Garlic Vegan Scampi in White Wine Sauce

Hearts of palm are the ideal stand-in for scallops. They have a similar look when sliced and the briny quality of seafood.

Enjoy this Italian-inspired recipe from The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook.  In lieu of white wine, use the same amount of vegetable broth with 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar for an alternative.

What you need

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 (14.8 ounce) jar hearts of palm
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 8 ounces linguine noodles
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
• 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

What you do

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta to pot and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Slice hearts of palm crosswise into ½-inch slices. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Add hearts of palm and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper. Sear for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Gently flip each slice over. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of pepper. Sear for another 3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to plate.
3. In the same skillet over medium heat, warm remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté garlic for 2 minutes, then add white wine and simmer for 3 minutes until liquid reduces by half. Add lemon juice and vegetable broth and simmer for 5 more minutes until reduced and glossy. Add cooked pasta, seared hearts of palm, parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes and toss to combine.
4. In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast. Sprinkle over pasta and toss everything to combine. 

Serve hot and enjoy!