Fresh Nopal Salad with Lime & Cilantro
Tender cactus paddles tossed with tomatoes, onion, and a bright lime-cilantro dressing. A crisp, authentic Mexican salad ready in 15 minutes.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 142
- Protein
- 3g
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh nopal (cactus paddles), cleaned and trimmed
- 2 whole roma tomatoes
- ½ whole red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 whole lime (juiced)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ whole jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Cut nopal paddles into 1/4-inch strips, removing any remaining thorns.
- 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add nopal and cook until tender-crisp, ~8 minutes.
- 3
Drain nopal in a colander and rinse with cold water until cooled. Let sit 1 minute.
- 4
Dice tomatoes into 1/2-inch chunks. Slice red onion thinly into half-moons.
- 5
Transfer cooled nopal to a serving bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, and cilantro.
- 6
Drizzle with lime juice and olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and jalapeño if using.
- 7
Toss gently until everything is coated. Taste and adjust lime or salt as needed.
- 8
Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- large pot
- colander
- serving bowl
- wooden spoon
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
