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Nopales (Preparados)

Prepared Nopales never get old. There are many ways to this dish and this is my steady favorite. Easy at it looks because it is yet underrated. Tender and chilled until cold then mixed with fresh small diced goodness.

Cooked Nopal side salad centered on plate with spoon, blue hand knit napkin aside it.

Why Try Nopales This Way?

I grew up eating this rich green of the earth—diced onions and cilantro for lunch and dinner meals or a taco a la rapida (fast). My grandma always prepared them for me, and they stuck forever to my taste.

Eating them all the ways is delicious too but this is it for me. Recipes contain tomato and others, even chopped peppers, but I always stick to this foul-proof recipe for lunch/dinner or guisados (stews). Any other ingredients or flavors I’d crave, I could always easily add-in for other healthy meal options.

For the perfect flavored nopales. To learn how to cook them tender, visit my cooking nopal post.

Ingredients

Ingredient Quick List: cooked nopal (diced and cooked cactus paddles), white onion, cilantro.

Ingredient, cold packaged nopales in a round container on white surface.

Ingredient notes

If using jarred nopales, taste them before adding additional salt. Some jarred products may contain salt, just a heads up to avoid over salting.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Dice fresh ingredients + combine and mix.

Nopales on a blue plate and diced onion and cilantro on limegreen cutting board.
Process steps to make nopales recipe

A printer-friendly recipe card with instructions is available at the bottom of this post.

Ways to Flip [Prepared Nopales]

  • Use any leftovers in making stewed guisados. Super delicious way to sneak in a veggie if making from meat.
  • Add large diced potato or chayote in addition to cooked nopales in warm salsa for a vegetarian stew.

Pro tips / Receta Notes

Recipe yield: About 2.5 cups nopales

Storage: Nopales must be refrigerated. Store covered with lid in refrigeration if not consumed within a few hours, especially in warmer temperatures. This recipe will last up to 7 days. 

Delicious Nopales recipe on a plate on white surface.

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Best cooked Nopales recipe centered on plate with spoon, blue hand knit napkin aside it...

Nopales

5 from 3 votes

DESCRIPTION

These Nopales are tasty and a favorite for eating at lunch and dinner. Prepare them with only 3-ingredients and sprinkle with salt to eat them alone or with your favorite salsa in this authentic, naturally low carb alternative.
prep: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 15 minutes
total: 30 minutes
servings: 4
calories: 15
category: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
cuisine: Mexican, Mexican-American
keyword: cactus pads, nopal, nopales, prepared cactus

Equipment

  • Knife for dicing
  • Chopping board
  • Spoon or Fork for mixing

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Nopales cooked + diced
  • 1/3 cup Onion small chopped
  • 1/3 cup Cilantro small chopped and loose packed
  • Salt optional

Instructions 

  • Cook nopales until tender and strain from water and allow them to cool.
  • Meanwhile, chop onion and cilantro.
  • On a plate or in medium bowl, combine all ingredients and gently mix.

Notes

Recipe Yield: About 2 cups nopales preparados
Storage: Nopales must be refrigerated. Store in refrigeration if not consumed within a few hours, especially in warm temperatures. This recipe will last up to 7 days. 
If using jarred nopales, taste them before adding additional salt. Some jarred products may contain salt, just a heads up to avoid over salting.
 

For the full post and more helpful information related to Nopales go to the LatinasQueComen website. Thank you for your shares and support of LQC!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Nopales
Serving Size
 
0.5 cup
Amount per Serving
Calories
15
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
0.1
g
0
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.01
g
0
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.02
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0.01
g
Sodium
 
10
mg
0
%
Potassium
 
145
mg
4
%
Carbohydrates
 
3
g
1
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
264
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
 
6
mg
7
%
Calcium
 
76
mg
8
%
Iron
 
0.3
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Facts
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Equipment

  • Knife for chopping
  • Chopping Board
  • Spoon or fork to mix

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