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Pork and Cactus Stew

Name: Pork and Cactus Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 Fresh serrano chilli; 2 cdas Vegetable oil; 700 g Pork ribs or shoulder; 1 cda Salt; 400 g Fresh cleaned cactus paddles; 300 g Green tomatillo; 1 manojo pequeño Fresh coriander; 3 cloves Garlic; 0.5 White onion

65 min (20 prep + 45 cook) Easy 5 servings Centro de México

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 29 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Pork braised with cactus paddles, tomatillo, serrano chilli and garlic in green sauce.

About this recipe

Pork and cactus stew is the quintessential green and nourishing stew of central Mexico: pieces of pork braised with cleaned cactus paddles, tomatillo, serrano chilli and garlic in a thick, slightly acidic green sauce that uses the natural viscosity of the cactus for texture and the unmistakable flavour of Mexican home cooking. It is nutritious, economical and deeply Mexican.

History & Origin

The nopal cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a national symbol of Mexico, depicted on the flag since 1821. But its culinary use is far older: the Aztecs cultivated nopal on chinampas and consumed it daily as a vegetable. The combination of pork and nopal came with the colonial period, when swine were incorporated into Mesoamerican cooking. Today, pork with nopal is one of the most popular stews in the markets and homes of central Mexico, eaten mainly on Mondays as a 'hangover cure' for its nutritional power.

Estimated cost

£7.75

Total cost

£1.55

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

290

Calories

28g

Protein

14g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

Fibre

410mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Clean the cactus paddles: remove the spines and edges with a knife. Cut into 2 cm strips or squares. Boil in salted water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well.
💡 Rinsing removes the excess mucilage.
2
Braise the pork cubes in salted water with garlic and onion for 25 minutes until tender. Reserve the stock.
3
Boil the tomatillos for 5 minutes. Char the serrano chillies on the comal. Blend tomatillos, chillies, garlic, onion and coriander.
4
Fry the sauce in a casserole with hot oil over high heat for 5 minutes. Add the pork cooking stock.
5
Add the cooked pork and cactus. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Adjust salt. Serve with white rice and tortillas.