Ingredients
For the hearts of palm:
- 1 (14-ounce) can hearts of palm, drained and gently pressed flat
- 1/2 cup JUST Egg
- 1/2 cup white rice flour
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
To serve:
- 4–6 flour tortillas, warmed
- Shredded green cabbage
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh avocado slices
- Vegan sour cream
- Fresh jalapeño, sliced (optional)
- Chopped tomato (optional)
- Lime wedges
- Sriracha
Instructions
Set up the breading station:
- Set out three wide, shallow bowls in a row. Add the rice flour to the first bowl. Pour the JUST Egg into the second. In the third, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, and onion powder and stir to combine.
Fry the hearts of palm:
- Add several inches of oil to a small heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium-high.
- After about 7 minutes, test the oil by dipping a wooden chopstick straight down to the bottom—if bubbles form immediately around it, the oil is ready (aim for 350–375°F).
- Working one piece at a time, coat a heart of palm in the rice flour and tap off any excess. Dip into the JUST Egg until fully coated, then press into the flour and cornstarch mixture to coat evenly.
- Fry 2–3 pieces at a time—do not crowd the pot. Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp.
- Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels and season immediately with salt.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Warm the tortillas:
- Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Warm each tortilla for 20–30 seconds per side until pliable.
- Wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.
Assemble:
- Layer shredded cabbage into each tortilla, followed by the crispy hearts of palm. Add avocado, cilantro, jalapeño, tomato, and vegan sour cream.
- Squeeze lime over the top and finish with sriracha if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Don’t crowd the pot. Frying too many pieces at once drops the oil temperature rapidly. This means the coating absorbs oil before it sets, producing a soggy, oily crust. Work in batches of 2–3 pieces to maintain an even temperature to avoid this.
- Salt immediately after frying. The window is small—season each batch the moment it comes out of the oil, while the crust is still hot and the surface is open. Once cooled, salt won’t adhere the same way.
- Store components separately. Leftover fried hearts of palm and toppings should all be stored separately.
- To reheat: Re-crisp leftover hearts of palm in an air fryer at 350°F for 4–6 minutes or until warmed through. Avoid microwaving—it steams the crust making it soggy.
- Corn or flour tortillas both work for these hearts of palm fish tacos. Corn tortillas give you a more traditional fish taco feel. Flour tortillas are softer and more pliable— good if you’re loading them up with toppings.
- Keep the oil temperature steady. Use a thermometer if you have one, or the chopstick test between batches. The oil recovers faster if you let it sit for 60 seconds between rounds before adding the next batch.
- Make it gluten-free. Swap the all-purpose flour in the outer coating for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and use certified gluten-free corn tortillas.
- Hearts of palm size varies. If your canned hearts of palm are large, slice them lengthwise before pressing so they fit neatly inside tortillas.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Tacos, Vegan Seafood
- Method: Deep-Fried
- Cuisine: American, Mexican-Inspired
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian