saucepan, add nopales, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Rinse the nopals. Once the nopales are cooked, drain them from the water and rinse them again with warm water to remove any slimy residue.

Add the vegetables. Add the cooked nopales to a large bowl along with the tomatoes, onions, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and queso panela. Stir gently to combine the ingredients together.

Marinate. Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits together, the better it tastes and the flavors will come together.

Serve as a side dish, for a light lunch with warm corn tortillas, or as an appetizer with tortilla chips.

Variations

If you can’t find fresh nopales, you can use pre-cooked jarred or store-bought ones. You can find them in the Hispanic foods section of most large grocery stores. Just rinse them from their juice and season them with the other ingredients.

Warehousing

To store, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. This recipe is best consumed within 2-3 days of preparation.