Remember the White Bean and Artichoke Salad I posted last year? It was inspired by a dish my Aunt Patty made for one of our family dinners. I was a huge fan of delicious Mediterranean-style salad. I recreated it for another dinner party I was going to, but changed up a few things, adding a dash of this and a splash of that, and made it my own. It was good, but not perfect. Over time, I have continued to alter the recipe and think I finally have it down to the most amazing Vegetarian Antipasti Salad ever.
I made it this past weekend while I was visiting home in New Jersey. We threw a huge party at our house to celebrate my dad’s 70th birthday (70 is the new 30, believe me) and my little sister going off to Temple University to pursue adegree in music education. I cannot believe Rebecca is college-bound. It makes me feel so old. It’s been 3 years since I graduated from Rutgers. Seeing how excited she is about her roommate and all of the things she’ll get to do once she’s settled in, really makes me nostalgic. Special shout out to my journalism crew Carla Marie, Kelly, Aimee, Heather and Tyler, my roommates Sammi, Michelle and Kathryn, and my pseudo-roommate Melissa, who all made my time at RU totally unforgettable. Love/miss you guys!Something else that’s unforgettable? This Vegetarian Antipasti Salad. I’m not just saying that because I made it. I was told many times during the party, how delicious it was. People helped themselves to seconds, possibly even thirds, and repeatedly asked me for the recipe. I made an enormous bowl and it was completely gone by the end of the night. The flavors of all the ingredients complement each other in such a great way. Nothing goes unnoticed: Artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, white kidney beans, chickpeas, cucumbers, feta. You can taste every note, right down to your very last bite.
The amount of each ingredient can be altered based on how many people you’re feeding. I made enough for 75-100 people, but I’ll give you the recipe forhalf of that.
Vegetarian Antipasti Salad
1 large head radicchio, sliced thin
2 English cucumbers, seeded and small diced
2 jars sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
2 jars artichoke hearts, quartered
1 large can white kidney beans
1 large can chickpeas
1 large container of feta cheese
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
balsamic vinegar
red wine vinegar
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.