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Nopalitos en Penca (Cactus Paddle Filled with Cheese and Salsa)

Name: Nopalitos en Penca (Cactus Paddle Filled with Cheese and Salsa)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 Large thorn-free cactus paddles; 300 g Asadero cheese slices; 3 Tomato; 3 cloves Garlic; 0.5 White onion; 2 Serrano chilli; 6 sprigs Fresh coriander; 1 tsp Salt; 4 Lime; 8 Corn tortillas

40 min (15 prep + 25 cook) Easy 4 servings Querétaro

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 29 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Whole cactus paddle grilled and filled with melted cheese and red salsa, Querétaro style.

About this recipe

Nopalitos en penca are large cactus paddles grilled directly over a griddle or embers in their own skin, filled with asadero cheese, red salsa and onion - a rustic Querétaro preparation.

History & Origin

Nopalitos en penca is one of the oldest and most direct preparations of Queretaro cuisine, making full use of the nopal cactus (Opuntia) in its entirety: the paddle becomes vessel, ingredient and wrapper simultaneously. This technique of cooking nopal inside its own skin predates the Spanish Conquest and was practised by the Chichimec and Otomi communities of present-day Querétaro, where the cactus was fundamental to the indigenous diet. The preparation is deceptively simple: a large, fleshy paddle is chosen, its thorns removed with a knife, and a rectangular window is cut in the upper surface. Asadero cheese, red salsa, onion and sometimes strips of poblano chilli are added into that cavity, and the entire paddle is cooked over embers or on a thick griddle until the exterior skin is charred and the interior is cooked, juicy and with the cheese melted. The liquid released by the nopal during cooking blends with the salsa and cheese, creating a combination that carries the distinctive viscosity and flavour of cactus. At the markets of Querétaro and San Juan del Río, nopalitos en penca are sold as a snack or as a side to grilled meats. The ideal season is spring and early summer, when the nopales are at their most tender and juicy.

Estimated cost

£5.00

Total cost

£1.25

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

180

Calories

10g

Protein

14g

Carbohydrates

10g

Fat

Fibre

380mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Remove the thorns from the paddles with a knife or peeler. Wash and dry. With a knife, make a rectangular cut in the top of each paddle, forming a 'lid' without detaching it. Lift the lid and set aside.
💡 Wear gloves to avoid the fine hair-like spines of the nopal that sting more than the main thorns.
2
Make the red salsa: char the tomato, garlic, onion and serrano chilli on a dry griddle until scorched. Blend with salt and a little water. Season.
3
Inside the cavity of each paddle, place slices of asadero cheese, 2–3 tablespoons of red salsa and chopped onion. Close the nopal lid.
4
Grill the stuffed paddles on a thick griddle or directly over embers over medium heat, 10–12 minutes per side, until the outer skin is charred and the interior is tender.
💡 The outer nopal skin will char; this is normal and desirable - that smoky flavour is part of the dish.
5
Remove from the heat. Carefully open the nopal lid. The cheese should be completely melted and bubbling.
6
Serve the paddles on plates with freshly chopped coriander on top, lime wedges and corn tortillas alongside.