We are very happy to have “The Orville” in our lives again after a couple years.

When brainstorming what food to pair with the show, the episode where the crew convinces Lt. Commander Bortus (played by Peter Macon) to eat a bunch of random items, including a cactus, came to mind.

Don’t worry, we won’t make you eat a whole cactus, just some de-thorned cactus leaves, a.k.a. nopales. (If you have trouble finding cactus leaves or nopales at your nearest store, head to your nearest Latin or Mexican grocer.)

This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free and low FODMAP. It makes 4 “servings.”

Ingredients
12 thin, small soft corn tortillas
4 cactus leaves, de-thorned and sliced into strips
4 small potatoes, diced
4 tablespoons shallot-infused olive oil
4 teaspoons black pepper
1 3.5-ounce container goat cheese crumbles
4 tablespoons taco sauce

Instructions
In a warm skillet, heat up the tortillas for a few seconds then place them on plates.

Put the oil, pepper, prepared cactus and diced potatoes into the skillet and cook until the vegetables are tender.

Place the cooked vegetables in the warm tortillas and top with goat cheese and taco sauce.

The Easy Route
You can buy pre-prepared cactus leaves or nopales in a jar instead of preparing your own. You can also buy pre-diced potatoes. Or you can skip the home cooking altogether and track down a restaurant that makes cactus tacos for pickup or delivery.

The Pairing
As I mentioned above, we are so excited that “The Orville” is finally back! We loved the first two seasons and are glad it got picked up for a third on Hulu.

As a couple of Trekkies, we love how this show both honors its inspirations while also having some great laughs, sometimes at their expense.

The overlap doesn’t end there. Devoted “Star Trek” fans may recognize Penny Johnson Jerald (who plays Dr. Claire Finn) from “Deep Space Nine.” Plus, as a bonus, they’ve cast some other actors from “Star Trek” in guest roles.

“The Orville” hits all the right notes in its masterful blending of comedy, drama and action. Star and showrunner Seth McFarlane (Capt. Ed Mercer) does a fantastic job bringing the show to life alongside Macon, Jerald, Adrianne Palicki (Cmdr. Kelly Grayson), Scott Grimes (Lt. Gordon Malloy) and the rest of the cast and crew.

I highly recommend giving the show a shot, even if you’re not a McFarlane fan. It’s also worth trying out if you’re not into sci-fi shows.

Want to track down the cactus-eating episode specifically? It is the sixth episode in the first season.

If you decide to make these cactus tacos and/or watch “The Orville,” let us know! Tag us in your Instagram posts & stories, tweets or TikTok videos: @veg_out_recipes