Sopa de Nopales
Cactus Paddle Soup
Cactus paddles are sweated in a dry skillet first to cook off their sticky liquid before joining a roasted tomato broth brightened with cilantro and lime.
Sopa de Nopales
✦ Antes de Empezar
Before you cook
Why does the recipe cook the nopales in a dry skillet before adding them to the soup?
Nopales release a slick, mucilaginous liquid as they cook. Sweating them, covered, in a dry skillet with a pinch of salt lets that liquid come out and evaporate — draining off any extra — so it doesn't make the finished soup slimy.
Ingredientes· 9View
Cactus Base
- 4 mediumFresh Cactus Paddles (Nopales)cleaned of thorns, sliced into strips
Guajillo-Tomato Broth
- 3 mediumRoma Tomatoesboiled
- 2Dried Guajillo Chilesstems/seeds removed, boiled
- 1/2 onion + 2 cloves garlicWhite Onion & Garlic
- 5 cupsChicken Broth (or Vegetable)
- 1/2 tspDried Mexican Oregano
- 1/4 cupFresh Cilantrochopped
- 1 tbspVegetable Oil
- to tasteSalt
Instrucciones
6 pasosCocina los nopales
Cook the nopales
Cook the nopales in a covered dry skillet with a pinch of salt until their liquid releases and evaporates; drain if necessary.
Licúa el jitomate
Blend the tomato
Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 1 cup of broth.
Fríe el puré
Fry the purée
Fry the purée in oil for 7 minutes.
Agrega el caldo
Add the broth
Add the remaining broth and the nopales and simmer for 12 minutes.
Agrega cilantro
Add the cilantro
Stir in the cilantro at the end and adjust the salt.
Sirve
Serve
Serve with cheese and lime.
Authentic Culinary Gear for this Recipe
Heritage Mexican cooking relies on dedicated craft tools to develop authentic blisters, toasts, and emulsified textures.
10.5" Heavy Cast Iron Comal
Distributes high, dry radiant heat for charring poblanos, toasting chiles, and warming tortillas.
Cast Iron Tortilla Press (8")
Heavy calibrated leverage to press fresh heirloom masa dough into thin, supple rounds with zero sticking.
Heirloom Masa & Dried Chiles
Single-origin Mexican dried chiles (Ancho, Guajillo, Pasilla) and heirloom nixtamalized corn masa.
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