Don’t eat your houseplants—unless they’re delicious! Here are great succulent dishes you can make at home, which are also super simple.
Isn’t it interesting how the word “succulents” is used for both plants AND food? If you think this is a sign from the Universe, you’re right! Take this article as a cue to make some great succulent dishes right at home, and yes, we definitely will be using the plants!
Great Succulent Dishes You Can Make At Home
1. Prickly Pear Salad
This refreshing salad pairs beautifully with grilled flap steak. Slice open your prickly pear cactus, peel back the skin, and scoop out the fiber-rich fruit and seeds—don’t toss them!
Chop the fruit, radishes, cucumber, and shallot. Toss everything with dark leafy greens and fresh mint. Crumble feta over the top.
For the dressing, whisk olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, and black sesame seeds. Pour over the salad and serve.
Tip: You can also chill the peeled prickly pear fruit in the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing—this makes the salad extra refreshing on hot days!
2. Aloe Vera Smoothie
This smoothie is as easy as it gets. Blend coconut milk, frozen strawberries, one banana, and ¼ cup aloe vera gel. Add more coconut milk or sweetener to get the taste and thickness you like.
Drink it fresh for the most nutrients, though you can store it in the fridge (airtight container) for up to 24 hours.
Note that if you use frozen fruits instead of fresh, they will give a creamy texture to the smoothie, and you won’t have to add any ice cubes either, which can often dilute the drink.
Caution: Only use the clear inner gel of the aloe vera leaf—avoid the yellowish latex near the skin as it can be bitter and may cause stomach issues.
3. Cactus Stir-Fry
Nopales (cactus paddles) are a Mexican staple and surprisingly easy to cook. Just remove the spines and slice them up. You’ll also need one white onion (thinly sliced), 2 tbsp oil, and ¼ tsp salt.
Heat the oil in a pan and cook the nopales over medium heat for about 13 minutes until they lose moisture and turn golden. Toss in the onion and salt, and cook until soft and translucent.
Spice it up with a jalapeño or chili flakes if you’re feeling bold. Serve hot!
4. Succulent Salad Bowl
Now this is quite the Greek salad bowl of your dreams! For this colorful salad bowl, you will need ½ cup Okinawa spinach or shiso leaves, 1 cup warrigal greens, 2 tbsp sea spray sprigs, and 1 cup purslane leaves.
For the vinaigrette: blend white balsamic vinegar, mint, dill, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and chives. Slowly add olive oil while blending.
Assemble the greens, drizzle the vinaigrette, and finish with salt flakes and black pepper.
Note: It’s packed with antioxidants—a tasty way to sneak in your greens without feeling like you’re chewing on lawn clippings.
5. Purslane and Feta Salad
For this one, you will first need to remove the roots of the raw purslane and wash the stems thoroughly. Then tear by hand or chop the cleaned stems into small, bite-sized pieces. Clean and chop up your tomatoes and radishes as well.
Assemble these with your purslane and crumble feta over the salad. Finally, drizzle some olive oil, red wine vinegar over the purslane salad, and finish with salt and ground black pepper.
Fun Fact: Purslane is often considered a weed, but it’s actually a nutritional powerhouse, rich in omega-3 fatty acids—more than most leafy greens!
So, these were the best “succulent” succulent dishes that you can try at home. Whether it’s a fresh salad, a smoothie, or even a twist on a succulent Chinese dish, there’s a lot you can experiment with using edible plants. Try them out and let us know which one is your favorite in the comments below!
