Brazilian Salada de Palmito, Hearts of Palm Salad with Tomato and Lime

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Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

📍 Where this dish comes from: Maranhão · Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
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Brazilian Salada de Palmito, plated and ready to serve

Salada de palmito is a fresh, tangy salad of tender hearts of palm, ripe tomatoes and red onion, dressed simply with olive oil and lime. It is on the salad bar of nearly every Brazilian churrascaria and comes together in 10 minutes. It is naturally low carb and pairs with almost any grilled meat or fish.

Per serving: 132 calories · 4.7 g net carbs · 3 g protein · 11 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Brazilian Salada de Palmito
Brazilian Salada de Palmito, plated and ready to serve

Brazilian Salada de Palmito, Hearts of Palm Salad with Tomato and Lime

Salada de palmito is a fresh, tangy salad of tender hearts of palm, ripe tomatoes and red onion, dressed simply with olive oil and lime. It is on the salad bar of nearly every Brazilian churrascaria and comes together in 10 minutes. It is naturally low carb and pairs with almost any grilled meat or fish.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Brazilian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 132kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 jar or can (14 ounces) hearts of palm drained
  • 2 cups torn lettuce
  • 1 large tomato cut into wedges
  • 1/4 small red onion very thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Slice the hearts of palm into 1/2-inch rounds or cut them lengthwise into strips.
  • Soak the red onion slices in cold water for 5 minutes to soften their bite, then drain.
  • Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
  • Arrange the lettuce on a platter and top with the hearts of palm, tomato and onion.
  • Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

Notes

Rinse the hearts of palm briefly to remove the brine taste. Dress the salad at the last minute so the lettuce stays crisp. Good-quality palmito should be tender enough to cut with a fork.
Chef's Tip: Add a handful of black olives and some cubes of fresh white cheese for a heartier version.
Keto Swap: This salad is naturally keto. Brazilian versions sometimes include corn or peas; they are left out here to keep carbs low.
Success Tip: Hearts of palm look a little like pasta when cut into thin strips. Children often enjoy them as palm noodles with a drizzle of the dressing.
Nutrition is calculated from the ingredients and is an estimate per serving. Net carbs exclude fiber and allulose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 132kcal | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Fiber: 3.4g
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Cooking Brazilian Salada de Palmito in the kitchen
Making Brazilian Salada de Palmito

About This Dish

Hearts of palm are harvested from the soft inner core of palm stems. Brazil is both a major producer and a major consumer, and palmito appears in salads, pies, pastéis and on pizza. Much of today's palmito comes from cultivated peach palm (pupunha), which sends up new shoots after harvest. Wild juçara palmito from the Atlantic Forest is now protected because overharvesting threatened the species. In churrascarias, a bowl of palmito is one of the classic items on the salad bar.

This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 9: Salads (Lençóis Maranhenses National Park). See all Brazilian recipes

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