Asparagus and Tomato Salad with Hearts of Palm – Kalyn’s Kitchen

posted by Kalyn Denny on May 31, 2021

I love this low-carb Asparagus and Tomato Salad with Hearts of Palm and if you haven’t tried hearts of palm, they’re really a wow in salads!

PIN the salad to try it later!

I love to pull things out of the fridge or pantry and experiment to see what I can come up with, and this Asparagus and Tomato Salad with Hearts of Palm started with the Hearts of Palm that are one of my favorite salad ingredients. And I also had fresh asparagus in the fridge and chives growing in the garden, although you can certainly use green onions if that’s what you have. I added a few of the small grape tomatoes I start buying in the spring when I’m craving the flavor of tomatoes.

Mixed with a lemony vinaigrette, this salad is going to be a great side dish for juicy grilled chicken breasts, or anything cooked on the grill! And when I can have an easy meal that includes hearts of palm, asparagus, and grilled salmon, I’m a happy camper.

What are Hearts of Palm?

Hearts of Palm (affiliate link) are a slightly-crunchy vegetable that’s harvested from the center of domesticated palm trees. They used to be somewhat controversial, but newer harvesting methods don’t damage the trees and wild palms are protected in many places. And Hearts of Palm are so delicious! Here’s more about Hearts of Palm and how to use them.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

• fresh asparagus spears
• sliced Hearts of Palm (affiliate link)
• cherry tomatoes
• sliced chives or green onion (optional)
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• fresh-squeezed lemon juice (I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice)
• red wine vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• extra-virgin olive oil

How to make this salad:

(Scroll down for complete printable recipe, including nutritional information.)

1. Remove Hearts of Palm (affiliate link) from the jar and let them drain.   
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil while you slice asparagus into diagonal 1 1/2 inch pieces until you have about 2 cups.
3. Cook the asparagus in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then drain immediately.
4. Whisk together lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and Dijon and then whisk in the olive oil a little at a time to make the dressing.
5. Then mix a few tablespoons of the dressing with the warm asparagus and let it sit while you prep the other ingredients.
6. Slice the hearts of palm into 1/2 inch slices.  Break the slices apart into rings or cut them in half if they don’t separate.
7. Slice cherry tomatoes in half until you have a cup of sliced tomatoes.
8. Gently mix the tomatoes and hearts of palm with the marinating asparagus, and add enough dressing to moisten the salad.  (You might not need all the dressing.)
9. Wash the chives if needed (or use green onions) and then slice into short pieces. 
10. Then gently mix in chopped chives, season with salt and fresh ground black pepper, and serve.

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

This Asparagus Salad would taste great with low-carb grilled chicken, Pan-Grilled Steak with Olive Sauce, or Grilled Sausage and Peppers! You could serve with Spicy Vegan Peanut Butter Tofu for a low-carb vegan meal!

More Salad Recipes with Asparagus:

Asparagus Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, and Feta from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Shaved Asparagus Salad with Balsamic Syrup and Almonds from Cookin’ Canuck
Spring Green Salad with Asparagus, Snow Peas,  Radishes, and Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette from Andrea Meyers

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. fresh asparagus spears, ends snapped off and cut into diagonal slices
• 1 1/2 cups sliced heart of palm
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 cup sliced chives or green onion
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 T extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Remove about 8 oz. hearts of palm from the jar and put them in a colander to drain.
2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil, adding a generous amount of salt to the water (slightly less than a teaspoon.)
3. Snap one piece of asparagus to see where to trim off the woody ends, then trim other pieces to that same length.
4. Cut asparagus on the diagonal into slices about 1 1/2 inches long.  (You should have about 2 cups, or a little more.)
5. When the water comes to a boil, add the asparagus and cook 2-3 minutes (no longer; use a timer!)
6. Drain asparagus into a colander.
7. Mix together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and Dijon, and then whisk in the olive oil a little at a time to make the dressing.
8. When the asparagus has drained put it in a bowl large enough to hold all the salad and add about 2 tablespoons of the dressing.
9. Stir to coat the asparagus and let it marinate while you prep other ingredients.
10. Slice the hearts of palm into 1/2 inch thick slices; then break the slices into rings or cut them in half if they don’t separate easily.
11. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and slice the chives (or green onions.)
12. Gently mix the hearts of palm and tomatoes in with the marinating asparagus and add enough dressing to moisten all the ingredients.  (You may not need all the dressing.)
13. Gently mix in the chives, season salad to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper, and serve.  (Remember that the asparagus was cooked in salted water, so this salad will not need too much salt.)
14. I recommend only making as much of this as you can eat at one meal, because it did not keep that well in the refrigerator.

Notes

Recipe created by Kalyn when she was delighted to find Hearts of Palm at Costco again.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 115Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 423mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Hearts of palm, asparagus, and tomatoes are all wonderfully low-glycemic ingredients, and this Vegan Asparagus Salad is a great choice for any phase of the South Beach Diet and other low-carb eating plans. The highest carbs here are in the cherry tomatoes, so if you’re trying to limit carbs go easy on those.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Salad Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Recipes by Diet Type index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You can also Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2012. Since then I’ve made it every summer, and the recipe was updated with better photos in 2021.