Flat Cactus Leaves

Store fresh nopales in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Cooked nopales can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Always remove the spines (glochids) before cooking. A vegetable peeler or knife works well.

To reduce the natural sliminess, boil nopales in salted water for 10-15 minutes, drain, and rinse with cold water. You can also add a pinch of baking soda to the boiling water.

Nopales can be grilled, sautéed, boiled, or added to stews and egg dishes.

Eggs

Tomatoes

Onions

Cilantro

Chiles

Corn

Cheese (like queso fresco)

Avocado

Not properly removing all the tiny spines, which can be irritating.

Overcooking them, which can make them too mushy.

Not addressing the natural sliminess if you prefer a less viscous texture.