Instant Pot Artichokes are a simple way to cook whole artichokes and ensure that they will come out perfectly tender every time. In less than 30 minutes, and with a few flavoring ingredients like lemon and garlic, these whole artichokes are ready to be used in recipes or simply dipped in garlic butter.
Nothing says fancy to me like cooking fresh artichokes. I don't know what it is, but when I see them fresh in the store when it's artichoke season, I know I have to make them. They really are not hard to prepare, but because we are so used to cooking with canned artichokes in our house, fresh seems so special and high class.
Don't get me wrong, I love canned artichokes and use them often, like in Spinach Artichoke Cups, Greek Pasta Salad and Greek Chopped Salad.
But once or twice a year I get a hankering to make some whole artichokes in the pressure cooker and enjoy them peeled and dipped in copious amounts of garlic butter.
Artichokes may look overwhelming, but they are easy to cook. I recently cooked up a whole pumpkin to puree in my instant pot, who knows what veggie I'll do next!
These artichokes are flavored very simply with just lemon juice and garlic, but you can add other flavoring agents if you would like! Try fresh herbs, onion, or even swapping out the water for chicken stock or white wine.
Any brand of Instant Pot works here. My favorite is the standard Instant Pot brand or my Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL. I got the Instant Pot first, but if I had to go back, I would definitely opt for the Ninja Foodi Deluxe. While it's pricier up front, that machine truly does it all. It is an air fryer (I love making everything from chicken thighs to mozzarella sticks in it), it is a slow cooker, it's a pressure cooker, and so much more. I can't recommend it enough.
But enough about that, here's how to make Ninja Foodi Artichokes (Instant Pot).
Ingredients
- whole artichokes
- lemons
- garlic cloves
- water
How to make whole artichokes in the Instant Pot
Peel off a few of the outer leaves or any that look discolored.
Trim the bottom stem, leaving about a half of an inch. Trim the top of the artichoke as well, about a half an inch.
Using kitchen shears, cut the points off of the outer leaves.
Gently loosen the artichoke up by pulling it apart with your hands (not completely, just enough so that it isn't as tight). This will help allow steam to get into the inner parts of the artichoke and for it to cook evenly.
Place trivet insert into the bowl of your pressure cooker.
Arrange artichokes cut side down. Add halved lemons along with garlic cloves that have been peeled and smashed.
Pour water over top.
Attach pressure cooker lid and set for a cooking time of 15 minutes at High Pressure. It will take about 10 minutes of additional time to come up to pressure.
Once the cook time is up, carefully quick release.
Allow the artichokes to cool slightly and enjoy!
How to serve whole artichokes
A classic way to eat whole artichokes is either steamed artichokes, grilled, or pressure cooked and then dip the leaves in garlic butter. Other dipping sauces include ranch, mayo, and aioli.
You do not eat the whole leaf, but rather pull the leaf through your teeth and eat the "meat" of the artichoke. The closer your get to the inner parts of the artichoke, the more tender it becomes and the more meat you can eat. Just avoid the actual "choke" which is the very center, and generally purple in color. That part is bitter.
Recipes using whole fresh artichokes
For more recipes using whole fresh artichokes, try any of the following.
Storage
Store cooked artichokes in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, you can steam them on the stove top or microwave for a few minutes.
Ninja Foodi Whole Artichokes (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 3-5 whole artichokes
- 2 lemons
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Peel off a few of the outer leaves or any that look discolored.
- Trim the bottom stem, leaving about a half of an inch. Trim the top of the artichoke as well, about a half an inch.
- Using kitchen shears, cut the points off of the outer leaves.
- Gently loosen the artichoke up by pulling it apart with your hands (not completely, just enough so that it isn't as tight). This will help allow steam to get into the inner parts of the artichoke and for it to cook evenly.
- Place trivet insert into the bowl of your pressure cooker.
- Arrange artichokes cut side down. Add halved lemons along with garlic cloves that have been peeled and smashed.
- Pour water over top.
- Attach pressure cooker lid and set for a cooking time of 15 minutes at High Pressure. It will take about 10 minutes of additional time to come up to pressure.
- Once the cook time is up, carefully quick release.
- Allow the artichokes to cool slightly and enjoy!
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