Nopales Asados

servings

Grilled prickly pear cactus paddles, cooked until tender with a delicious char. They're perfect as a side dish, salad addition, or filling for tacos and burritos, adding versatility to your meals.

prep 5

cook 10

total 15

PRINT PIN

Ingredients

▢ 4 large cactus paddles (cleaned, thorns removed)
▢ 4 slices panela cheese (or your favorite melty cheese)
▢ 1 ½ cup pico de gallo
▢ olive oil (as needed)
▢ coarse salt (to taste)

Instructions

Preheat a griddle or cast iron pan over medium heat.
Brush both sides of the nopales paddles with olive oil.
Place the nopales on the preheated griddle and cook for 5-8 minutes per side, or until slightly charred and tender. Flip occasionally.
Sprinkle the cooked nopales with salt to taste and place a slice of cheese on top of each paddle.
Cook for one more minute or until the cheese slightly melts on top.
Transfer the grilled nopales to a serving plate and top with pico de gallo before serving.

Notes

Preheat your griddle well for perfectly grilled nopales with the right balance of tenderness.
Don’t worry if the grilled nopales are slightly underdone, nopales can be eaten also raw! Aim for a balance of tenderness and slight chewiness when grilling.
Store the leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition Information