How to make Roasted Artichoke Salad? (Perfect for Spring)

• Food: Roasted Artichoke Salad
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-Type: Food Blog

Make this vibrant artichoke salad as soon as you can if you can get your hands on some fresh artichokes. It’s wonderful for spring because it’s topped with mint pesto.

It’s spring, which means I can’t stop myself from bringing artichokes home from the farmer’s market. They’re just so gorgeous, even if cleaning and cooking them is a bit of a chore.

My first piece of advice for using fresh artichokes is to keep it simple so you can appreciate their delicate flavor once you’ve taken the time to prepare them. Use canned or jarred artichokes in your artichoke dip recipe.

Second tip: assign artichoke trimming to someone else in the family! My mother (who has been staying with us lately) gave me a “what are you going to do with those” look the day I brought them home, immediately before I handed them over to her to figure out. To create this fresh, delectable spring salad, we roasted them.

Ingredients for Artichoke Salad

The artichokes make a delightful tangy star for this salad when roasted with lemon. To make it hearty and substantial enough to be a dinner on its own, I throw them together with these important ingredients:

• The dressing is spinach, pea, and mint pesto that binds everything together and adds a burst of flavor.
• For a nutty flavor and a heartier dish, combine farro and chickpeas.
• A sprinkling of feta cheese adds sour, salty notes to the dish.
• To make it fresher and spring-y, add greens and herbs!

Substitute another grain for the farro in this artichoke salad – quinoa or wheat berries would both be wonderful. If you want more crunch, roast your chickpeas or try a different pesto. Replace the feta with a tablespoon of capers to make it vegan.

If you have any leftover pesto, use it the next day on toast with a poached egg or on a stacked vegetable sandwich.

Salad with Roasted Artichokes

This hearty artichoke salad is a springtime must-try! Lemony artichokes and a fresh mint pesto give it a vibrant flavor that’s both enjoyable and rewarding to eat.

Ingredients

for the artichokes:

• about 6 baby artichokes
• 2 small lemons
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper
• Spinach pea & mint pesto:
• ⅓ cup pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove
• ⅓ cup peas, thawed
• Juice most of 1 small lemon
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1½ cups packed spinach
• ¼ cup mint
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper

for the salad:

• 1½ cups cooked farro (tip: cook farro in advance)
• 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• A few handfuls of baby salad greens and/or sprouts
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
• Roasted artichoke hearts
• Generous dollops of pesto
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Artichokes should be trimmed. This animated instruction is fantastic). Place artichoke hearts in a basin of water with sliced lemons until ready to bake (so they don’t brown). 1 tablespoon olive oil, brushed into a small baking dish Shake off any excess water before removing the artichokes and lemons from the water. Toss the artichokes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Arrange them in the baking dish, cut side down, with the sliced lemons. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Remove from the equation.
2. Make the pesto while the artichokes are roasting. In a small food processor, combine pine nuts and garlic. Pulse in peas, lemon juice, dijon mustard, spinach, and mint until well combined. Blend until smooth. Blend in the olive oil until it is completely smooth (or as smooth as you like).
3. Combine cooked farro, chickpeas, salad greens, feta cheese, and sliced artichoke hearts in a salad bowl. Toss with a generous squeeze of roasted lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place a few dollops of pesto on top and serve the rest on the side.

Notes

• Farro should be cooked in salted water for 35 minutes or until soft. Drain the water and set it aside until you’re ready to use it.
• To make a vegan version, leave off the cheese.
• Use quinoa or another gluten-free grain in the gluten-free variant.