Steamed Artichokes are ultra-easy to make on the stovetop. Enjoy the fresh, subtle, earthy taste, perfect for pairing with dinner.
Tender and flavorful Steamed Artichokes make the perfect Dinner Side Dish. For more easy vegetable dishes, try my Sauteed Green Beans, or Parmesan Brussels Sprouts.
Sabrina’s Steamed Artichokes Recipe
If you haven’t prepared them before, artichokes can be a daunting vegetable. The prickly leaves, fuzzy center, and tough stem all make them seem like a particularly tricky ingredient. But I’ve found that this cooking method makes artichokes into a simple dish that you can easily prepare for a weeknight dinner. The result is tender, meaty artichokes that taste wonderful with Lemon Pepper Chicken or Pesto Pasta. I’ve included a delicious dipping sauce in this recipe too. Also, don’t miss out on my tips for finding the best artichokes below.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Steamed Artichokes:
- 4 whole artichokes
- 2 lemons
To Steam:
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups water
Lemon Garlic Dipping Sauce:
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
Artichoke Prep:
- Trim the tops of the artichokes, cutting about 1 inch from the top of the artichoke. Then trim about 1/2″ from the top of the leaves on the outermost layers.
- Cut the bottom to create a flat surface for the artichoke to sit.
- Zest the first lemon (set this aside in a bowl), then cut it into wedges and rub the artichokes with the lemon to prevent browning.
- Note: Reserve the lemon itself.
- Zest and juice the second lemon and set aside with the other zest.
To Steam:
- To a large dutch oven add your reserved lemon you rubbed on the artichokes and the water.
- Add in the steamer basket, turn the artichokes upside down and place in the basket.
- Cover and steam for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from the steamer, pull out a leaf from the center. If it removes easily the artichokes are done.
- You can serve the artichokes this way with aioli if you want.
Lemon Garlic Dipping Sauce:
- Mix the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parmesan cheese, dried basil, salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Nutrition
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Sabrina’s Tips
Pick up and inspect globe artichokes to steam. You can tell that the vegetables are fresh and perfect for cooking if they have tightly closed leaves with no black tips or signs of browning. Medium artichokes will have the best flavor.
Can this be made ahead of time?
If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you can steam and cool the artichokes. Add additional lemon juice to prevent browning, and keep the artichokes covered in the fridge for 1-2 days before serving.
How to Store
- Store: Don’t leave sitting at room temperature for over 2 hours. If you have leftovers, you can wait for the vegetables to cool. Then, transfer to an airtight container to store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat: Steamed Artichokes are easiest to reheat in the microwave with a splash of water added or in a steamer basket over boiling water until warm.
- Freeze: You can also seal the cooled vegetables in a freezer bag and keep them frozen for up to 3 months. Remember that the texture may not be quite the same after freezing and reheating.
Tips and Tricks
- Removing outer leaves
- Cut down the outer leaves before you steam artichokes. Many people remove the leaves and only eat the artichoke heart. However, there is a meaty portion at the base of the leaves. To enjoy that, pull one leaf out at a time and bite down to eat the delicious portion off of the bottom of the leaf.
- How to tell if artichokes are done steaming
- It’s easy to tell that your artichoke recipe is done when the artichoke heart is tender enough to pierce and the inner leaves are easy to pull out with your fingers.
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