This cold artichoke salad uses canned artichoke hearts and jarred roasted red peppers for a flavorful, fiber-rich base that’s punctuated by fresh herbs, tomatoes, capers, white beans, sunflower seeds, parmesan, and a zippy red wine dressing. It’s simple to make but loaded with flavor and can be modified to fit a vegan diet. Serve this Mediterranean-inspired recipe as a vegetarian side or main dish!
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Lizzie’s Notes
Ah, artichoke season, how I love you so! While I enjoy preparing fresh artichokes from time to time, canned or jarred artichoke hearts are such a convenient option to add a nutrient boost to recipes when you’re short on time.
Often paired with Italian or Mediterranean ingredients, artichoke hearts shine when combined with tomatoes, peppers, parmesan, and herbs. So, that’s exactly what you’ll find in this artichoke salad!
It’s absolutely loaded with flavor and texture, making it a great side dish or an easy main dish to enjoy on its own or bulked up with another protein source. I can’t wait for you to make it!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Artichoke hearts: I prefer to use canned or jarred artichoke hearts in water. I drain them well and pat them dry to prevent the salad from getting overly soggy. I don’t recommend using marinated artichoke hearts, since this recipe already gets a lot of flavor from the dressing, but you can use them if that’s what you prefer. If you happen to have a lot of fresh artichokes you need to use, follow my instructions in the How to Roast Artichoke Halves tutorial and scoop out the hearts after they’re cooked to use in this salad!
- Fire roasted red peppers: I use a jarred option for this ingredient as well, but you can use homemade roasted peppers if desired.
- Navy beans: Substitute other kinds of white beans or even chickpeas.
- Sunflower seeds: I recommend dry roasted and salted for maximum flavor. You can substitute pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, pine nuts, or another nut or seed of your preference.
- Cherry tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes both work here.
- Fresh herbs: I love using a mix of parsley, tarragon, and basil for artichoke salad! It’s completely up to you what type of herbs you want to use. Feel free to use one or mix it up.
- Shaved parmesan cheese: This adds a wonderful salty kick, but omit it if you want the salad to be dairy-free.
- Capers: Substitute chopped olives if needed.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I like to use Partanna or Zoe brands.
- Red wine vinegar: Sub lemon juice or white wine vinegar if needed.
- Dijon mustard: Use a whole grain mustard if you don’t have Dijon.
Instructions
The full recipe card for artichoke salad is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you in the kitchen.
First, whisk the dressing together so that the red onion can marinate while you prepare the salad.
Add the artichoke hearts to a large mixing bowl, followed by the other ingredients.
Mix to combine.
Pour the dressing on top, and stir to coat.
Storage
Artichoke salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Stir well before serving, and add a squeeze of lemon juice to freshen it up if desired.
Serving and Additions
This salad is suitable as a side or main dish. If you want to bulk it up, add shredded chicken, pancetta or bacon bits, or serve alongside roasted fish, meat, or sandwiches. You can also add other vegetables, such as shaved asparagus, arugula, or shredded carrots, depending on the season and your taste preferences.
Similar Recipes
Love this Italian-inspired artichoke salad? Check out these recipes with similar flavors while you’re here:
📖 Recipe
Artichoke Salad
Ingredients
Red wine vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
Salad
- 2 10 to 14-ounce cans or jars artichoke hearts - in water, NOT marinated; this is about 1.5 cups per can/jar when drained
- 15 ounces navy beans - drained and rinsed
- ½ cup diced fire roasted red peppers - from a jar or homemade
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved, can use grape
- 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds - recommend dry roasted and salted
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs - recommend parsley, tarragon, and basil or just one of these
- 2 tablespoons capers - with their brine
- 1 ounce parmesan cheese - shaved
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing first so that the red onion has time to marinate. Whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, salt, and thinly sliced red onion in a measuring cup or small bowl.
- Drain the artichoke hearts in a colander. If the artichoke hearts did not come halved or quartered, cut them lengthwise into halves or quarters yourself. Place a layer of paper towels on a counter, and press each half cut side down into the towels to squeeze out excess water.
- Prepare the other ingredients. Dice the red peppers, slice the tomatoes, and chop the herbs. Shave the parmesan with a swivel peeler or paring knife if you are not using bagged shaved parmesan.
- Combine the artichoke hearts, beans, red peppers, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, herbs, capers, and parmesan in a large bowl. Mix to combine.
- Whisk the dressing that has been sitting and pour it over the salad. Stir well to coat.
- Enjoy right away or after chilling for an hour in the refrigerator.
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- Yield: The recipe as written makes about 8 cups. Cut the recipe in half for a smaller yield.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Serving: This dish is suitable for a vegetarian main dish or side. For more protein, add shredded chicken.
- Additions: Depending on the season and your preferences, consider adding shaved asparagus, shredded carrots, or arugula for more veggies.
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