Hearts of Palm Pasta on the Stove

Why you’ll love this straightforward vegetarian dish!

As an Italian, I truly love old-style pasta but these veggie-based noodles are a GREAT pasta substitute that’s also conveniently low carb! I was truly skeptical the first time I tried these but they’ve since become a staple in our house.

These hearts of palm noodles have a soft texture that closely mimics regular pasta PLUS they require QUITE little cook time which A regular here:)

Why You’ll Love This

• Ready in 15 minutes – genuinely one of the fastest dinners in my rotation
• Naturally grain-free and low-carb without feeling like a compromise
• Minimal ingredients, minimal cleanup
• Unfussy to make vegan with one simple swap

Ingredients needed

The ingredients for this method are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!

• Hearts of palm pasta – the star of the show! These noodles have a mild, lightly savory flavor (think: subtle artichoke vibes) and a satisfying tender texture. You should be able to find these at your loval grocery store; Palmini is the most widely available brand but Trader Joe’s hearts of palm pasta are typically my go to. No prep needed beyond a short rinse.
  These noodles are also great in a stir fry!
• Garlic cloves– freshly minced is go-to here; it’s the backbone of the whole dish.
• Cherry tomatoes – they blister and burst in the pan and give you these little juicy pockets of flavor throughout. Sub with grape tomatoes or diced Roma if that’s what you have.
• Fresh basil – stirred in at the end for a bright, herby finish. Dried basil works in a pinch but fresh truly makes a difference.
• Parmesan – optional but highly recommended. Freshly grated from a block melts beautifully into the dish. For vegan, Violife’s parmesan is a great swap – or use my vegan parmesan cheese.
• Pinch of sugar – only a small amount to balance the tomatoes. Don’t skip it!

How to Make It

Only a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you:)

1. Cook garlic + tomatoes. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add in the tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar. Mix to combine and toss often and cook until the tomatoes begin to burst, about 6 minutes.

1. Combine everything. Stir in the hearts of palm pasta and basil and cook for 2 additional minutes and until the pasta is heated through. Garnish with parmesan for extra flavor and additional pepper to taste. ENJOY!

Recipe Tips

• Rinse and dry the noodles well. Hearts of palm pasta comes packed in water. Give them a good rinse in a colander, then shake off as much moisture as possible before adding them to the pan – this helps them absorb the sauce instead of steaming in it.
• Don’t rush the tomatoes. Let them cook undisturbed for a minute or two so they can blister and start to burst. That caramelization is where a lot of the flavor comes from.
• Add the pasta last. The noodles simply need to heat through – about 2-3 minutes in the pan is plenty. Overcooking them can make them a bit mushy.
• Taste before serving. Hearts of palm has a subtle briny quality, so taste the finished dish before adding extra salt.
• Make it a meal. This is great as-is, but adding white beans, a jammy egg, or some pan-seared tofu bumps up the protein nicely.

Frequently Asked Questions