Nopales are a favorite ingredient during Lent season, since they are so versatile that you can add them to almost any dish. Like in this Soup, for example, which is called “Nopalitos Navegantes”, which roughly translates to “sailing cactus soup”. Some people make a dry version of this dish and add Pasilla pepper to the sauce; both the soup and the dry version are quite appetizing. The addition of the eggs (whole or scrambled) creates a robust meal, as you have your veggies and your protein all in one bowl!

Nopales are an important (and delicious!) ingredient of the Mexican gastronomy. There is one called “Nopal Cambray”, a small type of Nopal, with a thin paddle and with a size ranging from 8-10 centimeters. People prefer them for their tenderness, and because they render less of that viscous liquid common in Nopales. Here in the States, you can find Nopales being sold at Latin stores, and some even sell them already cleaned or even chopped in small plastic bags, just the way they are sold in some places in Mexico.

Other recipes using Nopales are Nopalitos Salad,  Grilled Nopales with melted cheese, Nopales with ground beef in a piquin sauce,  Nopales and eggs,  Nopales a la Mexicana, and Nopales Smoothie, just to mention a few of the recipes here in the blog.