August/September 2025 Issue

Trend Watch: Cacti Craze
By Janet Helm, MS, RDN
Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 27 No. 7 P. 42

Desert-derived ingredients are hotter than ever.

The future of food may lie in the desert. Cactus is a trending ingredient, and these drought-tolerant crops are being heralded as sustainable food sources.

Desert-derived foods can significantly reduce water use, requiring up to 80% less water compared with conventional crops, says global food systems expert Chris Vogliano, PhD, RDN, director of global research for Food + Planet.

“Cacti thrive without fertilizers or extensive irrigation, making them an exceptionally sustainable option in increasingly arid climates,” he says.

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization has been promoting the cultivation of cacti due to the growing need for resilience in the face of water shortages, degraded soils, and higher temperatures.1

Researchers in Arizona outlined a framework for selecting a more diverse set of arid-adapted food crops to reduce food system vulnerabilities to climate change, climate-related illness, and economic disparities in arid lands.2

They identified 17 desert plants based on the diets of Indigenous Sonoran Desert cultures with high potential to improve agricultural resilience, human health, and community prosperity, including prickly pear cactus, organ pipe cactus, agave, yucca, wild fig, and nitrogen-fixing legumes.

As the world seeks to diversify its food sources to feed a growing population, attention is turning to indigenous crops for sustainable solutions.

“Expanding our diets with forgotten or underutilized foods, such as desert crops, enhances dietary diversity and strengthens food system resilience,” Vogliano says. “These unique foods offer valuable nutritional benefits and are exceptionally adapted to local climates, making them allies in addressing climate-induced food insecurity.”

Beyond the sustainability benefits, cacti are nutrient-dense (including fiber and phenolic compounds) and are being explored as potential functional ingredients for food and pharmaceutical applications.3

Rise of Cacti Cuisine
Cactus has long been incorporated into Native American, Mexican, Central, and South American cuisines, providing food, medicine, tools, and shelter to indigenous people for centuries. Increasingly, cacti are accessible in supermarkets, specialty markets, and online. The following are some of the most commonly available varieties:

Nopales: Cactus leaves, also referred to as pads or paddles, are frequently available in the produce sections of supermarkets, especially those catering to Mexican or Latin American cuisines. Nopales are often sold fresh, cleaned of spines, and sometimes precut. Sliced nopales are also available in cans or jars.

Prickly Pears: Fruits of the prickly pear cactus, called tuna or cactus fruit, are a staple in Mexico, the American Southwest, and the Mediterranean region. Prickly pears have a sweet, melonlike flavor and can be eaten raw, made into jams and jellies, and used in drinks like agua fresca and margaritas.

Dragon Fruit: Also known as pitaya, dragon fruit has a vibrant pink or yellow skin with a white or red fleshy interior speckled with tiny black seeds. Yellow dragon fruit is the sweetest of the three varieties and is one of the biggest trending items Melissa’s Produce has ever seen, says Robert Schueller, director of public relations for the specialty produce distributor.

Chefs are increasingly incorporating cacti into their culinary creations, including nopales tacos, tostadas, salads, crispy fries, and even desserts. Dragon fruit has become especially popular, experiencing a 112% increase on menus in the last four years, according to Datassential Menu Trends. Furthermore, dragon fruit is appearing in smoothies, bowls, and drinks, including beverages at Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, and other chains.

Cacti Product Innovations
Food companies are turning their attention to cacti, especially with new beverages, snacks, and condiments. Although it’s important to check ingredient lists. Some products are only flavored with cactus fruit or contain small amounts of cactus powder.

Cactus Beverages
• Cactus water has emerged as a popular beverage due to its “natural hydration.” Cactus water was identified as a top 2025 trend by Whole Foods Market. Brands include True Nopal, Caliwater, and Pricklee cactus water.

• Spiked cactus waters are also trending, such as Travis Scott’s Cacti agave hard seltzer, Dezo vodka cactus water, and Magic Cactus, a cannabis-infused prickly pear cactus water.

• Cactus spirits are a growing option for cocktails, including mezcal from agave cacti, sotol distilled from the desert spoon plant, and cactus vodka made from prickly pear cactus fruit.

Cactus Snacks
• Cactus tortilla chips are made by Cactus Foods, Tia Lupita, and Casa Arte Sano. The gluten-free chips are promoted as grain-free and are available in Mexican-inspired flavors.

• Crunchy cactus sticks were introduced by Nemi Snacks, available in Mexican lime, pickled jalapeno, chile turmeric, and churro cinnamon.

• Chuza was founded by Mexican-Americans, and the company introduced dried nopal cactus snacks with chili seasoning.

Cactus Condiments
• Prickly pear fruits and nopales are showing up in jellies, jams, marmalades, salsa, and hot sauces, primarily from companies in the Sonoran Desert.

— Janet Helm, MS, RDN, is the founder of Food at the Helm, a strategy and communications consultancy focused on food brands.

Cactus Paddle Tostadas

Total prep and cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
3 lb fresh nopales, rinsed, cleaned, and diced; or, if canned, rinsed thoroughly
3 T safflower or corn oil
Salt, to taste
1/2 lb ripe tomato, chopped
3 T white onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (seeding optional)
1 T cilantro, chopped (optional)
1 to 2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
8 corn tortillas, fried, toasted, or baked until crisp
1 cup refried beans
Garnishes: avocado slices, queso fresco, Mexican crema, salsa verde

Directions
1. Rinse fresh cactus paddles under cold water, being careful not to prick your fingers with the small thorns. Use a vegetable peeler or small sharp knife and peel away the darker bumps and thorns, trying not to peel off all the outer dark green skin. Lay the paddles flat on a chopping board, then trim about 1/4 inch of the edges and 1/2 inch of the thick base. Once cleaned, rinse and dice into 1/2- to 1-inch squares.

2. Heat 2 T of the oil in a thick, large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add diced cactus, stir in the salt, and stir for a minute or two. Place the lid on the skillet.

3. Reduce heat to medium and let the cactus cook and sweat for about 20 minutes, until it has exuded a gelatinous liquid that will begin to dry out. If using cactus from a can or jar, just cook for five minutes.

4. Take off lid, stir, and make sure most of the gelatinous substance has dried up. If not, cook cactus for a few more minutes and then let cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, toss the cactus with the tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

5. To assemble, spread a layer of refried beans on each tostada. Spoon some cooked cactus mixture on top and add garnishes of your choice.

THIS RECIPE FOR TOSTADAS DE NOPALES IS COURTESY OF CHEF AND COOKBOOK AUTHOR PATI JINICH, WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MEXICO CITY, AS SEEN ON HER WEBSITE: HTTPS://PATIJINICH.COM/CACTUS-PADDLE-TOSTADA.

References
1. Joshi T, Deepa PR, Joshi M, et al. Matters of the desert: a perspective on achieving food and nutrition security through plants of the (semi) arid regions. J Agr Food Res. 2023;14:100725.

2. Nabhan GP, Riordan EC, Monti L, et al. An Aridamerican model for agriculture in a hotter, water scarce world. Plants, People, Planet. 2020;2:627-639.

3. Monteiro SS, Almeida RL, Santos NC, et al. New functional foods with cactus components: sustainable perspectives and future trends. Foods. 2023;12:2494.