Leaf after leaf after delicious leaf … and then finally the tender, melt-in-your-mouth heart – the ultimate payoff. The unique veggie might be a little intimidating, but it’s so worth it to learn how to cook artichokes.

The first time I picked up an artichoke at the grocery store, I was clueless! But once I prepped it, steamed the artichoke, and sat down to eat it, I was hooked. There is a learning curve, though!

From choosing good, fresh artichokes to trimming them to how to steam artichokes, here are all of my tips for how to enjoy the queen spring vegetable (next to asparagus): Artichokes!

Table of Contents

Selecting Artichokes

When choosing your artichokes, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • You want brightly colored, vibrant green artichokes (a little frost burn is okay).
  • Your artichoke should have tightly closed leaves. If the leaves are wide open, the artichoke is probably older than you want.
  • Artichokes should feel a little heavy for their size.

How to Prep

Congrats! You’re back home – but before you learn how to cook artichokes, first, you need to wash and trim them.

First, with a pair of kitchen scissors, snip off the tips of the artichoke leaves. They’re pokey, and that’s no fun.

Scissors trimming the tips of the leaves off of an artichoke

With a super-sharp, heavy-duty knife, lop off the top of the artichoke – about 3/4 of an inch worth.

Lopping off the top of an artichoke in preparation for cooking

Now, cut off the stem at the base of the artichoke so that it will sit flat. Remove the bottom row of leaves.

Cutting off the stem of an artichoke

Rinse well under cold water.

Washing the artichoke

It’s ready, and it’s a thing of beauty!

Prepped artichoke ready to cook

How to Cook Artichokes

The most common way to cook artichokes is to boil/steam them.

To steam your artichokes, fill a large pot with about two inches of water and set in the artichokes, bottom side down. Optional but tasty: add a bay leaf, a slice of lemon, and/or a garlic clove. Set on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the temperature on the water to medium, reducing it to a simmer. Cover.

Two artichokes in a pot with water and a slice of lemon


Steam the artichokes for about 30 minutes, until tender. If you’re not sure they’re ready, pull one out and pierce the bottom with a fork. If it pierces the flesh easily, it’s ready!

Two cooked artichokes on a plate

Remove from water, allow to cool a bit, and serve with whatever dip you like (here are a few ideas!)

Oh, but just in case …

How to Eat an Artichoke

An artichoke leaf dipped into honey mustard sauce
  1. One at a time, pull a leaf off by the top. See that meaty little bit of flesh at the bottom? That’s the tasty stuff. Dunk that part into some butter or dipping sauce, and then scrape the flesh off with your teeth. Some like to scrape with the leaf upside down, some right side up. Do what feels right!
  2. Now discard the remaining leaf, and have another. And another. Until … (cue dreamy music) you get to the heart!
  3. But first, you need to get rid of the fuzzy center. Pull off any remaining little leaves and then use a spoon to get just under that layer of fuzz. Scrape it all off and discard.
  4. What you’re left with is pure magic – the heart. Use a knife and fork to cut it up and enjoy every tender, scrumptious morsel.

That’s it! You’ve done it!

How to Store Them

You’ll want to cook artichokes pretty quickly after you buy them. If you need to hold on to them for a couple of days, wrap them up and refrigerate them then try to cook them within a couple of days.

To store steamed artichokes, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a steamer basket. Or you can cut them in half, scoop out the fuzzy portion on top of the heart with a spoon, and grill them! Honestly, they’re great cold too though.

Can I Freeze Artichokes?

I don’t recommend freezing fresh or steamed artichokes because the freezing and thawing process will affect the texture.

Dipping Sauce Suggestions

If you’re looking for artichoke dipping sauce ideas, this post will have you covered! With recipes for everything from honey mustard to chipotle aioli to curry mayo, there’s a dipping sauce here that’s just perfect for you and your artichoke.

More Artichoke Recipes

Love artichokes? Try these:

5 from 2 votes

Steamed Artichokes

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 2
Welcome spring with the ultimate healthy appetizer. It's actually really easy to cook an artichoke – and worth every second you spend doing it.
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 2 fresh artichokes
  • 1 slice of lemon
  • 1 medium clove of garlic
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  • With a pair of kitchen scissors, snip off the tips of the artichoke leaves. They’re pokey, and that’s no fun.
  • With a super-sharp, heavy-duty knife, lop off the top of the artichoke – about 3/4 of an inch worth.
  • With the same knife, cut off the stem at the base of the artichoke so that it will sit flat.
  • Remove the bottom row of leaves.
  • Rinse well under cold water.
  • Fill a large pot with about two inches of water and set in the artichokes, bottom side down. Optional but tasty: add a bay leaf, a slice of lemon, and/or a garlic clove. Set on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the temperature on the water to medium, reducing it to a simmer. Cover.
  • Steam the artichokes for 30-45 minutes, until tender. 30 minutes is a good guide for smaller artichokes; 45 minutes for larger. You can check for doneness by inserting the tip of a knife into the bottom (if it goes in with only a little resistance they're done) or by pulling off a tester leave (it should come off easily).
  • Remove from water, allow to cool a bit, and serve with whatever dip you like.

Video

Notes

3/23/2024 recipe update: Updated the cooking time from “30 minutes” to “30-45 minutes” to account for size differences. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1artichoke, Calories: 65kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 0.2g, Saturated Fat: 0.05g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 121mg, Potassium: 492mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 22IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 2mg

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