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Fresh green nopal cactus paddles with their spines, the edible paddles this cactus recipe cleans and grills

Grilled Nopales (Cactus Paddles)

Fresh nopal cactus paddles, safely cleaned and de-spined, then grilled with olive oil, garlic and lime — plus a chopped nopal salad option.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the grilled nopales:
  • 4 large fresh nopal paddles about 1 pound / 450 g
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Lime wedges for serving
For the nopal salad option:
  • 1 medium tomato diced
  • ¼ white onion finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco

Method
 

  1. Holding each paddle with tongs, scrape off the spines and glochids with a knife held nearly flat, working from base to tip, on both sides.
  2. Trim ⅛ inch off both long edges and cut off the woody base. Check for stray areoles, then rinse.
  3. Optional: blanch in salted boiling water for 1 minute and rinse cold, for a less slippery texture.
  4. Pat dry, brush with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
  5. Grill over medium-high heat (425°F / 220°C) for 4–5 minutes per side, until deep olive green, tender and char-marked.
  6. Rest 2 minutes. Serve whole with lime, or slice into ½-inch strips.
  7. For the salad: dice 2 paddles and toss with tomato, onion, cilantro and lime juice; top with queso fresco.

Notes

Always handle raw paddles with tongs or a thick glove — the tiny glochid hairs are the real hazard, not the large spines.
Remove glochids from skin with strong tape or tweezers; never rub the spot.
Choose thin, firm, bright-green paddles; thick or yellowing ones are tough.
Jarred nopalitos work for the salad and eggs (drain and rinse), but not for grilling.
Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated; reheat chopped in a dry hot skillet.