Cholla Bud Salad

Cholla buds are a traditional desert food prized for their unique flavor and nutritional value. With a taste reminiscent of green beans, artichoke hearts, and asparagus, they provide an excellent source of fiber and calcium. This refreshing salad combines rehydrated cholla buds with fresh vegetables, herbs, and citrus for a light dish steeped in the culinary traditions of the American Southwest. 

INGREDIENTS  

4 ounces dried cholla buds 

2 ounces red onion, diced 

2 ounces red bell pepper, diced 

3 ounces tomatoes, diced 

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped 

2 teaspoons jalapeños, minced 

2 tablespoons lime juice 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

3/4 teaspoon salt 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add dried cholla buds and reduce heat to a simmer and cook until buds are tender (1.5 to 2 hours).  

2. Drain, chill, and rough chop the cholla buds.  

3. Add chopped cholla buds to a bowl with remaining ingredients and mix until combined. 

NOTES 

1. Cholla Buds: Cholla buds are the unopened flower buds of the cholla cactus found across the deserts of the American Southwest. They’re an excellent source of calcium. The Tohono O’odham know cholla bud season, around April, as “Yellow Month,” a time when the plethora of flowering cacti and trees gives the desert landscape a yellow glow. 

2. Due to the savory blossoms’ limited availability, foragers historically dried and stored the buds in preparation for the rest of the year, then soaked and rehydrated them before cooking.