Grilled Nopal
Cactus paddles crosshatched and grilled hot so they char before they can weep, then sliced into tender, tangy strips. A squeeze of lime and crumbled queso fresco is all they need — pure Central Mexico street food.
- Time
- 20 min
- Heat
- Yield
- 8 tacos
- Region
- Central Mexico
Ingredients
Nopales
To build
Method
Trim the edges of each paddle and scrape off any remaining spines, then rinse and pat completely dry.
Score both sides of each paddle in a shallow crosshatch and rub with oil and salt.
Grill the paddles on a screaming-hot comal or grill until charred and blistered on the first side.
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Flip and grill until the paddles turn olive-green and tender all the way through.
Rest the nopales a couple of minutes so the viscous baba settles, then slice into thick strips and hit them with lime.
Warm the tortillas, fill with nopal strips, and top with queso fresco, onion, cilantro, and salsa verde.
Build the plate
