Learn just how easy it is to boil or steam artichokes by following my step-by-step guide & video. It's a hands-off appetizer or snack that's usually done in under 45 minutes, Serve with Whipped Lemon Butter or any of the other suggested sauces!
Eating Artichokes Is a Core Memory of Mine
I was not a normal kid, food-wise. I once ordered escargot at a French restaurant and the waiter proceeded to ask my parents if I was sure I really wanted that. Yes, yes I was. I was also 7.
I also loved, loved, loved artichokes. I remember my parents coming home with them a few times per season and every time I was so excited. They'd cook them up for a late night snack in front of the TV, and this is my fondest memory of late summer nights.
We always ate them dipped in melted butter, and leftovers were instead dipped in a simple vinaigrette. As an adult I found out that whipping the butter and adding a bit of lemon makes it even better, and this is the only way I serve them these days.
Because yes, I still love cooking artichokes. I don't do it often, only in season, when I can find really nice ones quite cheap.
It's so easy to do - and while they take a while to cook, it's hands-off time, and you just need to do a little bit of prep beforehand. So they make for a great, simple, appetizer or buffet item as well.
Either way, I know you're going to love them!
"Artichokes always felt quite immediating but it was so easy with your video! Thanks for the great recipe!" - Jack
You Really Only Need Artichokes
Artichokes come in several varieties, some smaller and softer and some larger and sturdier. The main difference is that the smaller ones will cook much faster than the larger ones. You can use either for this recipe!
I add lemon mainly for extra flavor. It also helps the artichokes keep a nice color when cooking, they can otherwise turn a bit grey. You can absolutely skip it, but I recommend adding it if you have a lemon on hand.
Salt is added for flavor as well. This is also optional, and can be switched for any other type of salt. Skip it if you're steaming your artichokes.
You can also add whole garlic cloves to the water, for even more flavor.
How to Choose the Best Artichokes
There are a few things to look for when choosing artichokes. A good artichokes will:
- Feel heavy and solid
- Be mainly bright green, silvery-green or purple-green - not brown or grayish
- Not look dry
- Have tight and tightly closed leaves
- Have leaves that squeak when squeezed or rubbed together
How to Prep Artichokes
Regardless of if you are planning to boil or steam your artichokes, you will need to prep them in the same way. Some people say you should cut off the top of the artichoke as well. I never saw the point of this, and it is not how I was taught, so I skip it.
- Remove the stem. Place one of the artichokes on a chopping board and place a knife as high up on the stem as possible. Cut down to remove the stem.
- You should now have a flat surface on the bottom of the artichoke on which it can stand upright.
- Then wash and slice your lemon.
How to Boil Them
This is my preferred method of cooking.
- Fill up a large pot with water and add in salt, lemon slices and artichokes. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer 20-60 minutes until tender. They're done when you can easily pick off a leaf. To test, transfer to a plate and try to pull off one of the leaves. If it comes off easily - it's done. If not, allow to simmer a while longer.
- When your boiled artichokes are done - remove the pot from the heat and pick up the artichokes with a slotted spoon. Place them upside down in a strainer or coolander for a few minutes to remove any water lodged inside, and to allow them to cool down slightly. Then serve!
How to Steam Them
To steam artichokes you will need a steamer basket, a coolander, or a regular metal strainer.
- Bring out a large pot and pour in "enough" water. Enough means the pot will not go dry while cooking, but the water doesn't reach the strainer even when boiling. Then place a steaming basket, coolander, or metal strainer on top of the pot and place the lemon slices in it.
- Place the artichokes on top of the lemon slices.
- Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, and cook for 30-70 minutes until tender. They're done when you can easily pick off a leaf. To test, transfer to a plate and try to pull off one of the leaves. If it comes off easily - it's done. If not, put it back in the water. It usually takes a little bit longer to steam than to boil artichokes.
- When your steamed artichokes are done, remove from the heat and let them cool down slightly before eating.
How to Know When They Are Done
There are two good ways to make sure steamed or boiled artichokes are done:
- Try pulling off a leaf, and if it's easy - they're done.
- Stick a pairing knife into the bottom of the artichoke - if it goes in smoothly, they're done.
How to Eat Them & How to Remove the Artichoke Heart
Eating artichokes is fun! But if you haven't done it before, you might be a bit confused as to how you actually get to the food - and where is the food, anyway?!
There are two things you eat on an artichoke: the meat on the leaves, and the artichoke heart.
- Start by picking off the outer leaves. Either pick them off one at a time and eat directly, or pick off a bunch or all of them at once. Dip the end of the leaf in your whipped butter or other sauce and then gently pull of the meaty part of the leaf with your teeth.
- You can eat all the leaves - even the purple inner leaves - but after a while they become too small to bother with. Then it's time to uncover the heart. Do this by picking off all the last leaves until you reach the hairy part.
- Use a knife and fork, a spoon, or your fingers to gently remove and discard the hairs.
- Underneath is the artichoke heart. Eat it with the same sauce as the leafs, or save it to use in salads.
Tips & tricks
- You don't have to trim the leaves. You will see most recipes mention trimming the leaves or cutting off the top of the artichoke, but there's really no need. But if you want to, do go ahead.
- Cook time can vary a lot for both steamed and boiled artichokes. It will depend on how fresh your artichokes are, what type they are, and their size.
- Smaller and younger artichokes cook faster. Sometimes they are done in as little as 20 minutes.
- Larger and older artichokes take longer. Sometimes more than an hour.
What to Do with Leftovers
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. A whole artichoke will be good for about 24 hours, but artichoke hearts on their own will keep for at least 3 days.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing leftovers.
Leftover artichokes: Leftovers can be eaten cold or reheated in the microwave, or re-steamed.
Leftover artichoke hearts: Leftover artichoke hearts can be used in salads, pasta dishes or on top of pizza.
Sauces to Serve Them With
I always serve artichokes with some kind of dipping sauce. Either some variety of butter, a vinaigrette, or a creamy sauce. They all go great both with the leaves, and the heart.
Here are my favorite "sauces" to serve with artichokes:
- A simple vinaigrette. This is a nice way to cut some of the richness of the artichoke, and it's also a great way to eat leftover cold artichokes. (I recommend a honey-lemon vinaigrette, honey-balsamic vinaigrette or a simple apple cider vinegar and olive oil vinaigrette.)
- Melted butter. This is seriously yummy, but can become a bit too rich after a while. To cut the richness you can add a squeeze of lemon to the butter.
- Whipped lemon butter. This has the perfect combination of fat, salt and acidity - so you can eat even more butter before feeling full, because we added some lemon to it. This is my favorite way to serve them!
- Lime Aioli - the zest and juice from the lime helps keep it from becoming too heavy
Dishes to Serve Alongside Them
Artichokes are often served as part of a spread, alongside other dishes. Here are some of my favorite easy dishes to serve alongside them.
- Stuffed Dates with Feta Cheese20 Minutes
- Acili Ezme - Spicy Turkish Salsa15 Minutes
- Bacon Wrapped Dates (Devils on Horseback)25 Minutes
- Air Fryer Texas Toast Garlic Bread11 Minutes
Recipe
Boiled or Steamed Artichokes with Whipped Lemon Butter
Print RateIngredients
Boiled Artichokes
- 2 artichokes stems cut off
- 2 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon per 0.5 liters/2 cups water; skip if steaming
- ½ lemon washed and sliced; optional
Whipped Lemon Butter (optional)
- ⅓ cups salted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice or according to taste
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes or according to taste
Instructions
Boiled Artichokes
- Add water to a large pot, there should be enough water to at least cover the artichokes. Salt the water and add in the lemon slices and the artichokes.2 artichokes, 2 tablespoon salt, ½ lemon
- Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30-70 minutes until the leaves come off easily.
- Take off the heat and place the artichokes upside-down in a strainer or on a plate, to remove excess water. Then serve with whipped lemon butter.
Steamed Artichokes
- Add a few inches of water to a large pot. Place a steaming basket, coolander or strainer inside and make sure it does not touch the water.
- Place lemon sliced in the bottom of the steamer basket or strainer and place the artichokes on top.½ lemon, 2 artichokes
- Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, and cook for 30-70 minutes until tender and the leaves come off easily..
- Remove from the heat and let them cool down slightly before eating with whipped lemon butter.
Whipped Lemon Butter (optional)
- Make the butter while the artichokes are cooking. Melt ⅓ of the butter and let it cool down just slightly.⅓ cups salted butter
- Place the melted butter in a bowl, preferably one with high sides, and cut the remaining butter into small pieces. Add a few pieces at a time to the melted butter, while mixing well with an electric whisk.⅓ cups salted butter
- Once all the butter has been added, mix in the lemon juice and taste test. Season with salt according to taste, cover, and place in the fridge until you want to serve.1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
Video
Notes
- You don't have to trim the leaves, even if you will see that in most recipes - but you can if you want to.
- Cook time can vary a lot for both steamed and boiled artichokes, depending on how fresh your artichokes are and their size.
- Smaller and younger artichokes cook faster - sometimes in as little as 20 minutes.
- Larger and older artichokes will take longer - sometimes more than an hour.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container - a whole artichoke is good for about a day, but the artichoke heart alone can be stored for at least 3 days.
- Leftovers can be eaten cold or heated in the microwave.
- Save leftover artichoke hearts and use in salads, pasta dishes or on pizza.
- Reheat artichokes in the microwave in 1 minute increments.
How many artichokes to serve per person?
As an appetizer or one of a variety of dishes: half an artichoke per person is usually enough (1 if they are very small) If serving just artichokes as a snack: ½-1 artichoke per person will be perfect.Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Recipe FAQ
Artichokes are commonly served as an appetizer or as part of a variety of dishes. When served this way, half an artichoke per person is usually enough. If they are very small you may want to serve 1 per person.
If serving just artichokes as a snack on their own ½-1 artichoke per person will be perfect.
Yes, you can overcook artichokes but it's not something you need to be very worried about.
First of all, it doesn't make a big difference. Overcooked artichokes are a bit softer, but it doesn't affect taste.
Second, boiled artichokes don't overcook in a second - so you have time to catch it. Just check regularly once they've cooked for 20-30 minutes and you will be fine.
Alisha Rodrigues
That butter is so easy to make and yet so much flavor in there .. Love the combination the butter and boiled artichokes. Gotta include this to my healthy foods list
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Alisha! I love that combo as well!
jack
Artichokes always felt quite immediating but it was so easy with your video! Thanks for the great recipe!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thanks for commenting Jack and happy to hear my video helped you! 😀
Cookilicious
Can you believ that I have never eaten artichokes? But your dish looks so tempting..that I am willing to try
Emmeline Kemperyd
Oh you need to try it asap! Let me know what you think 😉
Beth
Yummy! This looks out of this world delicious! I can't wait to make this! My husband is going to love this!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hope you enjoyed it, Beth!
Amanda Marie Boyle
Love artichokes, and love that version of whipped butter even better!
Emmeline Kemperyd
It really is the best way to have them, in my mind! Thanks for commenting!
Lisa T
Growing up we got artichokes as a special treat with something like steak dinner usually. Wasn’t a very common thing in our household cause I had 6 other siblings so maybe once every couple months. Always just had it dipped in melted butter, no lemon or whipped butter. One time my older brother brought his girlfriend for dinner to announce they’re engagement and we had steak and artichokes and I was ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED when she asked for a bowl of mayonnaise to dip hers in.. I can barely stand a small amount of mayonnaise on a sandwich but only enough to get it to slide down my throat easier and this girl is (in my opinion) DESTROYING a perfectly AWESOME Artichoke that was a rarity at my house with MAYONNAISE... YUCK 🤮 doesn’t even come close to what was going through my head and EVERYONE of us (my brother included) sat there with our mouths hanging open and my gag reflexes went into OVERLOAD.. We could not believe what we were watching!! She tried to get everyone to try it and most did try it but no one liked it but her.. I couldn’t try it and in fact took my Fabulous Artichoke with my bowl of melted BUTTER and went to the other room to eat because I couldn’t stomach to watch it but I SURE AS HECK was NOT GOING to miss out on eating my SPECIAL TREAT!! These days I have tried to add a little more flavor to my dipping sauce (melted butter) by adding a clove or 2 of garlic, sometimes a little shredded parmigiana cheese to the hot melted butter and let it melt in there and sometimes both. Never tried lemon in the boiling process or the butter I am having them tonight so I think I’ll give it a whirl.. Thank you for the suggestion. Just curious though, why do you add lemon to the water?? Never heard of that before.. 😊
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Lisa! Haha I love that story! They were such a special treat in my house as well! And I have the same relationship with mayonnaise - never understood what people like it for and I would probably have had the same reaction if someone wanted it do dip their delicious artichokes in...
We always used to have artichokes with just plain melted butter as well but I like the addition of lemon to the butter mainly because it allows me to eat more butter without feeling that it's "too much" 😉 thanks to the acidity. Your additions sound delicious as well - will have to try those out!
As for the lemon in the water I just feel it adds some nice extra flavor. Since the artichoke is so nutty and rich in its flavor I like some acidity to "cut it" - otherwise the combo artichoke + plain butter gets a bit too heavy for me.
Curious to hear what you thought about it if you ended up trying it!!
Sarahd
Thanks for the reminder! My mom used to serve these to us growing up with Hollandaise sauce and I had all but forgotten!
Emmeline
Never had them with hollandaise sauce but that sounds amazing! Will have to try!
Andrea Metlika
I love artichokes! I can't wait to make them myself, because now I can! thank you
Alexandra
Artichokes are one of my favourites - so naturally, I knew I was going to adore this recipe. The whipped lemon butter takes this to the next level. Incredible!
Sara
This looks so tasty! I have never cooked artichoke at home, but you make it seem less intimidating than I expected.
Deanne
I love artichokes and didn't know they were that good for me. It's a win-win!!
kim
Love this recipe! So much flavor and it's way easier than you might think!