Prickly Pear and Nopales Recipes

Prickly pears make a uniquely flavorful and pretty pink jam. Be sure to wear gloves to remove the invisible spines.

Wonderfully refreshing drink after a long run or in the morning to rehydrate.

A ruby red, fruity marmalade. I've never tried any commercial prickly pear jam or jelly, so I don't know if this is how it's supposed to taste, but my toddler does keep asking for more, so it's a win for our family. Store any extra jam in the refrigerator.

This is my grandmother's recipe. It is good on anything grape jelly is good on! Handle prickly pears carefully, wearing gloves. Store jelly in a cool, dark area.

An authentic Mexican dish; tender cactus with potatoes. Cactus tastes like cooked green beans.

A savory Southwestern chili.

This recipe is from the Allrecipes Allstar team that competed to create the most innovative, best-tasting recipe in a BUSH'S® Beans cook-off. Team members included Allrecipes community members Yoly (Yolanda Gutierrez), Chef Roy (Roy Denno), and TheDailyGourmet (Sarah Stone).

Don't let the cactus part fool you! They already sell it canned or peeled whichever you prefer. One of my bff's mom taught me this recipe and it goes great with just about anything. Not for the faint of heart if you're not into spicy things.

Sliced cactus and spicy peppers are simmered with cubed pork and vegetables in this rich, south-of-the-border stew.

It's a very simple taco quesadilla that's tangy with a hint of heat. Top with sour cream if you like, but they're great on their own.

A sweet candy with a touch of tartness for everyone to enjoy!

When creating the archetypical tequila drink, get authentic flavor with Jose Cuervo Tradicional® Reposado tequila.

A very tasty drink, good for summer outings. The Cactus Cooler tastes more like fruit juice than an alcoholic beverage. Quite intoxicating -- make sure to designate a driver.

This is a salsa with vibrant colors and even more vibrant flavors! It utilizes authentic ingredients that are all adjustable to suit individual tastes! If fresh cactus is not available, canned cactus may be substituted. The final mixture will be a variegated red and green and will be quite wet. This is a delicious and spicy salsa that, when bottled, makes a nice gift!

This is another recipe from my mother-in-law. She likes to serve this during Lent. It is shrimp patties fried and smothered in sauce and nopales. You may serve this with rice and tortillas (also some like to top it with cilantro), or I just eat it like a soup!