Mexican Nopales and Queso Fresco Salad

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash the nopales, tomatoes, white onion, and fresh cilantro under cold water. Dice 400 g nopales into 1 cm cubes. Dice 250 g tomatoes and finely chop 100 g white onion and 20 g cilantro. Crumble 100 g queso fresco. Bring a medium pot with 1 liter of salted water to a boil over high heat.

2. 2

   Add the diced nopales to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the cactus bits turn from bright green to olive green and become tender. If the liquid foams up excessively, lower the heat slightly and skim off the surface slime with a spoon.

3. 3

   Drain the cooked nopales in a fine-mesh colander. Rinse thoroughly under cold running tap water while gently tossing with a spoon for 2 minutes to remove the naturally viscous coating. Leave to drain completely for 5 minutes so excess liquid does not dilute the dressing.

4. 4

   In a large salad bowl, combine 45 ml fresh lime juice, 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, and 5 g salt. Whisk with a fork until emulsified and smooth. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed; the dressing should be bright, zesty, and adequately salted to balance the earthy cactus.

5. 5

   Add the drained nopales, diced tomatoes, chopped white onion, and chopped cilantro into the bowl with the lime dressing. Toss thoroughly using two large spoons for 1 minute until every piece is evenly coated. Let the salad rest for 5 minutes at room temperature to absorb the flavors.

6. 6

   Gently fold 100 g crumbled queso fresco over the top of the salad, keeping some distinct white crumbles visible. Serve cold or at room temperature in shallow bowls, alongside warm corn tortillas or baked tostadas as a light Mexican lunch.

Serve with

Sauce

Authentic Mexican Salsa Macha with Pepitas

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Drink

Traditional Mexican Limeade with Chia

Mexican · 10 min