Nopal (Cactus) Quesadillas
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on Jun 04, 2019, Updated Oct 10, 2019
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Some people might call these delicious Nopal Quesadillas sincronizadas (synchronized), because two tortillas are stacked together rather than folded. Stack or fold these babies – it’s truly up to you.
Truth be told I can live off of quesadillas. Ever since I was a tween and started cooking, quesadillas were always my go-to meal. Usually, it consisted of my grandmas’ homemade flour tortillas, asadero or muenster cheese, and salsa casera.
Guys, I’m literally salivating just thinking of the warm ooey-gooey cheese and spicy long green chile salsa combo.
Nopal (Cactus) Quesadillas
Today, I’m sharing with you one of my new favorite combos – sautéed nopales cooked with tangy pico de gallo, and spicy pepper jack cheese.
Some people might call these sincronizadas (synchronized), because two tortillas are stacked together rather than folded. Stack or fold these delicious (Cactus) Nopal Quesadillas – it’s truly up to you.
I always pick up nopales when I visit my favorite Latin grocery store. I usually buy them cleaned and chopped and I store them in my freezer so that I have plenty on hand for nopales con huevo, nopal smoothies, and quesadillas.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
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Nopal (Cactus) Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cups chopped nopales
- 1 teaspoon Maggi sauce, or soy sauce
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- Flour tortillas
- Pepper jack cheese, sliced or shredded
- Avocado crema , optional - or crema Mexicana for garnish
- Chiles Toreados, optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet, add the nopales and let them sweat and darken for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. They may exude a gelatinous liquid that will begin to dry out.
- Add Maggi sauce and pico de gallo salsa and stir for another 2 minutes until liquid evaporates.
- Preheat a comal for 1 minute over medium-low heat. The temperature on the skillet is important so that the tortillas do not harden or overcook before the cheese fully melts.
- Warm tortillas for 1 minute on one side, flip and add cheese on one of the tortillas, add nopal mixture, and top with another tortilla and press gently with a spatula.
- Flip occasionally until quesadillas are golden brown on each side and cheese has melted.
- Drizzle with guacamole salsa or crema Mexican and serve with a chile torteado, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Help!! The directions mention Magi sauce but it is not listed in the ingredients. How much of it should we use? Thank you. (I’ve only had nopales once, in a restaurant quesadilla, and would like to try them at home. I like either Asadero or Oaxaca cheese for my quesadillas.)
1 teaspoon Maggi sauce or soy sauce or to taste. You can print recipe to see a list of ingredients and directions.
I LOVE nopales, but have never made quesadillas with them. This recipe is now on my “to do” list.
I’m a one tortilla gal. I manage to lose half of the filling, when flipping a 2 tortilla quesadilla. Besides, I personally don’t need the extra calories!