Spinach-artichoke salad has an ingenious crispy topping
I am always here for a spinach-artichoke moment. Whether it’s a riff on the classic party dip in the form of pasta, baked chicken or grilled cheese, I’ll happily oblige. Knowing this, you won’t be surprised to learn I have a salad inspired by spinachartichoke dip in my newest cookbook, “Salad Seasons.”
It’s light and fresh rather than goopy, but still offers plenty of comfort, thanks to warm, roasted artichokes, wilted spinach and a generous amount of salty feta crumbles.
What makes this recipe so special, however, is the crunchy, crouton-like quinoa that’s sprinkled over the whole mess to lend big-time texture and feel-good protein to every forkful.
Rather than fussing with fresh artichokes — delicious but frankly a bit of a pain to prep — this recipe calls for marinated artichokes. Not only are they easier, but they’re also
soaked with flavor and crisp up in the oven when roasted.
When the golden artichokes come out of the oven, baby spinach is scattered over them, which wilts just enough in the residual heat. A bit of lemon juice, salt
WARM SPINACH-ARTICHOKE SALAD WITH QUINOA CRUNCHIES
Makes: 1 large salad; serves 4
½ cup quinoa
¾ cup water
Kosher salt
2 (12-ounce) jars marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
5 ounces baby spinach (5 packed cups) Juice of ½ medium lemon (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup)
2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
1. Arrange two racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse well. Transfer the quinoa to a small saucepan, add the water and ¼ teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender and all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Uncover
and pepper are all that’s needed to turn this into a simple salad, but the crunch is what makes it an exciting salad. Toast cooked quinoa under the broiler, and the grains become little crispies to scatter over spinach and artichokes.
and fluff with a fork. Taste and season with additional salt as needed. Transfer the quinoa to a rimmed baking sheet, spread into an even layer and refrigerate to cool while you roast the artichokes.
3. Meanwhile, place the artichokes on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with the olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper, and spread into a single layer. Roast on the bottom rack, tossing halfway through, until browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately scatter the baby spinach over the roasted artichokes to very lightly wilt while you toast the quinoa. Switch the oven to broil on high.
4. Use your fingers to break up any large clumps of quinoa, ensuring it’s spread into a single layer. Transfer the baking sheet of quinoa to the top rack and broil, tossing frequently, until the quinoa is browned and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Gently toss the vegetables with the lemon juice, a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper on the baking sheet. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Divide among 4 individual plates or shallow bowls. Sprinkle with quinoa crunchies, feta and scallions, and drizzle with olive oil.