Name: Instant Pot Artichokes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 2-4 artichokes; 1 cup water; 2 cloves garlic (crushed); 2 lemon wedges; Salt

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Instant Pot Artichokes: Simple, easy, and quick instructions for cooking artichokes in the instant pot. A delicious and easy side for any meal.

Using a pressure cooker to prepare artichokes is surprisingly simple and quick. No more messy pots of boiling water, or ending up with mushy artichokes. This method gives you top notch results with little effort on your part. I won’t ever cook artichokes another way again.

Does the question: “How do you cook artichokes?” seem complex and daunting? Have you asked yourself “How do I cook and artichoke in a microwave?” or “How do I cook an artichoke in the oven?” trying to ferret out the best, easiest, most efficient way of how to cook artichokes?

Three words, my friends: artichokes instant pot.

You can wow your dinner party friends and family with very little effort and thought on your part. It’s so easy, in fact, that after you’re done you’ll want to kiss your instant pot… just wait until it’s cool.

Whether it’s a family dinner or having friends over for a meal, I love to serve artichokes. Pulling leaves off is fun, and something kids can really get into, and dipping them into either warm butter or a garlic aioli sauce adds just the right touch of flavor…yum! So the next time you’re at the store, pick up some artichokes and toss them in your fridge to kick your next meal up a notch.

HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP ARTICHOKES IN THE FRIDGE?

Artichokes are a hearty vegetable, and not one that is going to spoil quickly, which is one of the reasons I love keeping them on hand.

A general rule of thumb is to store a raw artichoke in the fridge for one to two weeks.

A cooked artichoke can be stored for about 4 days before it is going to be yuck!

If you’re like me, though, and sometimes forget when the vegetables went into the fridge, you can tell the artichoke is really ready to cook if the leaves are starting to open up. So pop that sucker right into your instant pot and have it with dinner.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK ARTICHOKES IN A PRESSURE COOKER?

During the dinner rush adding sides is the last thing on my list, so I try to start my sides at the same time as the main course. Knowing how long to cook my sides is important to maintain balance.

The hardest part about cooking artichokes in a pressure cooker is the prepping of the artichokes. Yo have to cut off the tops and trim the leaves. Which is not difficult, but give yourself a few minutes to do so.

How long to cook artichokes depends on the size of the artichoke, but at pressure it takes between 5-13 minutes, less time for smaller ones and more for the bigger ones. Remember, though, to add in about 10-15 minutes extra time, about 10 for your instant pot to get to pressure and 5 for a quick release vent. Watch out for the steam! I like to put a wet washcloth over the release valve so my instant pot doesn’t resemble Old Faithful.

You can learn more about how to use an instant pot and my favorite instant pot accessories in this Complete Guide to Instant Pot Cooking.

WHAT DO YOU EAT WITH YOUR ARTICHOKE?

A perfectly cooked artichoke is yummy by itself, but even better when you add a sauce you can dip into.

Warm some butter or mix up some mayo or aioli sauce.
Peel off the outer leaves and dip the bottom in to butter or dip.
Scrape the pulp off the bottom of the leaf between your teeth.
Once all the leaves have been gobbled up use a spoon and scrape off the hairy choke of the heart and discard.
The heart can be chopped up and used in any recipe that calls for heart of artichokes, or eaten right away.

HOW LONG DO YOU BOIL AN ARTICHOKE?

If using a pressure cooker is too intimidating, no worries, you can boil your artichokes. Here’s how:

Prepare the artichoke the same way you would for the Instant pot by trimming the tough outer skin from the stem and snapping off the bottom row of leaves.
Bring your water to boil and add your artichokes.
Tip: add a plate or smaller pot lid to the top to help keep them submerged.
Boil for about 20 min on a low boil.
You know the artichoke is done when it can easily be pierced with a fork, a lot like a baked potato.

Of course you can always read the Instant pot user guide to help you fall in love with your instant pot as much as I have.

HANDY TOOLS TO HAVE ON HAND

Instant pot: There are a lot of different sizes and types. I love my 6 Qt Lux as well as my 8 Qt Duo. I would recommend starting with a 6 Qt as it is big enough to cook for a crowd, but not too big. And the Duo is amazing. It offers a lot of features.

Artichoke holder: These holders or stands are the perfect way to serve artichokes. They keep them upright so they are easy to grab the leaves off.

Sharp paring knife: When preparing artichokes you cut the tops off, and you trim the leaves so no hard, sharp ends will poke you. A good knife is a must!

Butter dipping bowls: Artichokes are best served with sauce or butter. I love a good aioli. Anyway, these little dipping bowls are the perfect addition to the table, and even though they are shells, I feel like they look like artichokes, which makes it even more fun.

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