How to Make Nopales Asados (Grilled Cactus Paddles)

Once grilling season rolls around, nopales asados are must for any Mexican fiesta! If you’ve never grilled cactus pads, you’re in for a real treat with this recipe.

If you’ve never seen or worked with nopales before, they are the flat, oval-shaped pads or paddles of the prickly pear cactus. In my family, we typically grill them whole, blend them into jugo verde, or create a deliciously nutritious nopalitos salad. We especially love them alongside carne asada and grilled cebollitas. 

⭐️FUN FACTS: Cactus flavor is often described as tangy and slightly citrusy. The texture reminds me of green beans or okra. The slimy liquid (we call it baba) releases and then disappears during the cooking process. Nopales are a great source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium.

Nopales asados are simply grilled cactus pads that I like to season with a sprinkle of fresh lime juice and salt. I first tasted them at a restaurant in Denver, which inspired this recipe. I love how they were seasoned and served whole.

⭐️FUN FACTS: Cactus paddles have been a staple ingredient in Mexican cuisine for centuries, dating back to pre-Columbian times. The Aztecs and Maya cultivated and consumed them for their nutritional value and medicinal properties. Nowadays, you’ll find cactus in dishes throughout Mexico, including tacos, sopes, gorditas, huaraches, quesadillas, salads, guidados (stews), and even drinks!

Once you try my nopales asados, be sure to try my cebollitas asadas, chiles toreados, and marinated chile güerito peppers recipes!

WHERE TO BUY NOPALES

I usually find fresh nopales at my local Mexican grocery store. Very few mainstream grocery stores carry them in the fresh produce section. They are usually sold as whole paddles, which require cleaning, or cleaned and chopped in small bags (these are convenient and super easy to use). In Mexico, California, and other arid areas, you can even harvest them directly from prickly pear cactus plants.

HOW TO CLEAN NOPALES

Before learning how to cook with cactus paddle, it’s essential to learn how to clean nopales because not everybody has access to the freshly cleaned cactus that is available in Mexican markets. Also, if you’re lucky to live in an area where cactus grows, you can learn to pick and clean your own paddles with my step-by-step instructions!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

The ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe are minimal: fresh whole nopales, oil (I use olive oil), limes, and salt. I sometimes add a sprinkle of paprika because that’s how I first tasted them, but that’s optional.

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14-Inch Grill Griddle

This extra large griddle is absolutely perfect for grilling nopales when you don’t feel like firing up the grill! VIEW PRODUCT

HOW TO MAKE NOPALES ASADOS A LA PLANCHA

1. Prepare ingredients

• Remove thorns and edges from nopales. If this is your first time cleaning nopales, check out my post on How to Clean and Eat Cactus.
• Brush olive oil onto both sides of the cactus pads.
• Make 3 to 4 long slices about an inch apart, from the middle of each cactus pad through to the edge.

2. Grill nopales

• Prepare your griddle (or grill) over medium-high heat.
• Grilling cactus pads typically takes about 4-5 minutes per side. The exact time may vary depending on the thickness of the pads and the heat of the grill. You should grill them until they become tender and have light char marks.
• You will know they are ready when they go from a vibrant green to more of an olive green.

3. Season and enjoy

• Season with a sprinkle of fresh lime juice, salt, and paprika, if desired. Enjoy warm.
• Enjoy them as a side dish, in tacos, salads, or as a topping for various Mexican dishes like quesadillas or enchiladas.

💡 PRO TIP: To remove the vicious (slimy) texture from your nopales, make sure to grill them over medium-high heat until fully cooked. Slicing through each cactus pad also allows for the release of most of the sliminess when cooked.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT

To store grilled nopales, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a skillet or grill until warm or in the microwave until heated through.

LOOKING FOR MORE INSPIRAITON?

• Nopales: History + How to Clean and Eat Cactus
• 5-Minute Ensalada de Pepino y Tomate
• Easy Ensalada de Pepino
• How to Make Ensaladas de Nopales (Mexican Cactus Salad)
• Cebollitas Asadas (EASY Grilled Mexican Green Onions)
• Ensalada de Lentejas (Easy and Refreshing Lentil Salad)
• Chiles Toreados (Mexican Blistered Peppers)
• Alitas de Pollo Horneadas (Tequila Lime Chicken Wings)
• Totopos Caseros (Easy Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips)
• Mexican-Style Street Corn

This recipe was first published on June 19, 2024 and updated with step-by-step instructions on February 21, 2026.

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