Nopal (cactus paddle) salad recipe without heat-cooking

This Nopal (cactus paddle) salad recipe is perfect for those hot summer days when you want a salad that's healthy, easy and no heat-cooking involved!

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Course: brunch, dinner, lunch

Cuisine: latin american, Mexican

Keyword: cactus paddles, healthy salad, nopales

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 45

Servings: people

Calories: 178kcal

Author: Ana Jimenez

400 grams nopales (cactus paddles), without prickles and cut into ½ IN dices approximately 4 medium sized paddles depending on the weight of each paddle
2 tablespoons coarse salt or Kosher salt can also use regular table salt. If using table salt, reduce by 1 tablespoon.
200 grams cherry tomatoes cut in half lengthwise
½ medium-sized white or red onion cut into ¼ IN dices
80 grams cotija cheese cut into ½ IN dices. Can substitute with crumbled feta cheese in same amount.
10 grams cilantro roughly chopped, include stems.
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Tortilla chips or tostadas for serving

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If you buy nopales with prickles, pinch the bottom of each nopal with a fork.
Using a knife, carefully remove the prickles and black spots from both sides of the paddle.
Cut off the edges and the bottom of the nopal to ensure no prickles remain.
Rinse each cleaned paddle under running water, shake off excess water, and cut into strips, then dice them. Repeat this process with each nopal paddle.

Place the diced nopales in a medium-sized bowl and add 2 tablespoons of coarse salt.
Toss the nopales by hand for 3 minutes, ensuring each piece is coated with salt.
Set a colander over a bowl and place the salted nopales in the colander. Let them rest for 30 minutes to allow the slimy liquid to drain into the bowl.
After 30 minutes, discard the collected slimy liquid. Rinse the nopales under running water, agitating them constantly to remove any excess salt.
Shake off excess water and pat the nopales dry with a paper towel.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the prepared nopales, cherry tomatoes, onion, cheese, cilantro, and oregano. Toss to combine.
Add salt to taste and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss again to mix well.

What can go wrong and how to fix it:

Excessive Sliminess: If the nopales remain too slimy even after salting and rinsing, increase the resting time in the colander by 10 more minutes. Rinse under running water, agitating them constantly to remove any excess salt.
Overly Salty Nopales: If the nopales are too salty after the initial salting process, rinse them thoroughly under running water and let them soak in cold water for a few minutes to help remove the excess salt. Drain and pat dry before adding them to the salad.
Watery Salad: If the salad becomes watery after adding heirloom or regular tomatoes, remove the seeds and core to reduce their water content. After chopping, place the tomatoes in a colander for a few minutes to drain excess liquid before adding them to the salad. You can also pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels.
Lack of Flavor: If the salad tastes bland or lacks sufficient flavor, ensure you are seasoning adequately with salt and consider squeezing a bit of fresh lime juice right before serving to brighten up the flavors.

Check out How to Clean Nopales for more detailed instructions on how to clean them.

You can substitute fresh (raw) nopales with jarred/canned nopales in the same amount. If using, skip to the section Assemble the Salad.