Cactus Salad (Nopales Salad) with Quinoa and Feta

Have you ever eaten cactus? This tangy cactus quinoa salad is packed with fresh vegetables, hearty quinoa, and bright citrus flavors for a refreshing side dish that’s perfect for hot summer days. It’s a delicious way to enjoy nopales and a fun change from your usual quinoa salad!

Quinoa has taken over the food community by storm. The gluten-free crowd loves it because it is a seed and thus, gluten-free. The paleo crew loves it because it’s an ancient “grain” and unprocessed.

The low-carb enthusiasts love that this is fiber rich and high in protein. And vegetarians love quinoa because it’s a complete protein source. So, if you haven’t tried any quinoa recipes, do you realize what you have been missing?

I use quinoa in a number of different “salads”. By mixing in quinoa with any combination of fruits, herbs and vegetables, I find the dish to be heartier and can even be made into a light meal.

I mix quinoa with Persian Shirazi Salad or even my roasted vegetable salad. Today I am sharing a quinoa salad with pickled cactus (nopalitos).

Laura says :

Why this recipe works

• Unique: People are always surprised when I tell them this salad is made with cactus! The pickled nopales add a bright, refreshing flavor you don’t get from your typical quinoa salad.
• Refreshing: Tangy cactus, nutty quinoa, sweet tomatoes, and a bright lemony dressing come together in a surprisingly delicious combination of flavors and textures.
• Versatile: Skip the quinoa and serve the cactus salad with tortilla chips for a fresh, tangy dip or appetizer. You can also serve it as a side dish alongside your favorite Mexican-inspired meal.
• Make Ahead: This is a great make-ahead salad because the flavors get even better as the ingredients mingle. Make it a couple of hours before serving and let the fridge do the work!

Ingredients you need

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• Nopalitos: This is the pickled cactus I mentioned above. They are typically cut into pieces. You can find these at small ethnic or hispanic markets or purchase online.
• Tomatoes: Choose tomatoes that are ripe and full of flavor. They can be of any color, heirloom or even small grape tomatoes.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro is preferred. If you are not a fan of cilantro, use parsley.
• Red onions: When eating raw onions, I prefer red onions. But you can use any onion you have on hand.
• Jalapeño pepper: Japaleños are pretty mild peppers. If you want more kick to your cactus salad, you can use a spicier pepper like a serrano. You can also omit altogether.
• Quinoa: Precook your quinoa and let it cool to room temperature before adding it to the salad.
• Feta cheese: The salty cheese pairs beautifully with the tangy nopalitos and sweet tomatoes.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic offers tremendous flavor in this salad, but you could also use a bit of garlic powder instead.
• Extra virgin olive oil: You can use a robust or mild flavored olive oil.
• Lemon juice: You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice.
• Pantry staples: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (optional), salt and pepper

Step-by-step directions

1. Cook the quinoa. Cook your quinoa per package directions. Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
2. Chop the veggies. Chop the nopalitos, tomatoes, cilantro, red onion and jalapeño.
3. Make the dressing. Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
4. Assemble: Combine everything, top with feta, cover and refrigerate so the flavors meld together.

Expert tips and recipe FAQs

I make a lot of quinoa and the number one question I get is how I keep it from turning to mush. Remember, when cooking quinoa use a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa.

Bring it bowl, then cook until the water is absorbed. It cooks quickly and is usually done in 15 minutes or less. Let the quinoa sit in the pot with the lid off after it is done cooking.

This releases excess steam so it doesn’t get reabsorbed and dries out the quinoa a little bit. Don’t over mix it, but fluff when you transfer it to your serving bowl.

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Cactus Salad (Nopales Salad) with Quinoa and Feta

Laura Bashar | Family Spice

This refreshing cactus quinoa salad combines tender nopales, protein-packed quinoa, fresh vegetables, and a tangy citrus dressing for a flavorful summer side dish. It's an easy, healthy salad that's perfect for cookouts, picnics, and warm-weather meals.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Additional Time 8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Salads

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 16

Calories 94 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 32 oz jarred Nopalitos drained
• 4 chopped medium tomatoes
• ¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup chopped red onions
• 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and diced
• 1 cup quinoa uncooked
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

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Instructions

 

• Cook the quinoa per package directions. When cooking quinoa, I usually use a 2:1 ratio of water to quinoa.
• To keep your quinoa from turning to mush, let it sit in the pot with the lid off after it is done cooking. This releases excess steam so it doesn't get reabsorbed and dries out the quinoa a little bit. Transfer to a bowl to continue cooling.
• To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, hot sauce, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
• Chop your nopalitos, tomatoes, cilantro, red onion and jalapeño into small pieces.
• When the quinoa is cooled to room temperature, stir in the chopped vegetables. Pour in the salad dressing and gently combine.
• Top with feta, cover and chill 1-3 hours for the flavors to meld together.

Notes

If you like feta, double the amount. Stir in half and then top with the remaining feta.

TO STORE: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

TO FREEZE: I do not recommend freezing this as everything will turn to mush when thawed.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 94kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 146mgPotassium: 302mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 595IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 1mg

Keyword cactus salad, nopales salad, nopalitos salad

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Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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