This Hearts of Palm Quinoa Salad and I go way back, to the beginning of quarantine when I was stuck in my apartment for Passover, with my roommate and her current fiancé… It was one of the best holidays ever!

What makes a holiday special? The people & food, of course! This Hearts of Palm Quinoa Salad is sure to add to the festivities.

Last year, during the peak of Covid, I was unable to visit my home in Florida, living in NYC, so I opted for a slightly less extravagant Passover which included myself, my roommate, and her now fiancé. Going into the holiday I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it turned out to be one of the best holidays I’ve ever had. One of the reasons is because this quinoa salad was created around this time & I made it over & over for the Passover meals.

Does it get better than adding hearts of palm and canned Israeli pickles to any dish?? I’d say this is the peak of salad/appetizer excitement! If you grew up like myself, Israeli pickles went fast at any dinner table. I hadn’t thought about putting them into a salad until recently & I’m obsessed every time.

Beware, this salad is addicting and you will want to eat it all! So, double the recipe and all will be well.

Making this Hearts of Palm Quinoa Salad is quite simple and barely requires any effort.

First off, prep the quinoa!

I like to use a 1 cup quinoa to 1 3/4 cup water ratio when cooking the quinoa so that it comes out nice & fluffy without any stickiness. If you use too much water, the quinoa will end up mushy.

When it comes to during the year, I love using Bob’s Red Mill Quinoa because it’s certified gluten-free & always comes out with the perfect texture. Though, when it comes to Passover, I”ll opt for a kosher-for-Passover certified Quinoa brand.

Next, add all the vegetables & cooked quinoa to a large mixing bowl.

Mix the dressing in a container or glass cup & pour it over the salad.

The key to making the perfect dressing is mincing the garlic so well that it becomes like a paste. If you don’t feel confident with your chopping skills, feel free to pulse the garlic in a food processor or use a garlic crusher.

Finally, mix it up!

Carefully mix the salad together, lightly, as not to make the quinoa or vegetables mushy. Taste the salad to see if you’d like any additional seasoning before serving.

You have a beautiful & tasty salad in minutes! My boyfriend says that this quinoa salad can convert any non-quinoa lover, so I truly believe it’s worth a try.

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Hearts of Palm Quinoa Salad

Yield: 4-6 servings, as a side

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Recipe sponsored by Bob's Red Mill.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup raw quinoa (I recommend Bob's Red Mill Quinoa!)
• 1 ¾ cup water
• ½ can Hearts of Palm, diced
• 4 Israeli Pickles in Brine, diced
• 2 small cucumbers or 3/4 of a large cucumber, diced
• 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced into a paste
• 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• About 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium sauce pot, bring 1 ¾ cup water to a boil with ¼ teaspoon of salt.
2. Once water boils, add the raw quinoa and mix. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes.
3. After cooking, turn off the heat, and allow the quinoa to sit (covered) for 5 minutes, before uncovering and fluffing. Allow to cool completely, about 15-20 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, combine the diced hearts of palm, pickles, tomatoes, onion, and red pepper. Mix in the cooled quinoa & set aside.
5. To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, sea salt & black pepper in a bowl and whisk together.
6. Pour over the quinoa and mix together. Add any more seasoning you may like & enjoy!
   

Notes

Bob's Red Mill quinoa is my go-to and I love it for this recipe, though it is not certified Kosher for Passover.