Tomato Hearts of Palm Salad

If you have found yourself fruitlessly searching for romaine or iceberg lettuce at your local grocer, you are not alone. Faced with a shortage due to a dry growing season in California, followed by a virus that killed off a lot of the remaining lettuce crop, lettuce is in very limited supply and prices for the leafy greens have tripled. But there is no need to eschew your daily five servings of vegetables or refinance your house to enjoy them. This salad made with jewel-toned grape tomatoes and creamy, tender hearts of palm is packed with flavor, and it’s lettuce-free.

Tomato Hearts of Palm Salad

I never really thought too much about hearts of palm until I witnessed my grandson eating them straight out of the can as an after-school snack. Hearts of palm have a delicate, slightly nutty, vegetal flavor often compared to artichokes or white asparagus. Dressed in a garlic vinaigrette, the sweet, tangy, tomatoes are the perfect complement to the mildly flavored hearts of palm. Add some crisp, sweet corn and buttery chunks of avocado and you’ll wonder what the big fuss over romaine lettuce was all about.

Assemble your ingredients. 

Slice the hearts of palm into 1/4-inch slices.

Slice the grape tomatoes in half and combine with the hearts of palm. Add sweet corn if desired.

Grate 4 cloves of garlic using a microplane or crush the garlic in a garlic press. Add the garlic to the dressing ingredients, whisking with a fork to combine. Immediately before serving, cut the avocado into chunks, if using, and add to the tomato mixture. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to mix thoroughly. Thanks to my dear friend Sorel for sharing this recipe which has become a three generation family favorite.

Print Recipe

Tomato Hearts of Palm Salad

Soups and Salads

By Sorel – Serves: 8-10

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes

Sweet, tangy, tomatoes dressed in a garlic vinaigrette, perfectly complement mildly flavored hearts of palm.

Ingredients

• 2 pints grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 14 ounce can hearts of palm, well drained
• 1 15 ounce can corn kernels, well drained (fresh cooked corn cut off the cob can also be used), optional
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks, optional
• Dressing
• 4 cloves garlic, grated with a microplane or crushed in a garlic press
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1

Drain the hearts of palm and slice them into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place them in a bowl. Slice the grape tomatoes in half and combine with the hearts of palm. Add the corn, if using.

2

Grate 4 cloves of garlic using a microplane or crush the garlic in a garlic press. Add the garlic to the dressing ingredients, whisking with a fork to combine.

3

Immediately before serving, cut the avocado into chunks, if using, and add to the tomato mixture. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to mix thoroughly.

Notes

Serve leftovers on a bed of spring mix, spinach, or arugula and top with a scoop of tuna for a quick and easy lunch.