Summer is quickly barreling toward fall, but some of our hottest weather is still before us. In that light, I'll be highlighting some great late summer salads for the rest of this week and all of next week. Stews, soups, and casseroles are just around the corner, but our cravings are hanging out with salad days for now!
This time around, I'm offering a recipe that I love to serve with my favorite "fancier" grilled items. Everything from smoky salmon to seared steaks are better with this clever salad alongside it. Grabbing your air fryer knocks down both the time it takes to make and the amount of heat tossed into your kitchen in August, so it's a win win to be sure. Both artichoke hearts and baby potatoes get air fried - separately - and joined with a pesto mayonnaise dressing, diced red onion, and fresh basil. While I'm sure there are tweaks that would work out there, I simply just make it this way every time I'm serving it and it's delightful every time.
I like to think of this as a fancy potato salad that spans the gap between salad and hot side dish. The result is a delightful warm potato salad with a bit of elegance to spare. Grilled steak, whole grilled chicken, thick cut pork chops, all kinds of fish, and seafood all work nicely with it. A nice green salad or fresh fruit round things out nicely and a good glass of wine is excellent as well. Cheers to a fancy meal at the grill!
Roasted Artichoke & Potato Salad
- 1 (14 ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts in water, thoroughly drained
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound baby or new potatoes - small ones halved, larger ones quartered
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons pesto
- 1 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Pat artichoke hearts dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
Combine the artichoke hearts, Italian seasoning, half of the salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Place into the air fryer basket.
Cook in the preheated air fryer for 4 minutes. Shake the basket and continue to cook until artichokes begin to brown and the edges are crispy, 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove the artichoke hearts to a large serving bowl; set aside.
Prepare the potatoes by tossing them in a bowl with the remaining olive oil and salt.
Add the potatoes to the air fryer basket (still set for 400°F) and cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the pesto mayo by whisking together the mayonnaise, pesto, and mustard in a small bowl; set aside.
Once the air fryer is finished with its first 15 minutes, give the potatoes a shake. Set for another 15 minutes of cooking.
Spoon the potatoes into the bowl with the artichoke hearts. Add the diced red onions and fresh basil. Drizzle with the pesto mayo dressing and toss lightly. Serve immediately.
- Yields: 6-8 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes