Hearts of Palm Arugula Salad is a salad that can be whipped up in just minutes. The result is a dish dense with varied color, texture and flavor. When I teach a cooking class, I may use this Hearts of Palm Salad recipe to showcase flavor building. It is a recipe that demonstrates how a cook can pull from the 5 tastes the tongue recognizes and combine them in a way that creates a powerhouse salad packed with flavor. Can you identify the components of sour, sweet, salty, bitter and mild umami (savory) tastes present in this dish?
A Passionate Love Affair with Arugula
Arugula…arugula. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Yes, I am a HUGE fan of arugula for its taste and its versatility. In fact, I just planted arugula seeds in my newbie garden, thanks to Stacey Murphy and her amazing Harvest Club support team at GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES. Arugula will be one of the first plants to make it to a plate on my table!
I am beyond excited that I will soon be harvesting this versatile vegetable. Arugula is my go-to leafy green when it comes to building a salad base or enhancing a nourish bowl. I add it inside my sandwich or hummus wrap and it often tops my bean burger or pizza slice. Pasta dishes, soups, rice sides, tofu scrambles…yes, arugula almost always makes an appearance. You must wonder why I have this leafy green obsession. I think it has to do with its unique texture and taste profile.
Arugula’s Unique “Plantality”
Arugula has a distinctive “plantality,” aka food personality, which helps amp up flavor in those dishes to which it is added. It has a dual role in my kitchen as both a lettuce and an herb. As a member of the cruciferous family, it is high in nutrients such as fiber, calcium and phytochemicals while being low in calories, sugar and fat. It possesses a texture less tough than kale but maintains its crunch when mixed with a salad dressing. Unlike spinach, which is milder and slightly bitter in taste, fresh arugula has a strong flavor with a distinctive peppery quality. This spicy character is what sets it apart in my book to be a star leafy green on my plate.
Below is a simple recipe that marries this magical green with a luscious dressing of fresh tart lime juice and creamy avocado. I hope you enjoy!
Hearts of Palm Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups arugula roughly chopped
- 1 can hearts of palm drained and sliced into 1/4" pieces
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup sweet corn thawed if frozen
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 avocado pit and peel removed
- 2 tbsps lime juice
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Place arugula, hearts of palm, scallions, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, and cilantro in a large bowl and toss to combine.
- In a small bowl, mix the avocado, lime juice, lime zest, and cumin. Add a dash of salt or no-salt seasoning, if desired.
- Place the avocado mixture in the large bowl of salad ingredients and fold in gently.