Keto Vegan Spaghetti with Heart of Palm Noodles (Palmini)

I'm on a pasta kick these days. It's fun to experiment with different types of pasta alternatives, and this one definitely did not disappoint! Palmini (heart of palm pasta) is more sturdy than other types of pasta alternatives, so it pairs well with chunky sauces and hearty dishes. Since January is vegan month, or "Veganuary," I jumped on the train and made this Keto Vegan Spaghetti with Palm Heart Noodles (Palmini). Nothing better than detoxing after the holidays with a warm, comfy bowl of pasta! (Doesn't that sound like a contradiction? I assure you it's not. Nothing but low-carb veggies, fresh herbs and heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil in here!)

Making Palmini

Do I have to boil it?

Some recipes have you boil the palmini like normal pasta, however I have found that it makes little difference in terms of texture. The palmini is pretty sturdy. So, the most important thing when making palmini is to simmer it in the sauce for at least a few minutes so that it soaks up the flavor of the sauce.

What if I don't like heart of palm?

Full disclosure: I don't usually like heart of palm. I was very hesitant the first time I decided to try palmini pasta. However, as long as the sauce is flavorful, I didn't mind it at all. It's pretty much the only way I have ever eaten heart of palm and liked it. So if you're like me and typically don't like heart of palm, all I can say is "don't knock it 'till you try it" and give it a shot.

Nutrition

Net Carbs

One serving of this Keto Vegan Spaghetti with Palm Heart Noodles has 4.1 net carbs. To reduce the net carbs even further, omit the tomatoes. This would reduce the net carbs down to 2.2g per serving! You won't have that traditional red sauce, but there's nothing wrong with a homemade pesto. It will still taste delicious.

Add Olive Oil

Don't be shy with your olive oil! It's arguably the healthiest fat out there, so feel free to drizzle a little extra over your pasta once it's plated. Especially if you're following a keto diet, it's a perfect way to add healthy oils to your diet. Drizzling a tablespoon of olive oil over one serving of pasta will add 14g of healthy fats to your dish.

Vegan

This recipe is completely vegan. You may have noticed that I did sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top for the photos, but this is completely optional. You could certainly sprinkle some shredded vegan cheese on top if you wanted. Or fresh basil.

If you need to increase the protein, you could add any of the following to the sauce: silken tofu, low-carb nuts and seeds like almond slivers or chopped walnuts, or a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast.

Looking for more pasta? Check out my Keto Vegan Lo Mein (made with Shirataki noodles) or vegetarian Keto Spaghetti with Mushroom Alfredo (made with spaghetti squash).

Tips & Tricks

• The sauce is at your command! That's the beauty of making homemade sauce... you can customize it to your liking. Don't like mushrooms? Don't put them in. Want to add zucchini? Go for it.
• To make it more "cheesy" while still keeping it vegan, add a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast. It will also add some vegan-friendly protein to the dish.
• You can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned, however you'll either have to add some water or omit the xanthan gum.
• Speaking of xanthan gum, you could leave it out if you don't have any. It just means that your sauce will be more runny.
• Psyllium husk powder is another keto-friendly thickener that could be used instead of xanthan gum.
• Make sure you rinse the palmini pasta well. Otherwise it can have a strong flavor.

📖 Recipe