Move over taco Tuesday because tostadas are here and they’ve brought company (aka nopales)!
My Mexican roots involve a lot of delicious food…much of which I no longer eat. I grew up on tacos, posoles, combination plates, and, many times, meat plays center stage. I won’t even get into the different ways meat is prepared but it is a staple in Mexican cuisine! Luckily, there are meat-free options that can be made with little to no effort.
I’ve got to first and foremost give credit to my mama for this Nopales Salad. My mom would make this all the time while I was growing up and on a recent occasion she made it I was excited to think there is still a childhood food that I could eat 🙂 I can’t say that happens to often so it makes me feel connected to my heritage to enjoy dishes like this one.
You might be thinking: wait, so what are nopales??
Nopales are the Spanish term for cactus. Mexicans might have some cactus growing in their backyard which they can chop and prepare but, this recipe is made EASY thanks to a jar of nopales. You can find tender cactus slices in the Hispanic food section at you grocery store. I use the Dona Maria brand but any should be fine as long as there aren’t any added flavorings.
Make this salad when you’re craving a light, fresh meal or enjoy it as a side to barbecue dishes!
- 1 30oz jar of nopales
- ½ large white onion, chopped
- 4 small roma tomatoes, diced
- Juice of one lemon, more to taste
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Tostadas, for serving
- Before beginning the salad, clean the nopales. Add the nopales to a colander and rinse them in cool water. Shake off as much water as possible and add them to a bowl.
- Chop the onion and tomatoes and add them to the bowl with nopales. There should be an even distribution of each ingredient. Season with lemon and the spices and your salad is ready!
Let me know what you guys think if you give this simple recipe a try. I would also love to hear what some of your childhood foods are from your cultural background.
Thanks for being here!