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Tuna salad is an American favorite, holding nostalgia from when we were kids and had that fresh and tangy tuna salad on hot summer weekends for lunch. Perhaps you’ve carried that tradition into your own adult years, and add a tuna salad as a side dish on barbeque days, or take a big bowl along on picnics. Or maybe tuna has fallen out of fashion for your tastebuds and you’ve moved into a more meat-free eating lifestyle, but you miss the creamy, tangy, and seafoody flavor that was the signature of a tuna salad.
We’ve got you. There’s a fantastic alternative to tuna that is reminiscent of the real thing, but is completely plant-based. You’ve likely passed it in the grocery store aisle near the artichokes and asparagus — hearts of palm. This mild and tender ingredient derived from (as it says in the name) the heart of a palm tree, is usually available in canned form, preserved in brine, and is ready to use without any cooking. You can even buy hearts of palm precut in cans online via Amazon, like these Whole Foods ones.
Your ingredient mix will include a drained can of hearts of palm, dill pickles or relish, celery and celery seeds, red onion, nori, mayo or vegan mayo, dijon mustard, and lemon. There are a few ways to make your salad, but the easiest will take you only 5 minutes. Cut up the hearts of palm and chuck them in a food processor to mix until they form a tuna-like consistency. Mix with your other ingredients, then pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to chill. Season with salt and pepper (or any other seasoning you fancy) and serve with a sprinkling of fresh dill.
The versatility of hearts of palm
An average 14-ounce can of hearts of palm will give you 3.6g each of protein and fiber, plus some iron, magnesium, and zinc as well as other vitamins and minerals — with the added bonus of being very low in fat and calories. Cans can be high in sodium from the brine, but you can combat this by rinsing the ingredient before using. And this tuna-alternative mix can be used for more than just a salad — it’s a handy filling for wraps, on sandwiches, cracker bread, or rice cakes, or in a pasta. Hearts of palm also make a great variation on a lobster roll.
For added flavor and texture, throw in some sliced tomatoes, cucumber, and a bit of lettuce. Or add in your favorite salad or veg ingredients like bell peppers, avocado, or bean sprouts. You can also blend hearts of palm with a portion of chickpeas to pack an extra protein punch and change the texture. The pulses have a similar protein content to hearts of palm and will make this mix more filling.
An extra tip to add toasty smokiness to the mixture flavor is to toast your nori sheets for 10 seconds or so in a hot oven or over an open flame if you have a gas hob. The best part? This veggie tuna-salad mixture will hold well in your refrigerator for between 4 and 6 days in an airtight container, so if you’re busy and on the run you’ve got a delicious and healthy filling, topping, or stand-alone salad all ready for you.
