Huevos con nopales – eggs with cactus, tomato and onion Recipe
Huevos con nopales is a breakfast of eggs fried with pieces of cactus, tomato and onion. In Mexico, egg dishes like this are very popular in the morning because they are quick to make and filling before work. The taste is a bit like scrambled eggs with vegetables, but nopales add a light tang and crunch.
Huevos con nopales are the essence of a Mexican breakfast – simple eggs turn into a characterful dish thanks to cactus with its slightly tangy, vegetable-like flavor. The combination of delicate eggs with springy nopales, tomato and chili gives an effect you can’t compare to typical scrambled eggs. It’s a great way to try authentic Mexican home cooking without complicated techniques.
Chef's tips
The most important step is properly pre-cooking and draining the nopales – if you cut this step short, they can be too slimy in texture. Pour the eggs into a not-too-hot pan and stir slowly from the edges so they stay creamy instead of drying out into an omelet. If you’re using a very juicy tomato, remove the seeds so the dish doesn’t become watery.
How to serve
Serve the eggs with warmed corn tortillas, which you can tear into pieces and use to scoop up the egg mixture, just like in a Mexican home. They go best with black coffee or strong tea with lemon – especially on a lazy weekend morning. It’s also a nice option for a quick, protein-rich dinner after a workout when you don’t feel like spending much time at the stove.
Ingredients
- eggs - 4 pieces
- nopales (cactus paddles) - 150 g
- tomato - 1 piece
- onion - 0.5 pieces
- vegetable oil - 1.5 tablespoons
- cilantro - 1 tablespoon
- chili pepper - 0.25 pieces
- salt
- black pepper
- corn tortilla - 2 pieces
Preparation
- If using fresh nopales, remove the spines, rinse, cut into strips and cook for 8–10 minutes in salted water, then drain and rinse with cold water. If using pre-cooked nopales, simply drain them.
- Slice the onion into thin strips, dice the tomato, and finely chop the chili. Chop the cilantro.
- Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes until soft and slightly translucent.
- Add the nopales and chili and fry for another 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomato and fry for about 2 more minutes, until it softens slightly but doesn’t fall apart. Season the vegetables with a pinch of salt.
- In a bowl beat the eggs with a little salt and pepper. Pour them into the pan with the vegetables.
- Cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, gently stirring from the edges towards the center, until the eggs are set but still slightly moist, not dry.
- Sprinkle the dish with chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with warmed tortillas or a slice of bread.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 1 day. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, stirring lightly so the eggs stay as soft as possible.
