This hearts of palm salad packs a nutritious punch with lots of chickpeas, avocado, fresh veggies, and a lemony dressing! This vegetarian meal is light, bright, and perfect for sharing on a summery day.
A few years ago, my mom and I discovered hearts of palm at Trader Joe’s, and ever since, they’ve been one of my favorite vegetables. In fact, I love hearts of palm so much that my mom sent me a few cans them in college. They have such a rich but bright flavor and are quite refreshing on a hot day. You can eat hearts of palm straight out of the can for a snack, use them instead of pasta, or add them to salad as I did in this recipe.
Besides hearts of palm, this salad features bell peppers, chickpeas, cucumber, and avocado, providing a great balance of vitamins, protein, and healthy fats to keep you happy and full. Serve it with a side of your favorite sourdough bread to make an easy summer meal. You can also save the leftovers for quick lunches at work or on the go.
Naturally, this salad is dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian, making it an excellent option when entertaining guests with allergies. However, if you can tolerate dairy, gluten, or meat, you can dress up this salad with cheese, croutons, or even chicken.
The dressing for this salad comes together in a blender, and you’ll likely have a lot leftover depending on how much dressing you use for your salad. You can keep this dressing in the fridge for about a week. Try using it as a sauce for pasta, a dip for crackers, or a spread on your sandwich. (Seriously, I think you could put this on almost anything and it would still taste good. :))
What are Hearts of Palm?
Hearts of palm are harvested from the cores of palm trees such as coconut or peach palms. According to the USDA, they are full minerals like zinc, magnesium, and potassium, making them a healthy and delicious addition to a meal. You can find them in the canned vegetable section of the grocery store, usually next to the canned artichokes.
What does Hearts of Palm taste like?
Hearts of palm tastes similar to artichokes, with a rich yet tangy flavor. The inside of each heart is slightly crisper, while the outside is smoother and creamy. Often, they are brined in salt water in their cans, which gives them a stronger flavor.
Tips for making Hearts of Palm Salad:
- Feel free to mix and match the vegetables you have on hand. No bell pepper? Try tomato instead. Out of cucumber? Replace it with celery. Want more protein? Use chicken instead of chickpeas. Whatever you prefer!
- Toss the avocado with any extra lemon juice you have before adding it to the salad. This will keep the avocado from turning brown.
- You can use just plain roasted chickpeas, but I like to season mine with Trader Joe’s Green Goddess seasoning. If you don’t have this seasoning but want a similar flavor, you can roast your chickpeas with parsley, garlic powder, lemon juice, and onion powder.
- This salad will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. It makes a quick and easy lunch at work or a healthy afternoon snack!
- The recipe for the dressing makes about twice as much as you need for the salad, so save the rest in the fridge for up to a week. It is great for dipping with crackers and vegetables or for spreading on a sandwich.
Tools you will need
You’ll need a blender, large bowl, and cutting board
Ingredients you will need
This salad is full of fresh ingredients:
Dressing:
- 1 can hearts of palm
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- pepper
Salad:
- 5oz container of spinach
- 1 can hearts of palm
- 1 avocado
- 1 large bell pepper
- 1 English Cucumber
- 2 cups roasted chickpeas
How to make Hearts of Palm Salad
To make the dressing:
- Open the can of hearts of palm, and pour the hearts of palm and the liquid into the blender. Add in the garlic, mustard, pepper, and dried basil.
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend on medium speed until a smooth dressing forms. Set aside.
To make the salad:
- Open the can of hearts of palm, drain the hearts of palm, and cut them into slices.
- Cut the pepper, cucumber, and avocado into bite sized pieces.
- Pour a cup of the dressing into a large salad bowl. You can save the remaining dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Add in the spinach and chopped vegetables. Toss to coat the salad with the dressing.
- Sprinkle the roasted chickpeas over top of the salad and serve!
Did you enjoy this recipe?
If so, find more healthy dinner recipes at the Kitchen Counter! Here are some of my favorites:
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Mediterranean Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Easy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe
Hearts of Palm Salad
This hearts of palm salad packs a nutritious punch with lots of chickpeas, avocado, fresh veggies, and a lemony dressing!
Ingredients
- Dressing:
- 1 can hearts of palm
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- pepper
- Salad:
- 5oz container of spinach
- 1 can hearts of palm
- 1 avocado
- 1 large bell pepper
- 1 English Cucumber
- 2 cups roasted chickpeas
Instructions
To make the dressing:
- Open the can of hearts of palm and pour all the contents into the jar of a blender. Add in the garlic, mustard, pepper, and dried basil.
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend on medium speed until a smooth dressing forms. Set aside.
To make the salad:
- Open the can of hearts of palm, drain the hearts of palm, and cut them into slices.
- Cut the pepper, cucumber, and avocado into bite sized pieces.
- Pour a cup of the dressing into a large salad bowl. You can save the remaining dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Add in the spinach and chopped vegetables. Toss to coat with the dressing.
- Sprinkle the roasted chickpeas over top of the salad and serve!
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 363Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 0mgSodium 152mgCarbohydrates 48gFiber 12gSugar 8gProtein 15g
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