Cactus Salad
A classic Mexican cactus salad made with grilled nopales (cactus paddles), diced and tossed with fresh tomatoes, onion, serrano chiles and cilantro, then finished with red wine vinegar, olive oil and salty Cotija or Añejo cheese. Light, tangy and deeply refreshing, this salad balances vegetal brightness with gentle heat and savoury depth, making it an ideal starter or accompaniment.
- 40 min
- NOT TOO TRICKY
- 10 portions
- MILK
Estimated Nutrition per Portion
Estimated Nutrition per Portion
- 210 kcal Calories
- 7 g Protein
- 14 g Carbohydrates
- 14 g Fat
- 4 g Fibre
- 5 g Sugar
Ingredients
| Quantity | Prep Instructions | ||
| Imperial | Metric | ||
| Cactus paddles | 3 lb | 1350 g | Needles removed |
| Olive oil | 1 1/2 cups | 375 ml | |
| Salt | 1 tbsp | 15 g | |
| Roma tomatoes | 8 each | Cored, seeded, diced, ¼ inch pieces | |
| White onion | 1 each | Diced, ¼ inch pieces | |
| Serrano chiles | 2 each | Stemmed, seeded and finely diced | |
| Cilantro | 1 bunch | Leaves only, chopped | |
| Cotija or Anejo cheese | 1 cup | 85 g | Finely grated |
| Red wine vinegar | 1 cup | 250 ml | |
| Ground black pepper | 2 tsp | 10 ml | |
| Red lettuce leaves | 4-6 each | ||
| Avocado | 1 each | Peeled, seeded and sliced for garnish | |
| Cracked black pepper garnish | 1/4 cup | 21 g | |
Method
- Preheat the grill.
- Cut the cactus paddles into ½ inch wide “fingers”, leaving the top ½ inch of the paddle intact.
- Place the cactus paddles in a bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
- Grill the paddles until grill marks appear on each side, or they turn dark green with black patches, 3 to 5 minutes total. The cactus juice should bubble. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Cut the cactus into 1/2-inch dice.
- In a large bowl, combine the cactus, tomatoes, onions, chilis, cilantro and cheese with the remaining ½ cup oil, the vinegar, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Toss well.
- Serve on plates lined with lettuce leaves, and garnish with avocado slices sprinkled with cracked pepper garnish.
- To serve: This hearty salad makes a wonderful starter or an accompaniment to most Latin meals. It also makes a great vegetarian taco wrapped in a tortilla or lettuce leaf.
- Pro Tip: Grilling enhances cactus’ strong flavor without softening the texture (which happens to be much more delicious fresh than canned).
