A protein-packed hearts of palm avocado salad with grilled shrimp, cilantro, and tomatillo avocado dressing. Light, fresh and perfect for summer!
Have you ever heard of hearts of palm? Maybe you’ve heard of it but actually have no idea what it is. Or maybe you know exactly what it is… in that case, gold star for you. 😉
Hearts of palm is a vegetable that is literally the heart of a palm tree – the inner core. They look similar to asparagus (but larger) and taste similar to artichoke hearts. They’re mild flavored, crunchy and add amazing flavor to salads!
Plus, hearts of palm are nutrition powerhouses. They’re known as a great meat substitute because of their protein – a huge win in my book! They also have a lot of fiber and ample vitamins and minerals. You’ll typically find hearts of palm canned or jarred in the grocery store. I’ve seen them at health food stores, but also at traditional grocery stores and even Target!
This recipe is a delicious meal-sized salad that uses a new favorite dressing, my tomatillo avocado dressing. I fell in love with the Mexican Goddess dressing at the restaurant Chopt Creative Salad Co., and had to head home to create my own copycat recipe.
After the dressing was perfected, I knew I wanted to create a meal-sized salad that would complement it perfectly. I’m a big fan of any traditional taco salad or Mexican-flavored salad but I wanted this recipe to be different… a little more “exciting” if you will. So, I added in a vegetable that might be new to you (looking at you, hearts of palm!) and use grilled shrimp as an extra protein boost. Can’t wait for you to give this recipe a try!
Have you ever had hearts of palm? Have I convinced you to give it a try?
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I’ve never tried hearts of palm before…but I’m excited to try them now! 🙂
Ohhh!! You’ll have to grab some give them a try. They’re such a great salad topper.