Hearts of Palm “Potato” Salad

Keto “potato” salad with hearts of palm, sour cream, dill, and celery. A little background… I was never really a potato salad person for most of my life. I have horrible memories of family reunions out in the sticks, where every potato salad contains two thousand chopped hard-boiled eggs (OK I’m exaggerating a bit), and I’ve never been a fan of that smell.

So when I moved into a major city as a young adult, I was surprised and pleased to find that the upscale deli at the department store had a version of potato salad that just used diced red skin-on potatoes, sour cream, green onion, dill, and either celery or red pepper. To me, that was ridiculously good, especially since that potato salad didn’t contain hard-boiled eggs, and the base was more creamy than the obnoxious yellow dressing made by combining Miracle Whip and mustard, a combination which seems prolific in the Midwest.

After trying to make a keto potato salad with several things including cauliflower (smelly), and even daikon (which I found is still too watery and bitter) to replicate potatoes, I’m happy to share with you this keto “potato” salad I made using hearts of palm, sour cream, dill, and celery. 

The final verdict: I found hearts of palm to be the closest in taste and texture to cold cooked potatoes than anything else.

I hope you enjoy this…I did!

INGREDIENTS

Dressing

2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt & Freshly cracked black pepper to taste 
1 tablespoon Allulose, erythritol, or other granulated sweetener (optional)
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2 14-oz cans, hearts of palm (whole or salad cut style)
Snipped fresh dill to taste (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1-2 sliced green onions (scallions)
1 stalk celery, finely minced

Optionally, add in:
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped, chives, or diced red peppers.

DIRECTIONS

Whisk all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Drain the hearts of palm. If using whole canned hearts, slice each piece lengthwise and then chop into 1/4 inch pieces.

Place the cut hearts of palm into a strainer and rinse them very well. Taste one piece before rinsing and you will note the briny taste is lessened with rinsing.

In a serving bowl, add the hearts of palm, onion, celery, and any optional add-ins, and top with the dressing. Combine all ingredients well, cover and chill for at least two hours before serving. Top with chives and/or fresh dill as desired.

Makes 2-3 servings.

NOTES

The hearts of palm that come in a can are a lot more tender, so they remind me of the small white canned potatoes that almost mushy but not obnoxiously so. I’ve never had access to fresh hearts of palm, so your cooking time will differ (and potentially, results). 

Canned palm hearts are also salted, compared to chilled boiled potatoes, so you may not need to add as much salt to the recipe as you’re used to.

I tried this twice, once with chopped blanched green beans (as pictured) and once with diced celery. Use whatever you like. You could even try adding a few bursts of salty tartness with a few capers, or a little sweet crunch, with a sugar-free sweet pickle relish (Mt. Olive makes a good one).

My suggestion is to stick to one add-on to keep the dish simple and not have too many clashing flavors.

1. Linda | August 5th, 2022

   Yum! I can’t wait to try this!
   Thanks!

   Reply
   • bobbi jo woods | August 8th, 2022

     Thanks, Linda. I hope you do, and let us know how you liked it!