Marinated Artichoke Hearts Salad is an Italian-inspired recipe that’s delicious as a starter or light meal. This vegan and gluten-free dish is easy to make in under 15 minutes. The flavors will remind you of a restaurant salad, and you can customize it to add your favorite toppings.
Some of the best salads I’ve eaten have been in Italian restaurants.
I think it may be because the ingredients are flavorful on their own, and then adding a zesty dressing takes it over the top.
Of course it could be because I really like Italian food.
And this Marinated Artichoke Hearts Salad goes well with all my favorites like Pasta with Zucchini, Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil, and Vegan Puttanesca Cauliflower.
Homemade dressing
The dressing for this Marinated Artichoke Hearts Salad is really easy to make.
And you only need a few ingredients.
Simply add the following to a small jar, close the lid, and shake until combined:
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- Italian seasoning
- garlic powder
- nutritional yeast
- salt and pepper
What is Italian seasoning?
Italian seasoning is a flavorful blend of herbs and spices commonly found in Italian dishes.
Using a pre-made mix you can purchase at the supermarket is very convenient.
However, you can easily make it yourself at home by combining equal parts of the dried herbs basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme, and rosemary.
It’s delicious in pasta sauces, salad dressings, and roasted vegetables.
Simple ingredients in Marinated Artichoke Hearts Salad
The salad itself is comprised of four elements:
- mixed salad greens
- marinated artichoke hearts
- black olives
- red onion
You can use whatever kind of lettuce you like such as a spring mix or red and green leaf lettuces.
For convenience, a packed mix works really well.
I like to choose one with a variety of colors since we eat with our eyes first.
And be sure to buy marinated artichokes in a glass jar rather than the plain ones packed in water in a can.
We want maximum flavor for this salad!
Feel free to choose different ingredients if you don’t care for the ones I used.
I know not everyone loves olives as much as I do.
Some other delicious options are roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes, and sliced mushrooms.
How to tame a strong onion
I’m not always a fan of raw onions when they are too pungent.
But if I find the onion I selected is too sharp for my liking, I soak the slices in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes.
After 10 or 15 minutes, the onion will be much milder.
Simply dry them off and continue with the recipe.
For more useful information check out Take the Bite Out of Raw Onions with This One Simple Step from the Kitchn.
Marinated Artichoke Hearts Salad Recipe
This Marinated Artichoke Hearts Salad is perfect any day of the week.
Make it a meal by adding some chickpeas or white beans for protein.
Or enjoy it as a starter with Mini Polenta Pizza.
And if you have more jars of artichokes in your pantry than you know what to do with, check out the recipe for Marinated Artichoke Hearts Pasta Salad.
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!
Marinated Artichoke Hearts Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the salad:
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
- 7.5 ounces quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained
- 2.25 ounces sliced black olives, drained
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add the dressing ingredients to a small jar and shake to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve the salads.
- To make the salads, divide the mixed salad greens among 4 plates or bowls.
- Top each salad with an equal amount of marinated artichoke hearts, sliced black olives, and red onion slices.
- To serve, shake the jar of dressing and pour the desired amount on each salad.
Lu
Do you have any recommendation for an alternative to the oil? We can’t tolerate any kind of oil and finding replacements has been a challenge.
Amy
Hi Lu! I sometimes make this oil-free dressing in a blender which would work very well with this salad. It will make more than you need for this salad, but you can use the rest on other salads. Let me know how you like it!
Blend the following ingredients until smooth:
1 avocado roughly diced
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
About 3 Tablespoons water as needed to thin out the dressing