Instant Pot Artichokes // Video

Love artichokes but don’t want to wait for them to cook forever on the stovetop? Making Instant Pot Artichokes will have them on your plate in about 15 minutes (including the time it takes for the IP to warm up!) You’re not going to believe how quick and simple they are to make.

Instant Pot Artichokes

Hey!!! It’s almost ARTICHOKE SEASON and if you don’t have the patience to cook those spiney little buggers….I have the BEST way to make them…in the INSTANT POT! Now, for a little background….I’m not a big Instant Pot fan. I bought one a really long time ago because everybody raved about it so much but I really didn’t find them to be super fantastic right off the bat.

But, lately, I’ve been pulling it out of the garage and dusting it off to make things that usually take FOREVER to cook…simple things like oatmeal, hard boiled eggs and….ARTICHOKES. Basic recipes that I can either make a big batch of to meal prep for the week or just to cut the time off of something that takes a bit longer than I would actually like.

I’m still not going to make a chicken breast in there just to eat all dry and plain and nasty but these Instant Pot Artichokes have sold me on the efficiency that is the Instant Pot and I’m slowly being converted to the Instant Pot fan girl status. 

If you’ve ever steamed an artichoke on the stovetop it can take up to 40 minutes for the heart to be tender enough to eat, cooking whole artichokes in the pressure cooker shaves off a ton of time leaving you with scrumptious artichokes on your plate in just about 15 minutes. 

But first……how do you buy an artichoke at the store?

I know, it sounds silly….how to buy an artichoke but really, how do you pick out an artichoke in the produce section. Like selecting the perfect apple or pomegranate, there’s actually a few things to look for when you’re selecting an artichoke to make sure it’s the very best it can be.

What to look for when buying an artichoke:

• Pick an artichoke that is heavy and solid for it’s size. If the artichoke feels light, it’s old and past it’s prime.
• The leaves should be thick and tightly closed with a bright green color. Avoid artichokes that have dry, shriveled or split leaves.

How to Cook Artichokes in the Instant Pot

So….there are sooooo many ways to cook artichokes….you can boil artichokes, steam artichokes, cook artichokes in the crock pot or slow cooker or cook them in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. 

You can also roast artichokes, bake them or grill artichokes, too, but those all require the first step of par-cooking them so to save some much needed time when I wanted to grill a few artichokes I decided to give the Instant Pot a whirl and it was one of the best decisions ever.

BUT for any of those cooking methods….you have to prep the artichokes….and here’s how to do that:

• Using kitchen shears or a sharp paring knife, trim off the tough outer leaves at the bottom of the artichoke near the stem.
• Trim off the tops of the leaves to remove the sharp thorn using the shears.
• Grab a sharp knife and cut off about 1/2 inch of the top of the artichoke. 
• Then, cut off the stem end of the artichoke so that the artichoke sits flat on a plate.

It’s pretty easy to do and once you get the hang of it, the task will move rather quickly.

To Cook Artichokes in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker:

• Place the steamer rack in the bottom of the Instant Pot and place the artichokes on the rack, top side down, so the moisture doesn’t collect in the bottom of the artichoke.
• Add sliced lemon and garlic cloves to the Instant Pot. 
• Pour in 1 cup of water and place the lid on the Instant Pot. Set the vent to sealing.
• Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure and cook for 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the artichoke.
• When the artichokes are done cooking, manually release the pressure using the quick pressure release button.

How long to cook artichokes in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker

For small artichokes:

• Cooking time for small artichokes (you should be able to fit 6 artichokes into the appliance) will take 5 minutes.

For medium artichokes:

• Cooking time for medium artichokes (4 artichokes will fit into the appliance) will take 10 minutes.

For large artichokes:

• Cooking time for large artichokes (2 artichokes may fit into the appliance) will take 15 minutes.

We love to eat artichokes on a regular basis because they’re loaded with health benefits. Artichokes are a fantastic source of fiber and folate. They are also loaded with vitamins like vitamin K and vitamin C! They’re also packed with antioxidants (#7 on the USDA’s Top 20 antioxidant rich foods list!)

My favorite ways to use my Artichokes are:

• Just dip them in melted butter….it’s so good.
• Or dip them in this easy Roasted Garlic Aioli!
• These Cheesy Stuffed Baked Artichokes are totally amazing.
• OR a Cheesecake Factory copycat…Grilled Artichokes with the most amazing dipping sauce ever.

What do you serve with Artichokes?

Some of our favorite main dishes to serve with artichokes are also THESE reader favorites:

• The BEST Oven Baked Chicken Breast...the most healthy meal that won’t leave you feeling hungry.
• Super easy Filet Mignon for a little upscale dinner at home.
• Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs with Garlic Butter Sauce
• Parmesan Crusted Baked Pork Chops are so YUM.
• Grilled Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken….summer dinner on repeat.

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