Sarra Ina Garten’s artichoke salad is frozen artichoke hearts roasted until golden, tossed in a basil vinaigrette made in the food processor, and mixed with capers, roasted red peppers, red onion, parsley, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. It serves 6 as a first course or antipasto, takes about 50 minutes, and improves as it sits.
This recipe comes from Ina’s Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? cookbook (2010). In the headnote, she writes that “very few frozen vegetables taste as good as fresh ones but one exception is frozen artichoke hearts,” adding that they “save me the annoying job of cutting those prickly artichokes.” She designed it as a first course or “part of a big antipasto platter,” and it works equally well for both because the flavors actually develop as the salad rests.
The technique that makes this salad taste like something from an Italian trattoria is roasting the defrosted artichoke hearts at 350F (180C) for 20 minutes before they touch the dressing. Straight from the package, frozen artichokes are waterlogged and bland. Twenty minutes in the oven drives off the excess moisture and caramelizes the edges, concentrating the flavor into something that tastes closer to fresh than anything else you can get from a freezer.
Ina Garten Artichoke Salad Recipe
Course: Sides, AppetizersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes20
minutes135
kcalRoasted frozen artichoke hearts dressed in a food-processor basil vinaigrette with Mediterranean pantry staples from Ina’s How Easy Is That? cookbook. Rest it for 30 minutes or make it overnight, and the flavors get better the longer it sits.
Ingredients
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2 (9-ounce/255g) boxes frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
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Good olive oil
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1 shallot, minced
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3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
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1 tablespoon good white wine vinegar
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1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
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1/2 cup (25g) chopped fresh basil leaves
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3 tablespoons drained capers
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1 jarred roasted red pepper, small-diced
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1/4 cup (40g) minced red onion
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1/4 cup (15g) chopped fresh parsley
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Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
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Roast the artichokes: Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Place the defrosted artichoke hearts on a sheet pan and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes, turning once with a spatula.
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Make the basil vinaigrette: While the artichokes roast, place the shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 5 seconds. Add the basil and puree until the dressing turns bright green. With the processor running, slowly pour in 1/2 cup olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
- Dress and rest: Place the roasted artichoke hearts in a bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Add the capers, roasted red pepper, red onion, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Toss gently. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to develop, or refrigerate overnight. Season to taste and serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Look for frozen artichoke hearts with no ice on the outside of the box. Heavy ice means they have been thawed and refrozen, which ruins the texture.
The basil vinaigrette must be made in a food processor, not whisked by hand. The processor purees the basil into the oil, turning the dressing bright green and distributing the herb flavor throughout instead of leaving it in separate pieces.
This salad tastes even better the next day. Refrigerate overnight and bring to room temperature before serving for the deepest flavor.
FAQs
Why does Ina roast the frozen artichoke hearts first?
Frozen artichoke hearts are waterlogged from the blanching and freezing process. If you toss them straight into a dressing, that trapped water leaches out and dilutes everything. Twenty minutes in a 350F (180C) oven drives off the excess moisture and concentrates the artichoke flavor.
The roasting also caramelizes the cut edges, adding a nutty sweetness you never get from raw or steamed artichokes. This step is what makes the salad taste closer to fresh artichokes than to something that came out of a freezer bag. Do not skip it.
Can you use jarred or canned artichoke hearts instead?
You can, but drain and rinse them very well first. Jarred artichokes packed in brine add a vinegary tang that throws off the balance of the basil vinaigrette. Canned artichokes can taste tinny if not rinsed thoroughly.
If you use jarred or canned, skip the roasting step since they are already cooked. Instead, pat them dry with paper towels and toss directly with the vinaigrette. The texture will be softer and the flavor less concentrated than roasted frozen ones, but the salad still works. Ina prefers frozen because they taste the most like fresh.
Can you make artichoke salad ahead of time?
Ina says to let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, but she also says you can refrigerate it overnight. This is one of her best make-ahead dishes because the vinaigrette, capers, and red pepper actually improve with time as the flavors soak into the artichokes.
It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving because cold mutes the basil and lemon. If the salad looks dry after chilling, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and toss gently.
How is this different from Ina’s Marinated Artichoke Hearts?
Ina’s Marinated Artichoke Hearts from Foolproof (2012) is a completely different dish. She braises the artichokes in a pot with pancetta, onions, carrots, sliced lemons, Pernod, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic, then finishes with olives and basil. It is a warm, French-Provençal preparation closer to a stew than a salad.
This roasted version is quicker, lighter, and Italian in flavor. The basil vinaigrette keeps it bright while the capers and red peppers give it a Mediterranean pantry feel. If you enjoy Ina’s artichoke recipes, her Spinach Artichoke Dip takes the ingredient in yet another direction with a warm, cheesy, American-style baked dip.
What should you serve artichoke salad with?
Ina designed this as “a first course for dinner or as part of a big antipasto platter,” and the antipasto route is where it really shines. Set it on a board next to some cured meats, a wedge of Parmesan, olives, and a few slices of crusty bread.
For a full Italian appetizer spread, pair this with Ina’s Bruschetta Recipe for a warm contrast to the room-temperature salad. The roasted red peppers appear in both dishes but the flavor profiles are different enough that they complement each other instead of overlapping.
