Name: Ensalada de Nopales (Nopal Cactus Salad)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1½ cup Nopales, cooked or jarred, drained and sliced; 1 Tomato, diced; ¼ cup Onion, finely chopped; 1 Jalapeño Pepper, finely chopped; ¼ cup Coriander Leaves, chopped; ¼ tsp Dried Oregano, crumbled; 1 Lemon, juiced, preferably lime; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil, preferably neutral or light olive oil; to taste Salt, for seasoning; ¼ tsp Black Peppercorns, freshly crushed

Ensalada de Nopales (Nopal Cactus Salad)

25 mintotal

15 min hands-on10 min hands-off

Prep 15 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Method

Rinse and drain the cooked or jarred nopales well, then slice them into bite-size strips if needed.
Add the nopales to a bowl with tomato, onion, jalapeño, and fresh coriander.
Whisk the lemon juice, cooking oil, dry oregano, salt, and black pepper into a simple dressing.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently.
Rest for the listed time so the nopales absorb the citrus and herb flavors.
Taste and adjust salt before serving chilled or at room temperature.

How to tell it's done

The salad should be fresh and slightly tangy, with tender nopales and crisp onion and tomato.

Getting it right

Tip

Drain nopales well before mixing; excess liquid can make the salad watery.

What to serve it with

Serve as a fresh side with rice, beans, tlayuda, or grilled Mexican mains.

Common mistakes

The salad is slimy.: Rinse the cooked nopales thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear. Nopales release a viscous liquid much like okra, and rinsing is the only thing that removes it.
It tastes flat despite the lime and oregano.: Give it the resting time. Nopales are bland on their own and need fifteen or twenty minutes in the dressing before they taste of anything.

Substitutions

Use jarred or pre-cooked Nopales for easier home preparation.
Use Cucumber only as a freshness substitute if Nopales are unavailable; it will no longer be a true nopal salad.
Use Green Chilli instead of Jalapeño Pepper if needed.
Add Queso Fresco only if you want a vegetarian version; the listed recipe is vegan.

Storing and reheating

Keeps two days in the fridge and is arguably better on the second day, once the nopales have taken up the dressing. Add the coriander fresh each time rather than storing it in the salad.

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Ingredients