Mexican · side

Ensalada de Nopales (Cactus Salad with Panela Cheese)

Name: Ensalada de Nopales (Cactus Salad with Panela Cheese)
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1.35 kg cleaned nopal cactus paddles (16–18 paddles), cut into strips; ½ tsp salt (for cooking the nopales); 1 medium onion, finely diced; 3 ripe tomatoes, diced; 350 g queso panela (fresh Mexican cheese), diced; 3–4 tbsp chiles en vinagre (pickled jalapeños, with a few of their carrot slices); 1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped; black pepper, to taste (optional)

Ensalada de nopales

Watch how it’s made · 4:13

Video by El sabor latino on YouTube, in Spanish · Open on YouTube

45 minServes 10140 kcal a serve

Low carb (5.1 g net carbs) but not keto: 56% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
Vegetarian
Gluten-free ingredients
Nut-free

Contains: Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Only 5 g net carbs and 3.5 g fibre a serve from cactus paddles cooked dry with no oil, plus tomato and onion, and 9 g protein, mostly from the fresh panela cheese. Rich in calcium.

Printable PDFA4

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Ingredients 8

1.35 kg cleaned nopal cactus paddles (16–18 paddles), cut into strips
½ tsp salt (for cooking the nopales)
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 ripe tomatoes, diced
350 g queso panela (fresh Mexican cheese), diced
3–4 tbsp chiles en vinagre (pickled jalapeños, with a few of their carrot slices)
1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
black pepper, to taste (optional)

Method

The cook speaks Spanish; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.

Cut the cleaned cactus paddles into medium strips. 1:01
Cook them in a wide pan over medium heat with ½ tsp salt (and 3–4 tomatillo husks, if you have them, to draw out the slime). After about 10 minutes they release their slime; keep cooking until the pan is dry. Remove the husks and cool. 1:26
Tip the cold nopales into a large bowl and add the onion, coriander, tomato, pickled jalapeños (with their carrot slices) and diced cheese. 2:15
Season with salt and pepper only if needed, mix well and serve, or keep covered in the fridge. 3:02

Tip. Makes about 10 side serves (our estimate). Feta or queso fresco work if you can't find panela. Serve with grilled or slow-cooked meats; keeps 2–3 days in the fridge.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 10

Energy140 kcal580 kJ

Protein8.8 g18% of a day

Fibre3.6 g13% of a day

Carbohydrate8.7 g5.1 g net · 4 g sugars3% of a day

Fat8.6 g4.5 g saturated11% of a day

Sodium480 mg21% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

Net carbs 15%
Protein 26%
Fat 59%

Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Calcium High33%

430 mg a serve, mostly from cleaned nopal cactus paddles (51%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin B12 High24%

0.6 µg a serve, mostly from queso panela (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Magnesium Source19%

79 mg a serve, mostly from cleaned nopal cactus paddles (80%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin K Source17%

20 µg a serve, mostly from fresh coriander (46%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Vitamin C Source16%

15 mg a serve, mostly from cleaned nopal cactus paddles (49%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Vitamin A Source15%

137 µg a serve, mostly from queso panela (57%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Selenium Source14%

7.8 µg a serve, mostly from queso panela (86%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Zinc Source12%

1.3 mg a serve, mostly from queso panela (69%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin B6 Source11%

0.2 mg a serve, mostly from cleaned nopal cactus paddles (52%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

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Potassium9%

440 mg a serve, mostly from cleaned nopal cactus paddles (59%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Iron6%

1 mg a serve, mostly from cleaned nopal cactus paddles (66%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Vitamin D5%

0.9 µg a serve, mostly from queso panela (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Folate4%

17 µg a serve, mostly from ripe tomatoes (32%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin E3%

0.4 mg a serve, mostly from ripe tomatoes (46%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Omega-32%

0 g a serve, mostly from queso panela (100%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

Recipe and video by El sabor latino; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.