Brazilian Hearts of Palm Salad

Hearts of Palm, the inner core of certain palm trees, shine in this Brazilian Hearts of Palm Salad inspired by one of my best friends and her culture.

One of my closest friends is a Brazilian woman named Deby. She likes to dance all night in 4-inch heels or chat with girlfriends over piña coladas for hours. She’s an amazing friend – candid, trustworthy, considerate, smart, hilarious and fun.

She loves to eat.

And to cook.

And to talk about food.

How could we not adore each other?

As you can imagine, when I’m at her place we eat a lot of Brazilian food. I ask questions about her food and culture and I’ve learned a lot.

Like how to make a Salada de Palmitos, a Brazilian Hearts of Palm Salad.

It’s insane how good this salad is. If you’ve never had hearts of palm before, now is the time to try it.

Deby has explained to me (more than once) that Brazilian food is all about the onion. In this salad there are two kinds of onion, some thinly sliced white or yellow onion as well as chopped spring onion.

Deby also likes her food with quite a bit of citrusy sourness. So lots of onion and lots of citrus is how I’m learning to make Brazilian food. Who can argue against that?

The dressing for the salad has a nice touch of lime, salt, pepper and olive oil. There’s not much more to it other than a chopped tomato.

You can buy the heart of palm in cans. I buy them already sliced so you just drain them and they’re ready to go. The salad comes together in minutes. It’s the perfect thing for a summer barbecue. Or for watching soccer. Or for getting into the mood of the 2016 Olympics! I can’t wait to immerse myself in Brazil next year!!!

 And now, here’s my Brazilian Hearts of Palm Salad Recipe:

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 7 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes

Brazilian Hearts of Palm Salad

This traditional Brazilian salad uses hearts of palm in a can. I buy then already sliced so I just need to drain them to use them. They're such a convenient addition to any salad. Serve this salad alongside these Shrimp and Potato Skewers for an easy summer meal.

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 (14oz) cans of sliced hearts of palm, drained
• 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
• 1/2 of a small white or yellow onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• a pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl combine the hearts of palm, tomato, onions and spring onions.
2. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour it over the vegetables. Stir gently to coat. Serve.