{"id":10861,"date":"2025-06-05T23:06:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T23:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/?p=10861"},"modified":"2025-06-10T16:53:56","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T16:53:56","slug":"anas-nopalitos-jalapenos-salad-taco-topping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/es\/anas-nopalitos-jalapenos-salad-taco-topping\/","title":{"rendered":"Ensalada de Nopalitos y Jalape\u00f1os de Ana: F\u00e1cil y Deliciosa con Tacos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This nopalitos and jalape\u00f1os salad is one of Ana Gonz\u00e1lez Quaid\u2019s favorite ways to add flavor and color to her Chicago-based family\u2019s favorite Mexican dishes. She\u2019ll makes a big batch to top carne asada tacos<\/a> or serve as a side, especially with arrachera steak. It\u2019s great with basically, everthing. Even grilled hot dogs get garnished with nopalitos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nopalitos
Ana’s sister Sagra (another great cook in the Gonzalez family \u2014 check out her shrimp ceviche<\/a>) makes their family’s signature recipe for nopalitos and jalape\u00f1os salad. It’s their favorite topping for carne asada tacos and, since they are a Chicago-area family after all, grilled hot dogs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so easy to make,\u201d Ana says. \u201cThis salad adds zing to any kind of taco or dish. It\u2019s just such a traditional taste and so good. My mom Gollita<\/a> and oldest son always love when I make it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eaten both raw and cooked, the spiky nopal is a Mexican cactus also called prickly pear. It is recognizable by its large, green oval paddles, which are covered with spines. When removed from the nopal cactus, both the paddles and resulting slices are called nopalitos. Be sure to scrape them off before cooking and definitely before eating.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"nopal
The nopal\u2019s name comes from the Nahuatl nohpalli<\/em>. Scrape away the spines before cooking.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The cactus\u2019 name comes from the Aztec Nahuatl word nohpall. <\/em>When it flowers, its fruit\u2014called tuna\u2014is often used in jams with resultados deliciosos. Warning: Both fresh and canned nopalitos are a bit slimy, says Ana. Like okra. Be sure to rinse and drain the cactus slivers before using them. What she loves best about this dish? \u201cIt\u2019s so easy to make,\u201d Ana says. \u201cThis salad adds zing to any kind of taco or Mexican dish. It\u2019s just such a traditional taste \u2014 and so good. My mom and oldest son always love it when I make it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If using fresh nopales (recommended: so delicious), first scrape your knife against the prickly spines and cut them off. Then slice the nopal paddles, chop them into bite-size pieces, and start making your salad!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready to Make Ana\u2019s Nopalitos & Jalape\u00f1os Salad & Taco Topping?<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\"Ana\u2019s\t\t\t\t
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Ana\u2019s Nopaitos & Pickled Jalape\u00f1os Salad<\/h2>\n\n
\n \t\t \t\t\tRecipe by Ana Gonz\u00e1lez Quaid<\/span>\n \t\t\n
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  • <\/li><\/ul>5.0<\/small> from<\/small> 2<\/small> votes<\/small><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <\/div>\n\t\t
    \n Cuisine: Mexican<\/mark><\/span> <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
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    <\/span>Servings<\/span>

    6<\/p>servings<\/span><\/div>

    <\/span>Prep time<\/span>

    15<\/p>minutes<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n \n\t\t\n\t\t\t

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    Ingredients<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    • <\/span>

      60<\/span> oz<\/span> canned nopalitos (2 cans, 30 oz each), diced<\/span><\/p><\/li>

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      1<\/span> medium<\/span> white onion, diced<\/span><\/p><\/li>

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      1<\/span> large<\/span> tomato, diced<\/span><\/p><\/li>

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      1<\/span> bunch cilantro, finely chopped<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1\/2<\/span> tsp<\/span> salt, or to taste<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      3<\/span> pickled jalape\u00f1os (from a can), diced<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      2<\/span> Tbsp<\/span> picked jalape\u00f1os juice, reserved from can<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      8<\/span> oz<\/span> queso cotija, grated, divided<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1 1\/2<\/span> avocados, cubed<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1\/2<\/span> avocado, thinly sliced<\/span><\/p><\/li>

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      1<\/span> lime, sliced, for garnish, optional<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n \t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t

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      Directions<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
      • Open the cans of nopalitos. Rinse them well. Drain, dice and place the nopalitos in a bowl.<\/li>
      • Add the diced onion, diced tomato, chopped cilantro and salt. Mix gently.<\/li>
      • Open the pickled jalapen\u00f5s can. Reserve their juice. <\/li>
      • To the bowl, add the diced, pickled jalape\u00f1os and 2 Tbsp of their salty juice.<\/li>
      • Add 6 oz of the grated cotija cheese and the cubed avocados. Gently mix.<\/li>
      • Garnish with the remaining 1\/2 avocado slices, 2 oz of cotija cheese, and optional lime slices.<\/li>
      • Serve as a side salad or add as a topping to your favorite tacos.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
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        Notes<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
        • Ana prefers to use cotija cheese, which is tangy and closer to Parmesan, than the crumblier, juicier, feta-like queso fresco. Both can be used to make this salad\u2014deliciously.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n \n\t\n\t\t\t