Artichoke Salsa Appetizer

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The ingredients for this tasty artichoke salsa recipe are kept on standby in my pantry at all times. It’s my go to if I need a super quick and easy “little something” to serve unexpected guests, or an invasion of hungry teenagers. It’s fun and colorful appearance will make everyone want to try it.

Once they taste the refreshing flavors of tomatoes, lime, and cilantro mixed with tangy, marinated artichoke hearts, they’ll keep going back. The best part is, this artichoke salsa recipe is low in calories, but high in fiber, and antioxidants.

I was shocked to find out that artichokes have more of that free radical fighter than any other dense veggie. So gather your ingredients and let’s get to some healthy salsa making!

Why You’ll Love Artichoke Salsa

  • Easy to make – no cooking involved.
  • Quick – takes 10 minutes.
  • Presentation is beautiful
  • Gluten – Free
  • Vegan
  • Great in a pinch
  • Delicious and Healthy
  • Great choice to bring to a gathering

Tips

  • Make this salsa about 30 minutes ahead of serving, if you can. This gives the ingredients a chance to mix together and form a unique flavor.
  • Allow it to chill, this makes it even more refreshing, especially during summer months.

Ingredients

  • Tomatoes – sweet cherry tomatoes work best with this salsa. But if you don’t mind “juicier” salsa, Campari hybrids are a delicious choice too.
  • Artichoke hearts (jar or can)
  • Red onions – aside from being pretty, red onions have a stronger flavor and crispier texture than others.
  • Black olives.
  • Fresh garlic.
  • Lime
  • Cilantro – personally, I think cilantro really makes this salsa. The little green herb puts a refreshing twist on the recipe.
  • Basil

How To Make Artichoke Salsa

Honestly, the only manual labor involved in this artichoke salsa recipe is the chopping, and that’s your first step.

Chop the artichoke hearts, onions, garlic, tomatoes, olives, cilantro, and basil.

Cut your lime in half.

Then add everything (except the lime) into a large bowl and toss around, until it’s mixed together.

Squeeze the lime juice on and add some salt and pepper.

Toss again.

Chill or serve. It’s up to you.

Variations

  • Sometimes I like to add a little protein to the mix. Bacon, chicken, and shrimp are great ways to give the salsa more depth and texture.
  • This salsa can easily be turned into an artichoke salsa dip by adding cheese and some Mayo, and baking it in the oven.
  • Crumble in some feta cheese for some extra zing.

Serving Suggestions

As much as I love serving this artichoke salsa with the expected tortillas and pitas, sometimes I pair with dishes that are a bit more fun and flavorful, including:

Substitutions

  • Feel free to replace the marinated artichokes with plain. They don’t have the same punch, but it’s all a matter of preference.
  • Black olives can be switched out for capers. Capers offer a bit more cintus and salty flavor.
  • Instead of cilantro you can always use fresh parsley.

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Chopping Knife
  • Large bowl

FAQs

1. How long will artichoke salsa last?

It’s so delicious it probably won’t last the day. But in case it does, it will stay 1–2 days in the refrigerator. After that the veggies will wilt and the salsa will get mushy. It won’t be unsafe to eat, just not very appetizing.

2. Can I freeze artichoke salsa?

You can, but, honestly, I wouldn’t do it. It just becomes soggy and loses its flavor. It’s easy enough to make, so just finish it up and make a new batch when you want more.

3. Can I use fresh artichoke hearts?

While it’s perfectly fine to use fresh, keep two things in mind.

  1. First, they won’t have that marinated flavor, unless you want to do that too.
  2. The next thing is, you’ll need to boil them, and peel back those thick, petal-like layers to get to the heart. It adds a lot more work to what is a simple salsa recipe.

Artichoke Salsa Appetizer

Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Appetizer
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe medium tomatoes (Campari work nicely)
  • 1 jar 16 ounces of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
  • 1 can of black olives drained and sliced
  • 1/2 red onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons of garlic chopped
  • 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Finely chop the onion, olives, tomatoes, artichokes, garlic, and cilantro.
  • Slice the lime in half.
  • Toss all the ingredients into a large bowl (veggies first), and mix well.
  • Squirt the lime over the salsa, sprinkle in dried basil, and add some salt and pepper. Mix again.
  • Serve immediately or chill for about a half hour.