Go Back
–+ servings

Cactus Fries & Salad w/ Ancho Chile Dip

Tall, crunchy and proud looking cactus fries, great dipped in a spicy ancho chili dip. The salad is fresh tasting and bursting with flavor, coupled with the awesome fiber content made this a really healthy salad.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Lunch, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 4
Calories 451 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • For the Cactus Fries:
  • 4 cactus leaves or "paddles"
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • Salt and pepper
  • Oil for frying
  • For the Ancho Chili Dip:
  • 2 tsp of mayonnaise
  • 1/4 tsp of ancho chili powder
  • dash of paprika
  • dash of hot sauce to suit your taste
  • For the Cactus Salad From The Homesick Texan:
  • 1 pound of cactus leaves cleaned as above
  • 1 plum tomato chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/4 medium red onion sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup Cotija cheese crumbled
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • For the cactus fries, take the thorns out of the cactus leaves and rinse underwater.
  • Cut into french fries shapes and blanch in a pot of boiling water (about 4 minutes). Drain and cool.
  • Fill a pan with the oil about 2 inches deep and bring to 350F. Dredge each "french fry" in the flour and then the egg and finally the panko.
  • Drop gently into the hot oil and fry for about 5 minutes or until nice and golden.
  • Drain on a paper towel and season with sea salt and black pepper.
  • For the ancho chili dip, combine the mayo, ancho chili powder, paprika and hot sauce. Mix well and chill.
  • For the salad, prepare the leaves as for the fries but cut into small 1 inch squares. Blanch for 4 minutes, rinse and cool.
  • Prepare all the other ingredients and mix together in a bowl. Add the chopped squares of cactus to the bowl when cool and marinade in the fridge for about an hour. Sprinkle with some more cheese just before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 451kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 6gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 508mgPotassium: 416mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 938IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 265mgIron: 2mg
Keyword cactus, fries, nopali
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!