Salada de Palmito is a Brazilian hearts of palm salad โ sliced palmito tossed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and a simple lime-honey dressing. It takes 20 minutes start to finish and uses ingredients you can find at most grocery stores. If you need a crisp, no-cook side that holds its own next to grilled meat or a heavy bean dish, this is a reliable choice.
The short version of why this works
Hearts of palm are already tender and mildly briny straight from the can or jar, so they absorb the lime dressing quickly โ that 10-minute rest in the fridge is doing real work, not just killing time. The other thing that matters is how you cut everything: half-inch rounds on the palmito, a small dice on the cucumber, and thin slices on the red onion. Uniform cuts mean every forkful gets a bit of each ingredient, and the dressing coats the pieces evenly instead of pooling at the bottom. Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast, especially the cucumber.
If something goes sideways
- The salad tastes flat: The dressing needs salt. Whisk the olive oil, lime, and honey together, then taste it on its own before it hits the vegetables. If it tastes underseasoned in the bowl, it will taste underseasoned on the plate.
- The hearts of palm are mushy: Drain the can thoroughly and pat the rounds dry with a paper towel before slicing. Excess brine makes them waterlog the rest of the salad.
- The red onion is too sharp: Soak the sliced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain. This takes the raw bite down without losing the crunch or color.
- The dressing separates and wonโt coat anything: Lime juice and olive oil donโt emulsify on their own for long. Whisk them together right before pouring, or add a very small pinch of salt to the dressing bowl first โ it helps the mixture stay together briefly while you toss.
- The salad is watery by the time you serve it: Cucumber releases liquid as it sits. If youโre making this more than 30 minutes ahead, keep the diced cucumber separate and stir it in just before serving.
Salada de Palmito
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 400 grams hearts of palm sliced into half-inch rounds
- 1 cup organic cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- ยผ cup red onion finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice preferably
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced hearts of palm, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and finely sliced red onion.
- Add the chopped cilantro to the bowl, gently tossing all the ingredients together.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lime juice, and honey until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss gently to ensure even coating.
- Allow the salad to marinate for 10 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find hearts of palm in the grocery store?
Theyโre usually in the canned vegetable aisle, near artichoke hearts. Some stores also stock them near specialty or Latin foods โ look for whole stalks or pre-sliced rounds, either works for this recipe.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
You can prep all the vegetables and mix the dressing up to a few hours ahead, but keep them separate until close to serving. Once dressed, the cucumber softens and releases water within about 30 minutes.
Is canned hearts of palm okay, or do I need fresh?
Canned or jarred is completely fine and what most recipes โ including this one โ are built around. Fresh hearts of palm are hard to find outside of Brazil and parts of Latin America, and canned gives you a consistent texture.
What can I serve this with?
It works well alongside grilled chicken, steak, or fish, and itโs a good contrast to heavier dishes like rice and beans. It also holds up as a standalone light lunch.
The recipe calls for 400 grams of hearts of palm โ how much is that from a standard can?
A standard 14-ounce can of hearts of palm is roughly 400 grams drained weight, so one can is all you need. Drain it well and youโre set.