Nopales, the paddles of the prickly pear cactus, have been a staple in Mexico for thousands of years. They taste like a cross between green beans and lemon, cost almost nothing, and make a vegetarian taco that does not feel like a substitute.
Buying and cleaning
Choose firm, bright green paddles without wrinkles. Most markets sell them already de-spined; if not, scrape the nodes off with a knife held flat. Trim the thick edge and the base, then slice into strips or small squares.
Dealing with the slime
Cut nopales release a viscous liquid, the same compound that makes okra slippery. Three reliable fixes:
- Dry roast: cook them on a hot comal or grill with no water until the liquid evaporates and the edges char. Best flavor.
- Boil with tomatillo husks or onion: ten minutes, then rinse well.
- Salt and rest: salt the strips, let them drain twenty minutes, rinse and pat dry.
Building the taco
Saute the cooked nopales with onion, garlic, and a little chile until they start to brown. Fill warm corn tortillas and top with queso fresco, salsa roja, and cilantro. Add black beans or a fried egg for a heavier plate.
Why they are worth the effort
Nopales are high in fiber, very low in calories, and bring the acidity that most vegetarian tacos lack. Where mushroom or jackfruit fillings imitate meat, cactus simply tastes like itself and holds up next to strong salsas.
Storage
Raw paddles keep about a week in the refrigerator. Cooked nopales keep three or four days and improve as a taco filling on day two.
Our tacos de nopales recipe has exact timings, and our salsa roja pairs with it perfectly.
