Artichoke is a healthy and delicious food choice. You can boil, bake, steam, or pressure cook the artichoke to prepare the leaves for eating first, before finding the delicious, edible heart at the center.

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People who are unfamiliar with prepping fresh artichokes may find it a bit intimidating. But aside from the healthiness of this vegetable as a side dish or main course, preparing artichokes and finding the hidden gem inside, the artichoke heart, is worth the effort.

There are many ways to prepare artichokes: bake, boil, braise, grill, steam, or stuff. You can use the oven, stove, Instant Pot, and more. Some methods bring out more flavor or highlight the various nuances of this vegetable compared to others.

A common way is to use the Insta Pot’s pressure cooker setting. This is especially handy for people who may want to save time, especially for a healthy workweek dinner side.

To prepare an artichoke, follow these steps after you’ve rinsed off and dried your artichoke:

Add together the Parmesan cheese, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper to taste.

  1. Cut off the top: Use a sharp knife to slice off the top quarter of the artichoke.
  2. Trim the stem: Cut the stem so the artichoke can sit flat.
  3. Trim the leaf tips: Trim the sharp tips of the leaves with scissors.
  4. Seasoning: Drizzle olive oil over the artichoke halves. Add minced garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
  5. Prep the stuffing mix: Using the pre-prepped mix, stuff each leaf with a quarter to half a teaspoon of the mix. Do this over the pot so that any excess that falls off will become part of the cooking process.
  6. Finalize ingredients: Add enough water to pressurize cooker. Then, set the stuffed artichoke in the pot on a trivet above the water. Drizzle with olive oil.
  7. Pressure Cook: Set on high for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how firm you want the artichoke.
  8. Remove artichoke: After the quick release, take the artichoke out with tongs and set it on a serving plate.
  9. Dipping sauce: Drain the darkened water from the pressure cooker into a bowl and use it as a dipping sauce for the artichoke leaves. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and Parmesan before serving.
  10. Serve: Artichokes can be enjoyed by pulling off the leaves one by one and scraping the edible part with your teeth.
  11. Don’t forget the heart: The heart is a prized part at the center. You can eat the leaves and gradually get to the fibrous choke in the middle, or you can cut the artichoke in half to expose this round part. Cut off the fuzzy outer part to expose the small, round ball of ivory or pale yellow meat that is the heart.

Remember to pair your artichoke with a dipping sauce like melted butter or aioli for extra flavor.

Oven instructions:

  1. Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
  2. Prepare the artichoke: Trim the top and stem of the artichoke. Cut it in half and scoop out the hairy choke in the center.
  3. Season the artichoke: Drizzle olive oil over the artichoke halves. Add minced garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
  4. Roast the artichoke: Place the artichoke halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Cover with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes until tender.
  5. Broil the artichoke: Remove the foil and broil for an additional 5-10 minutes until the top is golden brown.
  6. Serve: Artichokes can be enjoyed by pulling off the leaves one by one and scraping the edible part with your teeth.
  7. Don’t forget the heart: The heart is a prized part at the center. You can eat the leaves and gradually get to the fibrous choke in the middle, or you can cut the artichoke in half to expose this round part. Cut off the fuzzy outer part to expose the small, round ball of ivory or pale yellow meat that is the heart.

No matter the method of preparation, make sure to drizzle and season afterward before you serve it.

Artichokes are full of nutrients.

Each cup, or 170 grams (g), of cooked artichoke contains:

  • Calories: 90
  • Carbs: 20 g
  • Fiber: 10 g
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Fat: 0.6 g
  • Vitamin C: 12.6 mg
  • Riboflavin: 0.151 mg
    Potassium: 484 mg
  • Phosphorus: 124 mg
  • Vitamin B6: 0.138 mg

Artichokes are low in fat while rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Exceptionally high in folate and vitamin C, they also supply essential minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium

This vegetable has many health benefits, including helping with cholesterol, blood pressure, liver, and digestive health.

These delicious thistles have only 90 calories per cooked cup (170 g) and around 5 g of protein, which is above average for a plant-based food. Artichokes are also rich in a variety of antioxidants.

Artichoke is a vegetable with many health benefits, including helping with blood pressure, cholesterol levels, liver health, and digestive health.

You can boil, bake, steam, or pressure cook the artichoke to prepare the leaves for eating first, before finding the delicious, edible heart at the center.