Hearts of Palm Salad

Simple and elegant, this hearts of palm salad combines avocado slices and hearts of palm with rich Hollandaise and bacon crumbles.

This Hearts of Palm Salad has been in my family practically forever. My mother and sister brought the idea home after her college graduation dinner (at La Caille Restaurant outside Salt Lake City).  Since then, we’ve enjoyed it at many holiday dinners and social events! 

In the past, we’ve just served this in it’s simplest form—canned hearts of palm and avocado slices topped with ribbons of Hollandaise sauce.

But today I sprinkled a little pre-cooked bacon bits and parsley over the top.  Everything’s better with bacon, right!

What are hearts of palm

Per Wikipedia, “heart of palm is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees,” including the coconut tree. The outer bark is stripped away and the softer inner core is eaten.

From a nutrition perspective, they are “rich in fiber, potassium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, copper, vitamins B2, B6, and C. They are ranked as a “good” source of protein, riboflavin, and potassium, and as a “very good source” of dietary fiber, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and especially, manganese, along with being a good ratio between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.” (same Wikipedia article).

What do hearts of palm taste like? Heart of palm have a mild, slightly acidic flavor reminiscent of artichokes or asparagus. And like artichokes and asparagus, they’re a treat!

What Makes This a Winner

As I mentioned, this Hearts of Palm Salad has graced our family dinners for decades. That’s because it’s…

• Easy. With my quick immersion blender hollandaise (or use your favorite recipe), you can make the sauce in minutes. Open some canned hearts of palm, slice a ripe avocado, plate the dish, and it’s done.To garnish (optional), you can add pre-cooked bacon crumbles and/or chopped parsley–and it’s still easy.
• Presents Well. Even though it’s super easy, this Hearts of palm salad is elegant enough to serve for a more formal event. Consider a bridal or baby shower or a holiday brunch!
• Tasty and Unique. This salad is rich and flavorful and you’ll never need to worry that someone had it for lunch the day before. 

Step by Step Directions

This salad comes together in minutes!  You simply:

Peel an avocado, remove the pit and slice into eight slices. Brush with lemon juice or oilve oil to keep slices from browning.

Cut hearts of palm in half or quarters to make 12 pieces. Set on plate, alternating 3 hearts of palm pieces with 2 avocado slices.

Top with hollandaise sauce.  Sprinkle with bacon crumbles and/or chopped parsley if desired.

How to Serve This

This make a great first course salad for a holiday or formal dinner party. I usually plate these individually, but you could instead do a larger serving tray for a brunch or buffet dinner.

Tips & FAQs

How to select a ripe avocado.  A ripe avocado will give to a slight pressure but not be overly soft.  Often they are hard to find ripe in stores, so it’s a good idea to buy them a few days early and let ripen at home.  

If you haven’t discovered packaged, pre-cooked bacon crumbles, they are life changing.  They are shelf stable until opened, then I put them in the freezer and use as needed.  They are perfect when you just need a little bit for a garnish or to add a flavor boost!  I even found a nitrate free version!

Can I use a different hollandaise?  If you have a favorite Hollandaise sauce, feel free to use that.  You can even go vegan if you have a vegan sauce. 

What can I do with leftovers?  Leftover hollandaise is delicious on hot vegetables, or eggs benedict. Re-warm very slowly to keep from melting. Leftover hearts of palm is delicious on a lettuce salad too.  Slice crosswise into circles for this.

Here’s more Side Dish Recipes:

• Air Fryer Butternut Squash from Devour Dinner
• Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Black Eyed Pea Casserole from Leftovers Then Breakfast
• Bourbon Pecan Sweet Potatoes from Cookaholic Wife
• Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Almonds and Manchego Cheese from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cauliflower au Gratin from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Cheesy Mashed Potato Puffs from Blogghetti
• Chive Buttered Carrots from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Hassleback Potatoes from Jen Around the World
• Hearts of Palm Salad from Art of Natural Living
• Loaded Green Bean Casserole from Sweet Beginnings
• Potatoes and Green Beans/Aloo Beans Curry from Magical Ingredients
• Potatoes Au Gratin from An Affair from the Heart
• Southern Collard Greens (Instant Pot) from Palatable Pastime
• Sweet Potatoes with Candied Pecans from Kate’s Recipe Box

Hearts of Palm Salad

Simple and elegant, this hearts of palm salad tops avocado slices and hearts of palm with rich Hollandaise and bacon crumbles.

Author: Inger

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 minute min

Total Time 11 minutes mins

Course Salads

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Salad:

• 1 avocado
• 1-2 Tablespoons Lemon juice or olive oil to prevent browning when avocado is cut
• 15 ounce hearts of palm 1 can
• ½ cup prepared hollandaise sauce see note for my recipe

Optional garnish:

• 1-2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1-2 Tablespoons crumbled bacon

Instructions

 

• Peel avocado, remove pit and slice into 8 slices. Brush with lemon juice (or olive oil) to keep slices from browning.
• Cut hearts of palm in half or quarters to make 12 pieces. Set on plate, alternating 3 hearts of palm pieces with 2 avocado slices.
• Top with prepared hollandaise (see note for my recipe).
• Sprinkle with bacon crumbles and/or chopped parsley if using.
  

Notes

If you don't have a favorite hollandaise sauce, my immersion blender recipe is tasty, easy and done in minutes.

I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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