The $1.29 Trader Joe’s Find That's So Good I Buy 6 at a Time
This product is intended for single-serve snacking, but I use it in everything from roasted potatoes to vinaigrette.
Even though things didn't work out with my college boyfriend, he will always be remembered as the one who introduced me to artichokes. He'd steam and serve them with garlic butter—a simple preparation that made me fall in love... with the vegetable.
Since artichokes are a lot of work to prepare, marinated 'chokes make a great alternative. Brined in a zesty blend of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and herbs, Trader Joe's Marinated Artichokes On The Go are a $1.29 pantry superhero.
Designed for single-serve artichoke cravings, they're great as a snack or portable lunch item (hello, mini antipasto platter!). They're also a Jack-of-all-trades for adding a tangy, briny punch to all sorts of dishes. One pouch holds a 1.58-ounce snack-sized serving, but a little goes a long way to add pronounced flavor to larger dishes.
The Many Ways I Use Trader Joe's Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Friday night is pizza movie night for my family, and we often make our own or jazz up something pre-made. In both cases, the artichoke hearts are a great topper.
To add depth to salads, I blend a couple of artichoke hearts into my vinaigrette alongside the usual suspects—olive oil, fresh lemon juice, shallot, garlic, Dijon mustard, a pinch of sugar, and white wine vinegar.
Artichoke hearts are great roasted with other veggies, particularly potatoes. I roast them right alongside the potatoes for extra flavor. They also add a little je ne sais quoi to frittatas, pasta dishes, and bruschetta.
Artichoke hearts feature prominently in my favorite party dish, an artichoke and olive spread from the Smitten Kitchen archives that converts even olive and artichoke haters. You will get compliments about this dish everywhere you take it.
It requires more artichokes, but the result is well worth it (and you can easily halve the recipe). This is one of the first dishes I made when my husband and I were new parents and couldn't go on regular dates.
On Friday nights after our daughter went to bed, we'd make a cocktail and a semi-fancy dinner and have an at-home date. Deb's olive and artichoke crostini often made it into the rotation and helped me reimagine my use of artichokes.
There's no shortage of ways to use these tender and flavorful artichoke hearts, so I always grab at least six at a time to ensure I never run out. They're a back-pocket flavor boost I lean into time and time again.
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