Grilled prickly pear with chili-lime salt
Grilled prickly pear with chili-lime salt is a vibrant Mexican street food snack or appetizer. It features the sweet, juicy pads (nopales) or fruits (tunas) of the prickly pear cactus, grilled until tender and slightly charred, then finished with a zesty, spicy salt blend. The dish highlights the unique flavor of the cactus, enhanced by the bright acidity of lime and the kick of chili.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is naturally low in fat and protein, making it a light, hydrating snack. It is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants like betalains, with a rough calorie ballpark of 50-80 kcal per serving.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 61 kcal |
| Protein | 1.2 g |
| Carbs | 14.3 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g |
| Fiber | 3.6 g |
| Sugar | 9.7 g |
| Sodium | 15 mg |
| Vitamin C | 14 mg |
| Magnesium | 28 mg |
| Potassium | 220 mg |
| Calcium | 56 mg |
| Vitamin A | 45 µg RAE |
| Iron | 0.3 mg |
| Manganese | 0.2 mg |
| Vitamin K | 5.3 µg |
Per 1 cup (150 g) of grilled prickly pear fruit (tuna) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Prickly pear (Opuntia) is a resilient desert plant central to Mexican cuisine and culture, often called 'nopal' for the pads and 'tuna' for the fruit. Nutritionally, it's valued for its high fiber and antioxidant content, which are linked to anti-inflammatory and blood sugar-regulating properties.
