This artichoke carpaccio is the recipe that you want as your best friend in your kitchen, no cooking is involved in here. A super duper quick (believe me when I say quick) and extremely easy carpaccio salad made with raw artichokes seasoned with parmesan cheese, garlic, and citrusy olive oil.
The great thing about this carpaccio is that it can be made from fall to late spring. Artichokes are at their best during these seasons, making this a fantastic dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Easter dinner—you name it! Another advantage is that it pairs well with countless dishes, from meats and fish to pasta.
I like to serve it with freshly baked focaccia, as my black pepper focaccia recipe. If you like this raw artichoke salad, you'll love my bresaola carpaccio! A classic Italian dish extremely easy, made with bresaola, arugula and parmesan cheese. And If you love quick and easy Italian recipe why not try my burrata caprese, stir fry broccoletti or my pasta with ricotta cheese and lemon!
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Reasons to make artichoke carpaccio
- Easy to prepare - No cooking needed. Just cut the artichokes, wash them and season them. Ready in 15 minutes from start to finish!
- Light yet indulgent - If you are looking for a light but restaurant-worthy dish this is for you.
- Accommodates various diets - This carpaccio is perfect for vegetarian diets, gluten-free and can be transformed into a vegan dish. Just swap the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese with a vegan one.
- Perfect for every occasion - This can be served as an appetizer for dinner parties, a elegant side dish or as main course. It pairs beautifully with white wine or a citrusy mocktail as my non alcoholic Aperol.
- Versatile recipe - Think as this artichoke carpaccio as a white black canvas. Can be transform every time you fancy something different. See more down below.
Ingredients
- Artichokes - Is the main ingredients to make the carpaccio. Dow below you can find some tips to choose the best artichokes.
- Lemons - Add a light citrusy flavor to the seasoning. While their acidic juice also prevents the artichokes from turning dark.
- Oil - My best choice would be to use extra virgin olive oil. It gives a slightly peppery taste to the carpaccio.
- Garlic - Use fresh, raw garlic for the best flavor. Finely chop or thinly slice it to distribute its pungent, slightly spicy essence in it. If you prefer a milder touch, remove the garlic gem that lay in the a small cavity in the center of the garlic clove.
- Parmesan cheese - Use a good quality Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. You can either buy pre-made flakes or shave a block of Parmigiano with a peeler.
- Seasoning - Use a mix of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to choose artichokes for carpaccio
There're few little tips that I follow when I'm looking to buy artichokes, especially when I serving them raw in my carpaccio salad.
- Inspect the leaves and stem - Don't buy artichokes with black or brown spots on the leaves and stem, as this can indicate aging or poor storage.
- Look for tightly packed leaves- Leave behind any artichokes that have open leaves and they look dry. Look for the ones that are tight and have a compact crown.
- Firm to the touch - This is another sight of freshness. Gently squeeze it; it should feel frirm and heavy for its size. Leave behind any one that feels too soft.
- Sound - When gently pushing the artichoke you should hear e light squeaking sound. The same applies when you remove the leaves—this is a sign of freshness.
- Check the color – Choose artichokes with vibrant green or deep purple hues, depending from the variety. Avoid dull, yellowish, or brownish ones.
There're nearly 22 variety of these beauty, some people finds that the best to use to make carpaccio is the Sardinian Spiny artichoke variety. However I find that almost everyone works fine, as long is fresh.
Instructions
This dish is extremely simple to prep and to put together. The are few important steps to watch out when cleaning the artichoke, to prevent them from becoming dark. Other than that is a pice of cake.
- Step 1: Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze the juice of two lemons into it.
- Step 2: Using your hand, remove the external leaves of the raw artichokes.
- Step 3: Cut off the top tips with a sharp knife and trim part of the stem. Peel the stem with a paring knife or peeler. Cut the artichoke in half and rub it all over with lemon to prevent browning. Then, finely slice each half and immediately place the slices into the lemony water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
- Step 4: In a small bowl, prepare the vinaigrette by combining olive oil, salt, freshly cracked black pepper, chopped garlic, and the lemon juice. Whisk with a fork until well combined.
- Step 5: Drain the artichoke slices in a large colander. Arrange them on a serving plate, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and sprinkle with Parmigiano flakes. Toss gently and serve immediately.
Substitutions and Variations
You can create new variations of this artichoke carpaccio by changing the ingredients each time. Here are some tips you can follow next time you're making it.
- Make it vegan - Swap the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese with a vegan version.
- Garlic Alternative - If raw garlic is too strong, use roasted garlic instead.
- Parmesan Alternative - Swap the Parmigiano Reggiano with Pecorino cheese.
- Salad - Add few leaves of arugula, corn salad or even some chopped leaves of radicchio.
- Crunchy Crostini – Serve with toasted sourdough or homemade crostini for extra texture.
- Fruits - To make it even more nutritious add few slices of fresh apples.
- Mediterranean taste - Add olives, anchovy fillets or cappers on it.
- Burrata addition - Top the carpaccio with creamy burrata for a richer, indulgent version.
- Chickpeas - Add some cooked chickpeas to the carpaccio.
- More veggies - Add some shaved fennel to the artichoke carpaccio .
- Nuts - Scatter a handful of pine nuts, almond, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds for a crunch. But remember to toast them before.
- Oil - swap the olive oil for sesame oil.
Equipment and storage
Use a large bowl to store the artichokes in the lemony water. To cut off the top tip and part of the stem, use a sharp knife. To peel the stem and trim the edges of the artichokes, use a paring knife or a potato peeler.
Store any leftovers from the artichoke carpaccio in an airtight container in the fridge. Consume within 24 hours.
Artichoke carpaccio does not freeze well.
Top Tip
Fresh artichokes - For a delicious and visually appealing carpaccio, choose fresh artichokes. Avoid dull or mushy ones. To learn more, read the paragraph above on how to select the best artichokes.
Lemony water - This is the most important step. Adding freshly squeezed lemon juice to cold water prevents the artichokes from turning dark due to oxidation.
Lemon rub - Rubbing a cut lemon over the artichoke after peeling helps maintain its beautiful color.
Parmigiano Reggiano flakes - If you can’t find pre-made Parmigiano flakes, use a potato peeler to shave thin slices from a block of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
FAQ
Yes, of course. Just follow the recipe for a delicious raw artichoke salad.
The beard of the artichokes is also called choke. If the choke inside the artichokes is soft I wouldn't bother to remove it. On the other side, if it's pointing and hard, it's best to scoop it out with a teaspoon. In younger, more tender artichokes, the choke is soft and edible.
As a general rule, it's best to eat raw artichokes right after cleaning them. This recipe is quick to make, so there's no need to prepare it ahead of time. However, you could try keeping the sliced artichokes in lemony water and storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few hours to prevent them from turning black. Keep in mind that I haven't tested this method.
If your artichokes turned black, it’s likely due to oxidation. Artichokes oxidize quickly when cut and exposed to air, causing them to turn black. To stop it, rub them with lemon right away and put them in a bowl of water with lemon juice.
Yes, is totally safe to eat the raw artichokes. In fact they are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and prebiotics, which support gut health.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with artichoke carpaccio:
📖 Recipe
Artichoke carpaccio
Equipment
- 1 paring knife to shave the artichoke
- 1 Large bowl to keep the clean artichokes
- 1 Sharp knife to cut the lemon in half, to remove the point and the stem of the artichoke
- 1 Small bowl to combine the vinaigrette
- 1 Fork to squeeze the lemon and to whisk the vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 2 fresh artichokes
- 3 lemons
- 20 gr parmigiano Reggiano Flakes 0,7 ounce
Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves
- salt and black pepper to tase
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze the juice of two lemons into it. This lemony water will prevent the artichokes from turning black due to oxidation.
- Using your hands, remove the leaves of the artichokes until you reach the soft, pale yellow heart.
- Cut off the top tips with a sharp knife and trim part of the stem, leaving about 2 inches from the base. Peel the stem with a paring knife or peeler to remove the tough, dark green outer layer. Position the paring knife at the base where the stem meets the artichoke and slice down until you reach the end (see image on the instructions paragraph).
- Cut the artichoke in half and rub it all over with lemon to prevent browning. Then, finely slice each half and immediately place the slices into the lemony water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
- In a small bowl, prepare the vinaigrette by combining olive oil, salt, freshly cracked black pepper, chopped garlic, and the lemon juice. Whisk with a fork until well combined.
- Drain the artichoke slices in a large colander.
- Arrange them on a serving plate, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and sprinkle with Parmigiano flakes. Toss gently and serve immediately.
Notes
Absolutely! Just follow the recipe for a delicious raw artichoke salad. Do I need to remove the beard of the artichoke? The beard of the artichokes is also called choke. If the choke inside the artichokes is soft I wouldn't bother to remove it. On the other side, if it's pointing and hard, it's best to scoop it out with a teaspoon. In younger, more tender artichokes, the choke is soft and edible. Can I make the artichokes carpaccio in advance? As a general rule, it's best to eat raw artichokes right after cleaning them. This recipe is quick to make, so there's no need to prepare it ahead of time. However, you could try keeping the sliced artichokes in lemony water and storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few hours to prevent them from turning black. Keep in mind that I haven't tested this method. Why my artichokes are black? If your artichokes turned black, it’s likely due to oxidation. Artichokes oxidize quickly when cut and exposed to air, causing them to turn black. To stop it, rub them with lemon right away and put them in a bowl of water with lemon juice. Is it safe to eat raw artichoke heart? Yes, is totally safe to eat the raw artichokes. In fact they are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and prebiotics, which support gut health.
Making this raw artichoke carpaccio salad?
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Jennifer says
I've made this last night and it was a hit. The Parmesan works incredibly well with the artichokes.