You might have one in your office or at home, but on a shelf in your fridge is probably one of the last places you’d expect to find cactus. Nopales (the Spanish name for prickly pear cactus and its pads) are a vegetable found most often in Mexican cuisine. The pads can be diced and used as a crisp and juicy salad topping or sliced into strips and cooked with eggs or served as a side. In this recipe, we’re coating the prickly fronds with lime juice and chili powder and throwing them on the grill to make a zesty dish that can be enjoyed on its own, topped with onion rings or dipped into guacamole.
Grilled Chili-Lime Nopales Cactus
Ingredients
5 Nopales cactus fronds or pads, sliced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder
Juice of 2 limes
Pinch of sea salt
Cilantro
Crispy Baked Onion Rings, optional
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine fronds with olive oil, chili powder, lime juice and sea salt, making sure each frond is well coated.
- Grill or pan fry cactus over medium heat until desired crispiness.
- Top with fresh cilantro and onion rings, if desired. Can also be enjoyed on its own or as an alternative to chips for salsa and guacamole.