Ensalada de nopales with tomato, onion and feta Recipe
This salad with cactus, tomato and salty feta is a fresh, light dish that often appears on the table in Mexico on hot days. Cactus has a slightly tangy flavor and a crunchy yet tender texture, a bit like a cross between green beans and cucumber. Combined with lime and cilantro, it works like edible air conditioning.
Ensalada de nopales is one of those dishes that in Mexico gets pulled out of the fridge on the hottest afternoons – slightly tangy cactus, juicy tomatoes and salty feta make an exceptionally refreshing combination. Nopales have an unusual, springy texture and a flavor somewhere between a green vegetable and cucumber, which together with lime and cilantro creates the effect of a “crisp citrus salad”. The contrast of textures – soft cheese, firm cactus and gently crunchy onion – makes every bite different.
Chef's tips
With fresh nopales, thorough cleaning of the edges and any remaining spines is crucial – do it on a cutting board using a sharp knife and thick gloves so you don’t get pricked. After cooking, be sure to rinse the cactus under cold water, stirring with your hand until the slimy layer disappears; if it’s still sticky, rinse once more and let it drain well in a sieve. Add the feta at the very end and mix only gently so it doesn’t turn into a paste.
How to serve
You can serve this salad as a light dinner with a slice of crusty baguette or as a side to grilled chicken or fish – it’s great for cutting through the richness of the meat. To drink, serve chilled white wine with pronounced acidity, such as sauvignon blanc, or water with plenty of ice, lime and a slice of cucumber. It’s the perfect plate to set out on a balcony table on a hot evening when you fire up a small electric grill instead of a big barbecue.
Ingredients
- nopales fresh cactus paddles, already cleaned of spines, or sliced strips from a jar - 400 g
- tomatoes medium, firm - 3 pieces
- red onion sliced into thin feathers - 0.5 pieces
- feta cheese crumbled into cubes or pieces - 120 g
- fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems - 10 g
- lime for juice - 2 pieces
- vegetable oil e.g. rapeseed or grapeseed oil - 3 tablespoons
- dried oregano - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt or to taste, remember feta is salty - 0.5 teaspoons
- ground black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
- bay leaf for cooking the nopales - 1 piece
- garlic clove for cooking the nopales - 1 piece
Preparation
- If using fresh nopales, rinse them, trim off the tough edges and any remaining spines, then cut into strips about 1 cm wide. If using jarred nopales, drain them in a sieve and rinse under cold water.
- Pour enough water into a pot to cover the nopales, add the bay leaf, garlic clove cut in half and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, add the nopales and cook for 10–12 minutes over medium heat, until they soften but are still slightly springy. The water may become slightly slimy – this is normal.
- Drain the cooked nopales in a sieve and rinse under cold water, stirring with your hand until they are no longer slippery. Set aside for a few minutes to drain well.
- Cut the tomatoes into medium cubes, slice the onion into thin feathers and roughly chop the cilantro. Crumble the feta into 1–2 cm pieces.
- In a large bowl, mix the juice squeezed from the limes, oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk with a fork for about 20–30 seconds until you have a uniform dressing.
- Add the well-drained nopales, tomatoes, onion and cilantro to the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss, then add the feta and just lightly fold it through so the pieces don’t break up. Taste and adjust with more salt or lime if needed. Serve after a 10-minute rest so the flavors can meld.
Storage
Store leftover salad in the fridge in an airtight container and eat within 1 day; the nopales and tomatoes release juice over time, so stir before serving again and add a little fresh lime if needed.
