West Texas Nopales Salad

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-06 · Updated 2026-04-06

A refreshing salad featuring tender cactus pads (nopales), crisp vegetables, and a bright citrus vinaigrette, capturing the essence of West Texas desert cuisine. This salads (vegetarian) ready in about 15 minutes pairs medium, diced Cucumber, large, diced Tomato, thinly sliced Red onion into a side that holds its own next to almost any main — bright, balanced, and quick enough to slot into a weeknight plate. Each serving lands at about 150 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly next to roasted proteins, grain bowls, or weeknight mains. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 (14 oz) can, drained and sliced Nopales (cactus pads)
• 1 medium, diced Cucumber
• 1 large, diced Tomato
• 1/4 cup, thinly sliced Red onion
• 1, juiced Lime
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp, chopped Cilantro
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: Place the 1 (14 oz) can nopales in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, combine 1 diced cucumber, 1 diced tomato, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, then add the drained nopales.
3. Step 3: Whisk together 1 lime juice, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt to create a vinaigrette, then drizzle over the salad and toss gently until evenly coated.
4. Step 4: Sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped cilantro and serve immediately at room temperature, ensuring the dressing is fully absorbed into the vegetables.