The first image that comes to one’s mind when one thinks about a cactus is the thorny leaves and deserts. Perhaps, you never come to think about something like tasting the cactus. Have you ever wondered how does cactus taste like? Well, let us try finding out how does cactus taste.
So, How Does Cactus Taste? A cactus will ideally have its own unique, yet mild flavor. In some cases, it may also be a little bit sour. The cactus has a pad that may be crunchy, yet a little sticky and soft, a little comparable to the flavor of Okra.
What Does Cactus Taste Like?
The edible cactus is also known as nopales or prickly pear cactus. The cactus as food is quite popular and widely used in Mexico. You will also find the nopales or prickly pear cactus being used in dishes in the Middle East, parts of America, Europe, North Africa, Australia, and even India.
The edible parts of the cactus are also called paddles or cactus pads. The pads or nopales can be eaten in several forms. You can have it in the raw form, or in a sauteed format. You can also consider having it in boiled eggs or in tacos. The prickly pear cactus is also had as a side dish with onions and other veggies.
What is a Prickly Pear Cactus?
The edible part of the cactus is known as prickly pear cactus or nopales. There are more than 200 plus opuntia species that can be eaten. The fruits of cactus can also be eaten. The round fruit of all the cacti of the Opuntia species is also edible.
The prickly pear cactus comes with three edible parts:
- The nopal or the cactus paddles. It has been observed to be a rich source of vitamins and minerals.
- The flower petals of the cactus can also serve as the salad dishes and toppings for your dishes
- The pear or the fruit of the cactus can be diced or chopped for eating raw.
Best Cactus Recipes You Can Try Out
Cactus can be a little difficult to cook. You need to pick the leaves that are smaller, firm, and bright green in color. You should never opt for the wrinkled leaves. Before you begin cooking them, it would be important to remove the spines.
Some of the ways to cook the best cactus recipes can include
Boiled Cactus
Boiled cactus can be one of the excellent options for the perfect cactus recipe. The recipe is rather simple. Simply scrape off the spines, and chop them into the size of green beans. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer it for around 20 minutes.
Drain off the water and then add cold water to the boiled cactus. Once that done, rinse it off. You can then store it in your refrigerator. It can be used for salads and scrambled eggs.
Sautéed Nopales
Add up two teaspoons of olive oil to a pan and sauté it with the onions. The leaves should begin emitting the viscous liquid. Once that happens, the cactus is ready for use. You can now season it with salt, pepper, lemon juice. The sauteed nopales has been considered to be a very excellent treat.
Is Cactus Good for You?
Yes, the cactus is indeed extremely good to eat. The cactus indeed comes with the crunchiness of a bell pepper and comes quite close to the taste of Okra. It can be one of the excellent options in the form of sauteed cactus. However, some of you would find it tasty enough to eat it raw. It can also be a great option to shred it like cabbage.
The cactus – whether nopales or prickly pear cactus – should be one of the excellent options to eat as a vegetable. The food has been one of the staple diets in Mexico and surrounding areas. Some of the excellent ways to eat cactus can include
- Grilled
- Pickled
- Pan-fried and served in tacos
- With boiled eggs
- Raw
- As a soup thickener
The cactus may be unattractive but is equipped with several nutritional elements. Some of the nutritional ingredients in the cactus can include vitamin C, Calcium, Beta Carotene, Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, and Manganese.
Can You Eat Nopales Cactus Raw?
You can eat cactus raw. The shredded cactus is a great delicacy to eat in the raw form. It has widely been used in the salads as a seasoning. It can enhance the taste of salads further.
You can simply peel off the thin layer and get rid of the spines first. Then chop them into thin slices and season them with paprika and lime juice. Let the cactus absorb the seasoning and then it can be served as a salad.
You can even consider adding up the other salad options that include tomato, cucumber, lettuce, and carrot salad.
But, be aware that you may be allergic to cactus. In case you notice that any signs of allergy or irritations, it would be practical to consult your doctor.
What Does Cactus Fruit Taste Like?
Different cacti provide you edible fruits. The taste of cactus fruit will differ based on the type of fruits or the cactus variety. Under ideal conditions, cactus fruits can taste sweet. But, the taste can be a little bland.
While the fruit may not belong to the same family as pears, it does come with an almost similar taste. The cactus fruit also referred to as prickly pear cactus can be eaten raw – right off the plant. Based on how ripe the fruit is, you will get a taste that ranges from being sweet to syrupy sweet.
What Does Cactus Water Taste Like?
The cactus water has a slight berry-like flavor. Some of the food experts claim that the taste of cactus water can be compared to the watermelon mixed with kiwi. The cactus water is not relatable to coconut water in a way, but not in an exact way.
Cactus water can be an excellent choice for hydration. Cactus water is rich in taurine. Taurine is an amino acid that can act as a very rich source of antioxidants. In fact, the antioxidants found in the cactus water is not an ordinary antioxidant, but the rare and potent ones called betalains.
What Does Cactus Juice Taste Like?
The cactus juice is one of the latest entrants in the natural beverage market. In fact, along with other different plant-based drinks such as coconut water, cactus juice or cactus water has been a hot favorite for the health enthusiasts.
The cactus juice is prepared by extracting the water from the fleshy prickly pear cactus. The taste of the cactus juice would be similar to that of the cactus fruit. The cactus juice would ideally come with a sweet, but slightly bland taste.
What Does a Cactus Smell Like?
If you are talking about cactus flowers, they do smell quite fabulous and excellent. In fact, the flowers are quite short-lived and you are likely to end up missing the smell. As for the cactus plant, you will find that they smell greeny.
In most of the cases of healthy cactus, you would find the cactus smelling like freshwater. If they are fleshy and have been watered properly, they would ideally smell richly green.
What Does Cactus Leaf Taste Like?
The taste of the cactus leaves would be widely based on the cooking method adopted. If you grill or bake the cactus, it will taste like asparagus. In case you blend the cactus with other vegetables, you are likely to end up losing the natural taste of the cactus leaves.
When you add it to the other ingredients, you will find that it gives out the taste of eggplants or green beans. It would ideally be dependent on the harvest time as well.
The Bottom Line
The cactus is quite an unconventional form of the food item. But, until you have tasted it, you will continue thinking that it is unconventional. It is indeed quite full of flavor and can blend well with almost every dish you may think of.
There are several ways you can cook cactus and just like coconut, almost every part of the cactus can be edible and rich in nutrients. Check out the best cactus experience and enjoy the delicacies like never before!