Cacti are a diverse family of succulent plants, scientifically known as Cactaceae, which have adapted to store water and thrive in arid and semi-arid environments across the Americas. For thousands of years, indigenous peoples in regions like Mexico and the American Southwest have cultivated and relied on these plants as a food staple and for medicinal uses. While the desert is home to numerous cactus species, only a select few are safely consumed, as many others contain alkaloids that can cause severe gastrointestinal distress.
The Most Common Edible Cacti
The genus Opuntia, commonly known as the prickly pear cactus, is the most widely consumed and commercially available edible variety, with nearly 1,000 species found across the Americas. This single plant provides two distinct edible parts: the flattened, green stems called pads, and the fruit that grows along the pad edges. The pads, referred to in Spanish as nopales or nopalitos, are prepared and eaten as a vegetable.
The nopales are flat, oval-shaped structures that are harvested when young and tender. These pads are a featured ingredient in Latin American cuisine, often found in produce sections of grocery stores, and are sometimes available year-round. The other product from the prickly pear is the fruit, known as a tuna or cactus pear.
Prickly pear fruit is an oval-shaped berry that develops on the margins of the cactus pads, changing color as it ripens from green to shades of yellow, orange, or deep reddish-purple. The interior flesh is juicy and often contains numerous small, hard, edible seeds. The fruit’s color often indicates its sweetness, with the deeper red varieties tending to be the ripest.
Beyond the prickly pear, the fruit of certain Barrel Cactus species are also consumed. The body of the barrel cactus is covered in long, hook-like spines, but its small, pineapple-shaped fruit is typically spine-free and found at the crown of the plant. The fruit offers a tangy, lemony flavor and contains small black seeds that can be toasted for a nutty taste.
Safe Handling and Preparation
Handling cacti requires caution due to the presence of two types of defenses: the large, visible spines, and the nearly invisible, hair-like bristles known as glochids. These glochids can be painful and difficult to remove from the skin once embedded. It is advisable to use thick gloves or tongs when handling the raw cactus to prevent contact.
For purchased or harvested prickly pear fruit, the glochids must be removed before peeling. This can be accomplished by gently singeing the surface over an open flame until the tiny hairs are blackened. Once the hairs are burned off, the fruit can be brushed under running water and then peeled with a knife to remove the thick outer skin. The fruit’s flesh is then ready to be sliced or juiced.
Preparing nopales requires careful removal of the large spines and the glochids from the surface of the pad. This is typically done by using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler to scrape or trim away the bumps where the spines grow, followed by trimming the edges and thick base of the pad. After cleaning and rinsing, the pads are often diced into strips or squares for cooking.
Nopales have a mucilaginous texture, which is a natural, slimy sap similar to that found in okra. To reduce this sliminess, the diced pads are commonly boiled or simmered in water for about 10 to 20 minutes until they become tender. Alternatively, they can be sautéed in a skillet, allowing the released gelatinous liquid to cook off completely.
Culinary Uses and Flavor
The edible cactus pads, nopales, have a slightly tart and earthy taste with a subtle vegetal note. The cooked texture is reminiscent of tender-cooked green beans or asparagus. Nopales are frequently used in savory applications such as being chopped into salsas, folded into scrambled eggs, or served as a filling for tacos and fajitas.
The prickly pear fruit, or tuna, offers a sweet, refreshing flavor. The taste is often likened to a combination of watermelon, pear, and sometimes a hint of bubblegum, depending on the variety. This sweet-tart fruit is commonly eaten raw after the skin is peeled, but it is also processed into syrups, jams, and jellies.
The sweet juice extracted from the fruit is a popular ingredient for beverages, including cocktails, lemonades, and the traditional Mexican drink agua de tuna. The versatility of both the pad and the fruit allows the cactus to be incorporated into a wide range of dishes, from light salads and appetizers to hearty main courses and desserts.