It is time to make nopales! Have you ever tried this cactus dish? It is a common side dish in Mexican cuisine and is very versatile. Nopales are cactus leaves that are commonly sold in Mexico and other places where you can buy Hispanic foods. They can be served fresh and cleaned of spines or can even be pickled.
What is a Nopal?
For those that are not familiar, a nopal or nopales are the pads of the prickly pear cactus. They are commonly found in stores that sell Hispanic foods and eaten as a vegetable. They can be sauteed, stewed, or boiled and can be served alone as a cactus salad (ensalada de nopal), served as stand alone side dishes, or even served in breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs.
I started eating this dish at Mexican restaurants, as a side dish on the keto (low carb) diet. Many people don’t know that there are options when you eat out at Mexican restaurants! 🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵
Health Benefits of Nopales (Cactus)
Nopales (cactus) have a lot of health benefits. To read more about it in detail, click here
In a nutshell, cactus leaves are high in antioxidants, high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. They have been used to treat wounds, glaucoma, fatigue, liver conditions and ulcers, lowering blood sugar and cholesterol.
HOW TO CLEAN AND COOK NOPALES (CACTUS)
How To Make Nopales (Cactus Leaves)
Ingredients
- 4-6 nopales (cactus leaves) needles removed
- 1/2 onion diced (amount can be to taste)
- 3 cloves chopped garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt, pepper, paprika to taste
Instructions
- Set up your prep station. You will need a knife, preferably a paper plate (for easy clean up) and a disposable plastic bag.
- Place cactus leaf on a paper plate and place the paper plate within the plastic bag. This is to catch all the cactus thorns as you scrape them off as well as the cactus leaf edges and base you will cut (about a half inch).
- Using your knife, begin to scrape the cactus leaf thorns twoards the inside of the plastic bag. Take off the brown spots as well, trim the edge of the cactus leaf and the base of the cactus about a half inch. (You may refer to video if you like).
- Rinse cactus leaf in running water. Make sure to feel and inspect the leaf all over or misse spots or thorns. Leaf should be smooth to the touch. It may appear slightly slimy, this is normal. You may also toss your paper plate and plastic bag after completing this step.
- Slice leaf into strips, then slice strips into bite sized pieces. (The texture of a cactus leaf is slimy, this is normal.)
- In a skillet, sauté diced onion and minced garlic in extra virgin olive oil.
- In a med/large pot, fill water to about 2/3 full. Add sliced cactus (nopal). There should be enough water to see the pieces floating. Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to water. This helps tenderize cactus. You may also add a chunk of onion, garlic or even cilantro for added flavor. Boil for 20 minutes on a medium/medium high heat. Cactus will change color from a bright green to a dark green.
- Drain cactus in strainer and rinse with cold water. Add cactus to skillet with onion and garlic (if you did Step 6) and add salt, pepper and a pinch of paprika to taste.
Video
Check Out My Other Latin Recipes!
