Fresh young palm hearts cut into ribbons, dressed simply with butter, lime and Brazil nut — the dish that put indigenous Brazilian ingredients on D.O.M.'s tasting menu.
⭐Inspired by Alex Atala · 🇧🇷 BrazilInspired by Chef Alex Atala's pioneering use of indigenous Brazilian ingredients at D.O.M., this dish reframes fresh palm heart (palmito) as fettuccine — the white tender heart cut into long ribbons that dress beautifully and have a unique tender-crunchy texture. Atala has spent his career documenting Brazil's biodiversity through his Instituto ATÁ, and palm heart is one of the ingredients he has done most to globalise.
Serves 4
Cut the palm hearts lengthwise into long, fettuccine-thick ribbons (about 0.5cm wide × the full length of the heart). If using jarred, gently rinse and pat dry first.
Melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and cook 60 seconds until fragrant. Discard the garlic.
Add the palm heart ribbons to the foaming butter. Toss gently for 2-3 minutes — they should warm through and absorb the butter without browning. They are tender and barely need cooking.
Off the heat, stir in the lime zest, half the lime juice, parsley and a generous pinch of Maldon. Toss.
Twirl the palm heart ribbons into nests on warm plates (use tongs and a spoon). Drizzle with olive oil. Top with grated Parmigiano, chopped Brazil nuts, a final pinch of Aleppo pepper and the remaining lime juice. Serve immediately.
Fresh pupunha palm heart is dramatically better than jarred — find at Brazilian groceries.
Don't overcook — palm hearts are meant to remain crisp-tender.
Brazil nuts are essential — they connect the dish to its Amazonian roots.
Truffle Variation: shave fresh black truffle over the top in season — Atala's restaurant move.
Vegan Version: substitute vegan butter and skip the Parmigiano; use nutritional yeast instead.
Carbonara Variation: toss with cured egg yolk and pancetta for a Brazilian-Italian crossover.
Best eaten immediately. Cooked palm heart loses texture quickly.
Pupunha palm heart has been cultivated by indigenous Amazonian peoples for over a millennium. Industrial harvesting in the 20th century devastated wild palm populations, but sustainable Brazilian cultivation has re-established palm heart as a key Brazilian ingredient. Alex Atala's restaurant D.O.M. and his Instituto ATÁ have championed sustainable palm heart farming for global fine-dining adoption.
Pupunha (Bactris gasipaes) is a Brazilian palm species cultivated specifically for its sustainable hearts — unlike wild palmito juçara, harvesting pupunha doesn't kill the tree. Atala's advocacy has been key to popularising sustainably farmed pupunha as the ethical choice for fine dining.
Yes — but fresh is dramatically better. Jarred palm heart is preserved in salty brine and has a more uniform, slightly chalky texture. Fresh pupunha has a clean, almost sweet vegetable character. Jarred works for the technique here, but the dish is at its best fresh.
Castanha-do-Pará (Brazil nut) is one of Brazil's most iconic Amazonian ingredients. Pairing it with palm heart creates a dish rooted entirely in Brazilian indigenous cuisine — both ingredients harvested from the same Amazonian biodiversity Atala has spent his career championing.
Easily made vegan — substitute vegan butter for the dairy butter and skip the Parmigiano (use nutritional yeast or omit entirely). The dish then becomes a clean showcase for the palm heart's natural flavour.
Per serving (180g / 6.3 oz) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.