How to Steam Artichokes

Steamed artichokes is one of my go-to appetizers when they are in season. Never steamed one? Let me show you how to steam artichokes. Whether warm, room temperature, or chilled, a platter of steamed artichokes is always a hit with guests while I finish cooking dinner. The creamy, tangy lemon garlic dipping sauce perfectly complements the artichokes’ earthy flavor.

With an earthy, nutty flavor, I’ve been a fan of artichokes since I was a kid. While spring is their peak season, grab a few and make steamed artichokes. Serve with a quick mayonnaise-based lemon garlic dipping sauce or melted butter and plenty of napkins! And don't miss the best part; cut out the fuzzy choke and cut up the artichoke heart to enjoy last.

Why You'll Like This Recipe

• Makes a great appetizer, either warm or chilled.
• Artichokes and fun and delicious!
• Serve with different sauces or melted garlic butter.

Recipe Ingredients

Steamed artichokes

• Artichokes: Large and heavy for their size without browned tips.
• Lemon: Fresh lemon for the steaming water.
• Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil.
• Bay leaf: To flavor the steaming water, dried or fresh.
• Black peppercorns: flavors the steaming water.
• Herbs: Fresh thyme sprigs.
• Garlic: Fresh whole garlic cloves.

Lemon garlic dipping sauce

• Mayonnaise: Use your favorite brand.
• Garlic: Fresh cloves.
• Lemon: For the juice and zest.
• Dijon: Gives flavor and creaminess to the dipping sauce.
• Herbs: Fresh chopped parsley or chives (optional).

Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt and pepper.

Substitutions and Variations

• Make a lime dipping sauce with lime juice.
• Vary the fresh herbs in the dipping sauce.
• Add a little horseradish to the sauce for some kick.
• Use both creamy and whole grain Dijon for texture as well as flavor.

Chef's tip on how to buy artichokes: Fresh artichokes should be compact, plump and feel heavy for their size. If the artichoke squeaks when squeezed, it’s fresh. The leaves should be green and tightly closed. If the leaves (called bracts) are brown and splitting, the artichoke is most likely past its prime. The exception to this is winter harvest artichokes. They may have light brown scaling on the leaves due to frostbite. Although not as pretty, they still taste good.

Recipe Instructions

Prep artichokes

To prepare artichokes for cooking:

• Cut the top third of the artichokes off (a serrated knife works best).
• Trim the stem flush to the base.
• Snip off the points from each tip with scissors.
• Rub the artichoke all over with a cut lemon half to prevent browning.

Steam Artichokes

Steam artichokes or boil them, either on a rack or without. Place artichokes stem side up in a pan wide enough to hold them. Add a few inches of water to the pan, add your lemons, herbs and oil. Or you can steam them by first placing a steamer rack in the bottom and adding water just to the top of the steamer rack. Either way, just be sure your pan does not run dry of water while cooking.

You can tell when you can easily pull out a leaf (officially called bracts) without too much effort. Then try it and see if it's done enough for you.

How to Serve Artichokes

After steaming, pluck the hot artichokes out of the pan with tongs, drain, and place on a platter for serve with the dipping sauce. Have an empty bowl handy for discarded leaves:

• Serv as an appetizer, snack, salad, or as part of a main course.
• Pack them up for a picnic or tailgate.
• Use them for lunch and stuff with chicken or crab salad.

Grilled Artichokes Option

Another serving option is once they are steamed, split them in half, remove the fuzzy choke, brush lightly with olive oil and grill for a few minutes until the edges are charred.

📖 Recipe

How to Steam Artichokes

Sally Cameron

Fresh artichokes should be compact, plump and feel heavy for their size, and they should squeak when squeezed. The leaves should be green and tightly closed. Whether boiled, steamed, or grilled, these green globes are very versatile as a snack, appetizer, stuffed, or in a main course. Share one or enjoy a whole one yourself.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 259 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Large pot

Ingredients

  

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Lemon Garlic Dipping Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup your favorite mayonnaise Vegenaise
• ▢ 1 large garlic clove finely chopped
• ▢ 1 lemon zested and juiced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley or chives optional

Artichokes

• ▢ 2 large raw artichokes
• ▢ 1 large lemon cut in quarters
• ▢ 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 dried bay leaf
• ▢ 6 black peppercorns
• ▢ 1 Sprinkle of kosher salt
• ▢ 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• ▢ 2-3 fresh whole garlic cloves peeled and smashed

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Instructions

 

Make the Dipping Sauce

• Start by making the sauce. Combine all ingredients and stir until smooth. Can be made ahead of time, covered and refrigerated until serving time.

Trim artichokes

• Prep artichokes for cooking. Cut the top one third off with a serrated knife (bread knife). The teeth of a serrated knife make it easier to cut through the tough exterior. Discard the trimmings. Trim the bottom stem flush with the base. Next, trim off the prickly point of each leaf with a pair of kitchen scissors. Rub a cut lemon over the artichoke to prevent it from browning. 

Cook Artichokes

• Cook the artichokes. In a deep pan wide enough to hold artichokes, place trimmed artichokes stem side up in the bottom of the pan (or place on a steamer rack). Fill pan with a few inches of cold water. Squeeze lemon juice over the artichokes and put rinds in the pan. Drizzle in olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, add bay leaf, black peppercorns, thyme sprigs and garlic.
• Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and bring to a boil. When steam starts coming out of the pan, turn the heat down to low and cook artichokes until you can pierce the center of the stem with a paring knife. The timing will depend on the size of the artichokes. For big ones test at 20-25 minutes and continue if needed for a few minutes. Another way to tell when an artichoke is ready is to pull off and outer leaf. It should come off easily. Doing both tests is a good idea. 

Serve Artichokes

• Remove the artichokes from the pan and drain on a towel. At this point, you can arrange the artichokes on a platter and serve them hot, at room temperature or chilled with the sauce. Be sure to put an empty bowl out for the eaten leaves.

Optional Grill Finish

• To finish by grilling, split the artichokes in half from top to bottom, remove the fuzzy choke, brush with a little olive oil and place on the grill for a few minutes until a little charred. This enhances the earthy, nutty flavor and makes for a great presentation. Serve with lemon garlic dipping sauce.

Notes

To prepare artichokes for cooking:

• Cut the top third of the artichokes off (a serrated knife works best)
• Trim the stem flush to the base
• Snip off the points from each tip with scissors
• Rub the artichoke all over with a cut lemon half.

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 4gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 424mgPotassium: 399mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 80IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg

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