Italian Artichoke Salad Recipe

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This Italian artichoke salad is made with raw spiky artichokes, they are in season during the fall/winter. They are so tender, you don’t need to cook them. Mixed with a fresh salad, topped with Parmesan flakes, and simply seasoned with salt, extra virgin olive oil and “real” balsamic vinegar.

Jump to:

• Spiky artichokes
• Ingredients
• What is balsamic vinegar
• What is EVOO oil
• How to clean an artichoke
• Assembling the salad
• More Italian winter salads
• More recipes with artichokes
• 📋 Italian artichoke salad

Spiky artichokes

These artichokes are very common in Italy during the winter. If you don’t know them, you wouldn’t buy them as they are full of spikes and not very inviting.

However, once you have removed the spikes and the hard leaves, those artichokes are very tender and sweet, you don’t even have to cook them.

They are delicious added in a salad or raw eaten as crudites dipped in mayo or simply in extra virgin olive oil.

Spiky artichokes substitution

If you cannot find artichokes you can eat raw, I would suggest to substitute them with grilled preserved artichokes.

Ingredients

I like to keep this salad very simple as you really want to taste the sweet flavor of the artichoke.

I use fresh sweet salad like mesclun or butter lettuce then I add shredded Parmesan which well combines with artichokes.

For seasoning, I use a very simple Italian salad seasoning made with salt, extra virgin olive oil, and a good quality Balsamic vinegar.

What is balsamic vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is very different from regular vinegar as it is more complex to make and requires at least 12 to 25 years to mature.

The balsamic vinegar you buy at the supermarket is probably not real balsamic vinegar. The low price cannot justify the real procedure of Balsamic vinegar.

Check the labels, make sure it is Made in Modena and it is a DOC.

You can use the supermarket Balsamic vinegar for cooking, that is fine. But if you want to use it for seasoning you should try the real one.

I buy mine at the Acetaia San Giacomo and you can find it on Amazon.

What is EVOO oil

At first, I was very confused when I saw the name EVOO, then I realized that it is the short name for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

But do you really know what Extra Virgin means?

Olive oil to be called Extra Virgin has to have specific characteristics.

“First cold-pressed olive oil” meaning:

1. it is the oil extracted from the first pressing of the olive
2. the olive pressing should be mechanic and at temperatures not above 27 C – 80 F
3. acidity level should be below 0.8% per 100 g (3.5 oz)

A simple virgin olive oil has an acidity limit of 2% per 100 g (3.5 oz) which is measured by instruments.

The quality of the extra virgin olive oil, instead, is based on organoleptic measurement which is done by experts tasting.

Difference between extra virgin olive oil and olive oil

Regular olive oil is extracted with chemical processes to eliminate organoleptic defects.

After this process the oil loses its color and taste, it is therefore mixed with extra virgin olive oil to give back the resemblance of olive oil.  

The amount of extra virgin olive oil added is just the minimum necessary.

Using a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil is very important, it can completely change the flavor of any recipe.

I use extra virgin olive oil when I add it raw, but never use the virgin olive oil to make homemade mayonnaise, it just doesn’t work.

This chart created by ‘Jamie’s Italian’, beautifully describes the different types of olive oil, where it comes from and how professionals taste it.

The chart is very comprehensive in its explanation and description.

Storing extra virgin olive oil

Fortunately several of my relatives produce olive oil and every year my mother sends me 2.5 gallon – 10 liters. So I am always certain about the quality of my olive oil.

October is the month when olive oil is pressed, and we always wait for the new harvest to stock up for the year. 

After 1 year the olive oil loses its flavor and increases in acidity, so we never buy more than 10 liters. If needed we buy more during the year.

Olive oil should be stored in a dark container which is light-resistant. That is why it is sold in cans or in greenish bottles.

Every week I pour the virgin olive oil into small bottles to bring it to the table.

Sometimes I flavor it with hot chili or infuse garlic or herbs. However, I use it within 2 days or add some lemon to prevent the risk of botulism (toxic bacterial).

How to clean an artichoke

Cleaning artichokes is easy even if time-consuming, but definitely worth the effort.

Before you get started, wear a pair of dispensable gloves as artichokes stain. Prepare a bowl with fresh water and lemon juice. Then follow the instructions below:

1. First, remove the external hard leaves, until the yellow flesh appears.
2. Then remove all the dark green tops of the leaves which have no meat and end with spikes.
3. Last you peel off the green layer of the steam.

5. Immediately immerse the artichokes in water and lemon otherwise they turn black

6. Cut the artichokes into quarters
7. Remove the internal leaves

8. Slice them in thin slices

Assembling the salad

1. place on the plate some tender salad leaves
2. Layover the sliced artichoke
3. Add some freshly shredded Parmesan
4. Season with salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil
5. Drizzle some balsamic vinegar
6. Enjoy!

More Italian winter salads

Italian salads are always very simple, made with seasonal produce, “they” are the star of the plate.

Winter is the season for artichokes, oranges, puntarelle, fennels. So those are the salads you will find on an Italian table during the cold weather:

• Italian artichokes salad
• Puntarelle alla Romana
• Blood Orange Fennel Salad

More recipes with artichokes

• Pizza with artichokes and scamorza
• Roman artichokes in the pressure cooker
• Hot Artichoke Dip With Parmesan And Garlic
• Broad bean minestra

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