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Nopal Cactus Paddles

Nopal cactus paddles are edible prickly pear cactus pads, commonly grilled, sautéed, or added to salads and stews.

Nopal Cactus Paddles — illustrative ingredient image

About Nopal Cactus Paddles

Nopal cactus paddles are the edible flattened pads of prickly pear cactus, harvested while young enough to remain tender. They are commonly grilled, sautéed, boiled, or added to salads, stews, tacos, and fillings.

The paddles have a fresh, vegetal flavour, firm surface, and moist interior. Cooking softens the pad and may produce a slippery or mucilaginous texture; tenderness depends on pad age and trimming, while cooking method affects the finished bite.

They are sold whole, cleaned, sliced, or cooked. The green, oval or elongated paddles are trimmed of spines, areoles, and sometimes edges before use; grilling dry, cooking in liquid, slicing, and combining with other ingredients alter firmness and moisture.

Ingredient type
whole food

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Where nopal cactus paddles appears

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Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for nopal cactus paddles

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Nopal Cactus Paddles

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Nopal Cactus Paddles nutrition & diet

Nopal Cactus Paddles nutritional value

Nopales, raw

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
16kcal
Protein
1.3g
Carbs
3.3g
Fat
0.1g

Per 100 g of the named reference food. Preparation, cultivar and product formulation can change these values; use the stated form when comparing.

Portions & preparation

Nopal cactus paddles should be assessed after the edible surface has been cleaned of spines, glochids, and tough margins. Record whether paddles are whole, sliced, grilled, sautéed, boiled, or canned, and include any oil, brine, or accompanying ingredients in the preparation description.

Compare the right form: Match cleaned prickly pear cactus paddles in the stated raw, grilled, sautéed, boiled, or canned form, including edible trimming.

Diet considerations

These paddles are plant-derived when no other ingredients are included. Recipes may add cheese, meat, eggs, lard, butter, or creamy sauces, changing dietary compatibility. Batter, breadcrumbs, tortillas, sweetened dressings, and other cereal or carbohydrate-containing accompaniments should be distinguished from the cactus itself.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Nopales, raw ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .