I have a confession… I’m really picky about salads. I like salads, but delicious flavorful ones. I want something hearty and flavorful that doesn’t feel like an after thought. Too many times you see one on a menu at a restaurant and they end up tasting like, well nothing. Salad doesn’t have to mean sad and boring!
Enter this salad. With hearty roasted artichoke hearts, almonds, manchego cheese, and lemon juice it’s anything but boring! It also continues my salad pattern and decades long love affair with arugula. I love it’s peppery taste so much that I essentially don’t buy any other salad greens…
Who knew one person could have so many strong feelings about salads?
Roasted Artichoke Arugula Salad:
12 ounces frozen or jarred artichoke hearts
7 ounces arugula (this is one bag from Trader Joe’s)
1/3 cup manchengo cheese, diced into small pieces
1/3 cup marcona almonds
1 lemon, juiced
Olive oil
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Fresh cracked pepper
Method:
Roast the artichoke hearts: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If using frozen artichoke hearts make sure they’re thawed. If they’re jarred make sure the drain and pat them dry. On a small pan covered in parchment paper, toss artichokes with a tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper. Spread into a single layer and roast for 13-15, flip and roast for 5-7 minutes more, or until golden. Set aside.
In a large bowl mix arugula, manchego cheese, marcona almonds, and artichokes. Top with lemon juice, about 3 tablespoons olive oil, and a few pinches of flaky sea salt. Toss until arugula is evenly coated.
Serve and enjoy! Feel free to top each bowl with extra almonds or cheese.
Tips: You can roast the artichokes up to 4 days before you need them. I like to roast more than I need and add them to a cheese board, add them to sandwiches, or just snack on them.
I buy Marcona almonds at Trader Joe’s, but I’ve seen them at Whole Foods and lots of other grocery stores. You can also buy them from Amazon.
Want to make the salad dinner? Add roasted shrimp, leftover grilled chicken, or even a fried egg on top. The possibilities are endless.
