Oil-Poached Artichoke Heart Salad

This salad of thinly sliced artichoke hearts that have been slowly poached in garlic infused olive oil and tossed with herbs is simple, light meal for a warm afternoon.

By
Hank Shaw
Hank Shaw
Hank Shaw
Hank has authored five cookbooks, the latest in 2021. His website Hunter Angler Gardener Cook won Best Food Blog by the James Beard Foundation in 2013.
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Updated May 27, 2022
Hank Shaw
Oil Poached Artichoke Salad
Elise Bauer

One of my favorite artichoke heart recipes, this is a simple salad that is great on a warm spring afternoon.

Yes, it does use a lot of oil, but you can reuse it. Just put it in the fridge and use the oil for salad dressings or to fry something else in—it will add a certain “artichokiness” to your next dish.

Oil keeps its heat well, so use that to your advantage here: Undercook the artichoke hearts, then keep them in the hot oil until it cools. You run a far less risk of turning them into mush that way.

Oil-Poached Artichoke Heart Salad

Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 70 mins
Servings 4 servings

The seasonings are a guide here: If you’d rather toss the ‘chokes with something else, go for it.

Ingredients

  • 3 large artichoke hearts

  • Kosher salt

  • Extra virgin olive oil, lots of it

  • 2 smashed garlic cloves

  • Juice of 2 lemons

  • 1 tablespoon minced parsley

  • 1 tablespoon minced chives

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Trim the artichokes:

    Trim the artichokes then slice lengthwise into pieces roughly 1/4-inch thick. You want them to look like silhouettes of an artichoke heart.

  2. Bathe the artichokes in lemon:

    In a bowl, soak the artichokes in the lemon juice.

  3. Heat the garlic in olive oil:

    Get a large, heavy pot with a lid and pour in a layer of olive oil. Add the smashed garlic cloves and turn the heat to low.

  4. Salt the artichoke heart slices and add to oil:

    Take some artichoke heart slices out of the lemon juice and salt them well. Slip them into the olive oil in layers, adding more olive oil to cover. You will probably need about a pint or so of olive oil—it is very important they are completely covered.

    Do not use cheap vegetable oil (corn, canola, etc) as a substitute because you will definitely taste the olive oil in the final dish. You could use melted butter, though...

  5. Heat on low:

    Cover the pot and cook on the lowest heat of your weakest burner for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the oil cool for another 20 to 30 minutes.

  6. Remove from the oil and toss with remaining ingredients:

    To make the salad, just remove the artichokes from the oil and toss with the remaining ingredients. You can eat the garlic or not, but it is just there to flavor the oil.

    Serve at room temperature. It keeps for several days in the fridge.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
77 Calories
3g Fat
11g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 77
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 128mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 19mg 94%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 152mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.