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La Piña en la Cocina

Embracing my Mexican heritage and sharing all the wonderful flavors, colors and foods I grew up with. Join me on this journey as I also learn new foods and cooking techniques. Dedicated to my parents Ramiro and Blanca.

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Home » Nopales » Nopalitos en Vinagré (Pickled Cactus)

Nopalitos en Vinagré (Pickled Cactus)

October 5, 20187 Comments

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Nopalitos en vinagré or pickled cactus are the perfect botana or snack for your next taco night! Also known as curtido, this easy formula for nopalitos en vinagré I learned a few years ago during the summer. I don’t know if it happens to you, but I tend to buy too much when I visit the farmers market. The nopalitos (cactus) are a great meatless option for tacos. They will preserve for months in the refrigerator. That’s if they last that long!

My experiences with pickling at home was watching Mom use the pickling brine from a large can of pickled jalapeños and pouring it over sliced carrots that were previously poached in simmering water to soften them. In my family, we all wanted the carrots out of that can of jalapeños that this was the solution to provide more carrots! many families did this instead of throwing away that perfectly good pickling brine. But since I have no need to purchase that huge can of pickled jalapeños, I just prepare my own pickling brine with white vinegar, water and spices. 

https://animoto.com/play/DFLtLtiqPpx6wrHyKEWqWA

The video version will vary from the written recipe below. Cactus and vegetables sliced smaller and I added some chile japones into the mix!

I am not experienced in pressure canning, but I enjoy storing my escabeche and salsas in mason jars. The escabeche will last for months refrigerated.

pickled cactus in mason jars

Try to slice the ingredients in uniform size when possible.

As I said above, the nopalitos are a delicious meatless option. But my absolute favorite way to enjoy them is in a quesadilla with freshly made corn tortillas. Click the link to see recipe for corn tortillas. https://pinaenlacocina.com/fresh-corn-tortillas/

My favorite melting cheese, when I can find it, is Oaxaca cheese!

No frying required for these tasty corn tortilla quesadillas! And that crust of the cheese! Oh My!

And to make this nopalitos quesadilla perfect, some Avocado Salsa!!!!! https://pinaenlacocina.com/tomatillo-avocado-salsa-the-green-sauce/

Nopalitos en Vinagré (Pickled Cactus)

Use this basic formula to prepare traditional escabeche or chiles en vinagré using your favorite fresh ingredients!
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Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 3 Cups

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons avocado, or olive oil Any mild or flavorless oil works best
  • 1 cup Carrots sliced to resemble match sticks(julienne slice)
  • 1 cup Onion sliced into strips
  • 2 cloves of Garlic sliced
  • 3/4 cup Jalapeño or serrano sliced into strips(do not remove seeds)
  • 2 cups Cooked Nopalitos, see notes cactus, previously cooked, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 tsp Mexican oregano
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 cup White vinegar
  • 1 cup Water
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

Directions

  • In a pan or a skillet, add the oil and heat to medium.
  • Add the carrots and saute for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, add the onion and jalapeño. After another 2 minutes, add the oregano, garlic and bay leaves. saute for a few seconds.
  • Mix in the previously cooked and rinsed nopalitos. Stir well to combine. Pour in the vinegar/water and salt mix. Stir gently and reduce heat slightly. Cook just until you see the jalapenos turn from bright green to an opaque green color or olive color.
  • Remove from heat and let cool at room temperature. Store in glass jars with tight lids in the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks.

Notes

 
HOW TO COOK NOPALES: Place 1 lb of clean nopales that have been sliced into short strips into a skillet. Season with 1/3 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine.  Add 1 serrano pepper, sliced in half, 1 clove of garlic, 1/8 section of white onion and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro on top. Cover with lid and turn heat to medium. After a few minutes when they begin to simmer, stir to combine. Reduce heat slightly and continue cooking until the nopales have released all their liquid and most of it has evaporated. This could take up to 20 minutes or more. Remove the aromatics and cilantro. Use nopales in your favorite recipes.  
 
Anytime I share recipes using nopales people will ask how to get rid of the slime. You can cook and rinse them, but eventually as the cactus sits, it will naturally produce more slime, lol! It’s not terrible, but some people don’t like it. 
You can use this same formula for curtido or escabeche for pickling peppers, carrots, onions, cauliflower and many other vegetables.
Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

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Filed Under: Nopales, Pickling~Escabeche, Traditional Mexican Recipes Tagged With: Curtido de Nopal, Nopales, Nopalitos en Vinagré, Pickled Cactus

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cyndy Gunn

    October 5, 2018 at 5:23 pm

    Sonia, I love your site, and anytime I want to make an authentic Mexican recipe, I go here! I’ve tried so many of your salsas and other dishes, and I’m truly thankful that you’re taking the time to compile all of these wonderful recipes for everyone to use!

    Reply
    • Sonia

      October 5, 2018 at 5:25 pm

      Hi Cyndy!! Thank you so much! I really appreciate your feedback!

      Reply
  2. Stephen LaPierre

    October 5, 2018 at 6:35 pm

    I am really into canning and just bought ingredients to make cueritoes, I’m gonna have to trying some nopalitos at the same time!

    Reply
  3. DEBRA J WILLIAMS

    January 23, 2023 at 11:26 am

    You mention the nopalitos are cooked and washed. How are they cooked?

    Reply
    • Sonia

      January 23, 2023 at 1:44 pm

      Hi Debra! I wrote the instructions in the notes.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Flor de Jamaica- Hibiscus Recipes - La Piña en la Cocina says:
    June 17, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    […] Quesadillas with Chiles en Vinagre(Escabeche). Click link to see recipe for chiles en vinagré. https://pinaenlacocina.com/nopalitos-en-vinagre-pickled-cactus/Rellenos! Stuffed chile guero and jalapeños with a mix of the hibiscus saute and cheese. Broil […]

    Reply
  2. Master Cooking Cactus (and Boost Your Digestion) With These 10 Fiber-Rich Nopales Recipes - Hada.News says:
    December 19, 2021 at 6:48 pm

    […] Get the recipe: pickled nopales […]

    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi, my name is Sonia Mendez Garcia. My parents Ramiro and Blanca Mendez moved to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico in 1963. I am first generation Mexican American born in Los Angeles, California. Cooking has always been one of my passions in life. This is my journey and I can't wait to see what the future holds. Read More…

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