This habanero hearts of palm ceviche will transport you to the Mexican Caribbean with the combination of habanero, hearts of palm, onion, tomato, and cilantro marinated in lime juice. You can serve it on tostadas, eat with chips or even serve it as a salad. Hearts of palm is a great option for making vegan ceviche, it has a flaky texture but a firm bite, and it absorbs perfectly the flavors of the marinade.
This recipe is part of an amazing project called Our Vegan Mexico, where 32 talented cooks will be showcasing, right here on Dora’s Table, 32 vegan Mexican recipes. Each recipe will be representing one state of the Mexican union. With this project I am hoping to encourage the Mexican community in the U.S. and the people of my country to take a chance and make the change to a plant-based diet.
This recipe is by Alessandro Scetta an Italian vegan chef who has lived in Cancun for more than 15 years, and his recipe is representing Quintana Roo. Quintana Roo is a southern Mexican state bordered by the Caribbean ocean, full of amazing beaches, ruins, and a seafood dominated cuisine.
It is a popular tourist destination, as it is where Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cancún are located. Alessandro has transformed the classic Quintana Roo conch ceviche into this delicious and refreshing vegan hearts of palm ceviche.
Alessandro’s Vegan Journey
My name is Alessandro Scetta, and I am Italian, born in Naples, and I have been living in Cancún for the last 15 years. I have been vegan since 2013, a decision that I made for health reasons. However, my eyes were quickly opened to the great animal suffering that is behind the meat, dairy, and entertainment industry, and many others.
Now I can say with certainty that I am vegan for the animals, but of course my health has also received incredible benefits. And since cooking is my thing, I dedicated myself to veganizing a lot of the dishes of my homeland, and of course my second homeland, Mexico. All this so I could tell my family and friends……you can still eat delicious and mouthwatering meals without having to eat animals, plus your health and the planet will benefit.
¿My favorite ingredient? Eggplant
¿My favorite Mexican dish? Chiles en Nogada (vegan of course)
¿Mi favorite regional Mexican cuisine? Yucatán cuisine
You can follow Alessandro on Facebook: @CocinaUrbanaVegana and Instagram: @alessandro_scetta
The Recipe: Habanero Hearts of Palm Ceviche
This recipe is really easy!! Combine all the ingredients let marinate and you’re set to go.
- You might have to try several brands of hearts of palm and see which one you like best. Some are more tender than others.
- The recipe calls for 1 whole habanero, but if you don’t eat a lot of spicy food I would only use 1/2 or even a 1/3 of a pepper.
- Oil is optional.
Habanero Hearts of Palm Ceviche
Ingredients
- 2 cans (14 oz.) Hearts of palm, drained
- 3 Plum tomatoes, pulp removed, diced
- ½ Red onion, finely diced
- 1 Habanero pepper, finely diced
- 2 tbsp. Lime juice, fresh
- 3 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
- 1 tbsp. Chopped cilantro or to taste
Preparation
- Cut the hearts of palm in slices or half-moon pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine the hearts of palm, tomato, onion, and habanero pepper.
- Add the lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro. Mix well. (Hold off on seasoning it.)
- Let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 min.
- Season with salt and mix to combine.
- Serve with chips or tostadas.
Recipe Video
Chef's Notes
You might have to try several brands of hearts of palm and see which one you like best. Some are more tender than others. The recipe calls for 1 whole habanero, but if you don't eat a lot of spicy food I would add 1/2 or even a 1/3 of a pepper. Oil is optional. Avocado would go really well with this.
Here are some more delicious vegan ceviche recipes:
Made this for a party and it was a hit. Many people asked for the recipe. Didn’t have habaneros (and also afraid of chopping those peppers!) but did have a habanero hot sauce. I put a few dashes of that in there and it was perfect!
That’s a good idea! I don’t think habaneros are available everywhere. So glad you liked it.