Ensalada de nopales with grilled halloumi Recipe
Ensalada de nopales with grilled halloumi combines Mexican cactus with a cheese popular in Europe that stands up very well to frying and grilling. The salad is fresh, slightly tangy from lime, and the warm, salty cheese adds character and makes it a complete meal. It’s a good way to try nopales in a form that resembles familiar salads with grilled cheese.
This ensalada de nopales combines a very local Mexican ingredient with halloumi, which is more associated with Mediterranean cooking – making the dish both exotic and familiar. Fresh lime acidity highlights the slightly green, vegetal flavor of the cactus, while the warm, springy cheese adds bold saltiness and turns the salad into a full, satisfying dish rather than just “greens on the side”. The contrast in temperature – cool vegetables and hot halloumi slices – makes a huge difference to how the whole thing tastes.
Chef's tips
After cooking the nopales, be sure to rinse them with cold water and drain very well, otherwise the salad may keep a slightly slimy texture that many people dislike. Fry the halloumi in a well‑heated pan and don’t move it for the first minute – once clear golden grill marks appear, only then flip it to the other side. Taste the dressing before mixing it with the vegetables: if the limes are very sour, add a little more honey instead of increasing the amount of salt.
How to serve
Serve this salad right after frying the cheese, preferably on a large platter so everyone can help themselves to a portion with still‑warm halloumi – it’s perfect as a light lunch on the terrace on a warm day. It pairs well with sauvignon blanc, lightly sparkling lime water or a pale lager‑style beer. For larger gatherings you can add simple corn tortillas or pan‑fried croutons on the side to turn it into a more filling, weekend‑style lunch.
Ingredients
- nopales (cactus paddles) - 250 g
- halloumi cheese - 200 g
- cherry tomatoes - 200 g
- red onion - 0.5 piece
- cucumber - 1 piece
- cilantro - 0.25 bunch
- lime - 2 piece
- vegetable oil - 3 tablespoon
- oregano - 0.5 teaspoon
- honey - 1 teaspoon
- salt - 0.5 teaspoon
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoon
Preparation
- If using fresh nopales, scrape off the spines, rinse and cut into strips. Put them into a pot with salted water and cook for 8–10 minutes from the moment it boils, until tender; drain, rinse with cold water and drain very well.
- Cut the halloumi into slices about 1 cm thick and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the red onion into thin slivers, cut the cucumber into half‑moons and roughly chop the cilantro.
- In a small bowl, mix the juice squeezed from the limes with 2 tablespoons of oil, dried oregano, honey, salt and pepper until you have a dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked and drained nopales, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and most of the cilantro, pour over the dressing and toss gently.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a grill pan or regular frying pan over medium‑high heat, add the halloumi slices and fry for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden grill marks or browned spots appear.
- Arrange the salad on plates or a serving platter, place the hot halloumi slices on top and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve immediately while the cheese is still warm.
Storage
Store the vegetable part of the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day; fry fresh halloumi just before serving again. Fried halloumi tastes best right after cooking and becomes rubbery when stored.
