Jul 09 2026
Restaurants›Rocio's Mexican Kitchen›Nopalitos Salad Recipe

Nopalitos Salad Recipe

Inspired by Rocio's Mexican Kitchen
Time30m
Serves4

Make Nopalitos Salad Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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NOPALITOS AND VEGETABLES

DRESSING

Method

NOPALITOS AND VEGETABLES

  1. 1

    Prepare nopales

    Rinse nopales under cold water, trim any spines, and slice into small bite-sized pieces.

  2. 2

    Cook nopales

    In a pot of salted boiling water, add the chopped nopales and simmer for 8–12 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Pat dry.

  3. 3

    Prepare vegetables

    While nopales cook, dice tomatoes, finely chop red onion, dice cucumber, and chop cilantro. If using jalapeño, remove seeds and mince finely (optional).

  4. 4

    Prepare avocado and cheese

    Dice avocado just before assembly to prevent browning. Crumble cheese if using.

  5. 5

    Combine components

    In a large serving bowl, add the cooked nopales, tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeño (to taste), avocado, and crumbled cheese. Gently toss to combine without mashing the avocado.

DRESSING

  1. 6

    Make the dressing

    In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cumin (if using) until well emulsified.

ASSEMBLY

  1. 7

    Dress the salad

    Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and adjust salt or lime juice if needed.

  2. 8

    Chill and serve

    Let the salad rest for 10–15 minutes to meld flavors. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

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