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I only discovered Palmini a couple of weeks ago when a member of our Facebook group (Thank you Nellie!) posted a meal with something that looked like the perfect low-carb pasta alternative. I was intrigued so I checked online and ordered a batch of Palmini Linguine and Palmini Lasagne, two of the three types of Palmini available. The only one I haven't tried yet is the Angel Hair.
The first recipe I made with Palmini is this Palmini Spaghetti Bolognese recipe which I kept super simple. You will only need palmini, ground beef, homemade pasta sauce (or any sugar-free store-bought pasta sauce) and an optional sprinkle of grated Parmesan and fresh basil.
What Is Palmini?
Palmini is a pasta substitute that is made out of a natural plant known as hearts of palm. When sliced and cooked in the right way, it resembles pasta and can be used to replace noodles, linguine and lasagne.
Canned Palmini is already cooked so all you need to do is to rinse it and warm up. I like mine al dente so I usually skip the heating and just mix it with the warm sauce and meat like I did in this recipe.
How Many Carbs in Palmini?
Palmini is very low in carbs and calories which makes it ideal for a healthy low-carb and keto diet, and more importantly — for weight loss.
The net carb count in Palmini is about the same as the net carb count in zucchini (courgettes). Compared to zucchini, there is almost three times more fibre in Palmini.
According to the label, one can of Palmini contains 3 servings (75 g/ 2.7 oz each) and each serving is only 4 grams of total carbs, 2 grams of net carbs and 20 calories.
I personally found the 75-gram serving to be a too small so I ended up using half a can (113 g/ 4 oz) per serving which still adds up to only 3 grams of net carbs and 30 calories per serving.
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How Does Palmini Pasta Alternative Taste?
The taste is somewhat similar to canned bamboo shoots or marinated artichokes which I love. Ideally, look for brands with no unnecessary additives. The only ingredients should be hearts of palm, water, salt and citric acid which gives them a slightly sour, marinated taste.
If you want them to taste plain, simply wash the Palmini thoroughly under running water and briefly cook in a pot of boiling water for just 30 to 60 seconds.
What is the Texture of Palmini?
At first I was skeptical as I was expecting texture similar to zucchini. Well, it's much better than zucchini! It's less mushy and watery, possibly thanks to the slightly higher fibre content.
The Linguine Palmini are not as long as regular spaghetti but that's actually better because it's easier and less messy to eat.
The Lasagna Palmini sheets taste fantastic and have a sturdier texture compared to Eggplant Lasagna or Zucchini Lasagna, probably the closest I ever got to real pasta sheets by using a vegetable. I shared a recipe using palmini lasagna sheets here.
Where to Buy Palmini
I bought my Palmini at Amazon UK and they seem to be stocking it in the US and Canada too. You may want to check other online health stores in case they have special offers if you buy in bulk. Amazon is convenient but it doesn't always have the best deals.
Do you live in the UK? This is where I get my Palmini from (no affiliation).
Hands-on Overall
Serving size about 1 cup meat sauce + 1/2 can palmini linguine
Nutritional values (per serving, about 1 cup meat sauce + 1/2 can palmini linguine)
Net carbs6.3 grams
Protein25.3 grams
Fat37.2 grams
Calories474 kcal
Calories from carbs 5%, protein 22%, fat 73%
Total carbs10.4 gramsFiber4.1 gramsSugars2.5 gramsSaturated fat11.1 gramsSodium444 mg(19% RDA)Magnesium27 mg(7% RDA)Potassium438 mg(22% EMR)
Ingredients (makes 4 servings)
- 2 cans palmini linguine noodles, drained (450 g/ 1 lb)
- 500 g ground beef (1.1 lb)
- 1 1/4 cups Homemade Marinara Sauce, 1 recipe (300 ml/ 10 fl oz)
- Optional: 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese or more, to serve (20 g/ 0.7 oz)
- Optional: fresh basil leaves, to serve
Instructions
- Open the Palmini cans and drain the liquid by pouring the content of both cans in a colander.
- Rinse with water and set aside. The noodles can be eaten as they are or you can place them in a pot with hot water to heat up for 30 to 60 seconds, or heat in a microwave for 30-60 seconds. If you want to warm them up, do that just before serving.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Marinara Sauce and the beef.
- Place the ground meat in a cast iron skillet or a non stick pan. (If using cast iron, add a few tablespoons of water.) Cook over a medium-high heat until browned and opaque, for about 10 minutes. Add the Marinara Sauce and cook to heat through. Take off the heat.
- Place the marinara flavoured meat in a serving bowl and top with the noodles.
- Optionally serve each with 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan and a few basil leaves.
- To store, refrigerate the meat mixture for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Palmini are best prepared fresh — it only takes a minute!
Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, about 1 cup meat sauce + 1/2 can palmini linguine)
| Net carbs | Protein | Fat | Calories |
|---|
| Beef, minced (ground), raw, grass-fed |
| 0 g | 21.5 g | 25 g | 318 kcal |
| Marinara sauce |
| 3.3 g | 0.8 g | 12.2 g | 127 kcal |
| Hearts of Palm, Linguine (Palmini) |
| 3 g | 3 g | 0 g | 30 kcal |
| Total per serving, about 1 cup meat sauce + 1/2 can palmini linguine |
| 6.3 g | 25.3 g | 37.2 g | 474 kcal |
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