RECIPE: Ensalada de Nopal
By Houston Food Bank
August 8, 2024
Ensalada de Nopal - Nopal Salad
Nopal salad, made with Nopal Cacti. One cup of fresh nopales has over 10% of the recommended daily value for calcium and Vitamin C and about 7% of the recommended daily value for fiber.
Ingredients
- 6 cup Nopales about 6 nopales, diced
- 1 ½ cup Red onion sliced
- 2 cup Tomatoes about 3 tomatoes, diced
- 1 ½ cup small bunch of Cilantro chopped
- 8 oz Queso Fresco cheese about 1.5 cups, crumbled
- 3 Avocadoes diced (optional)
- 1 Juice of 1 Lime
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Steam nopales for about 8 minutes, or until tender and color changes to a muted green. Place aside and let cool completely.*
- Chop onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese and add to a bowl.
- Once nopales have cooled down, add to bowl with lime juice, avocadoes, salt and pepper.
- Mix well and Enjoy!**
- *Pro-tip: Place in freezer for about 15 minutes to speed up cooling process.
- **Serve as a side salad to tacos, on a tostada, or as a snack with some tortilla chips.
Notes
Nopales have been used by indigenous groups for thousands of years including the Aztecs, Mayans, and Zapotec.
While they have always been known for their delicious taste in food, nopales also have medicinal uses. Traditionally, nopales have been used to treat various things like diabetes, wounds, and stomach issues.
Their versatility and popularity is the reason nopales continue to be used so often today.
Nopales also make an appearance on the Mexican flag, under the eagle.
You can see more recipes and what produce are in our pantries today in Product Seasonality Resource or click here for other recipes.
Onion fact sheet (English)(Mandarin)(Spanish)(Vietnamese)
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