This bright, colorful hearts of palm salad is just as satisfying and filling as it is packed with layered, delicious flavor. Loaded with crisp fresh vegetables and tossed in a tangy, savory vinaigrette, this easy recipe will quickly become one you reach for on repeat.

Hearts of Palm Salad Ingredients Overview

You only need simple, easy-to-source ingredients to pull this crowd-pleasing salad together, split between the salad base and homemade dressing:

• For the salad: Canned hearts of palm, sweet onion, bell pepper, radish, carrots, tomato, serrano pepper, fresh cilantro, and ripe avocado

• For the vinaigrette: Fresh lime juice, red wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, chili powder, and kosher salt

Top Tips for the Best Hearts of Palm Salad

Culinary recipe developer Nicole McLaughlin (better known online as NicoleMcMom) shares: “Hearts of palm absorb the vinaigrette’s flavor so beautifully. Paired with all those crunchy vegetables, every bite is absolutely perfect.” Here are her tested tips for this recipe:

• Hearts of palm have a naturally mild, neutral flavor, so they easily take on any seasonings and dressings you add. They work incredibly well as a plant-based meat substitute—for this recipe, Nicole designed it to mimic the bright, satisfying flavor of classic crab salad.

• Prepped hearts of palm strips are delicate, so avoid handling them roughly. Gently fold them into the salad at the end to keep their firm texture and clean shape intact.

• To turn this side salad into a full complete meal, serve it over a bed of leafy lettuce. Nicole prefers tender butter lettuce, but any lettuce variety you have on hand works great. For a heartier shareable appetizer, chop the hearts of palm into smaller pieces and serve the salad with crispy tortilla chips for dipping.

How to Store Hearts of Palm Salad

This crunchy, flavorful salad is at its best when enjoyed fresh right after assembling. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Note that avocado and raw vegetables will soften slightly during storage, so the texture won’t be quite as crisp as the freshly made version.

Full Measured Ingredients

• 2 (14-ounce) cans whole hearts of palm, drained

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ cup thinly sliced sweet onion

• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper

• ½ cup matchstick-cut radishes

• ⅓ cup matchstick-cut carrots

• ¼ cup chopped tomato

• 1 serrano chile pepper, seeded and minced

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 ripe avocado, diced

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Prep your hearts of palm first: Pull them apart into thin strips lengthwise, then cut the full batch of strips in half to shorten them. Set the prepped hearts of palm aside.

2. Make the vinaigrette: Combine lime juice and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil until the mixture is fully emulsified. Season with chili powder and kosher salt, then set the dressing aside.

3. Assemble and serve: Add the sweet onion, red bell pepper, radishes, carrots, tomato, serrano pepper, and cilantro to a medium mixing bowl. Pour in the prepared vinaigrette and stir to coat all vegetables evenly. Gently fold in the diced avocado and prepped hearts of palm, then serve immediately.