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Home » Seasonal Guides » Artichokes

Modified: Feb 27, 2022 by Vee

Artichokes

Fresh artichokes have a much more complex and interesting flavor than the canned variety. They take a lot of extra work, but it's worth the effort at least a couple of times during peak season.

Artichokes: how to prep, boil, steam, bake, roast, grill, and pressure cook

Jump to:
  • When are artichokes in season?
  • Signs of a fresh artichoke
  • Signs of a bad artichoke
  • How to store
  • What parts are edible?
  • How to eat an artichoke
  • How to prep
  • Cooking instructions

When are artichokes in season?

Artichokes have 2 peak seasons: March to June, and again from September to October. California artichokes are usually available all year, but better during their peak seasons. They are expensive, but are often on sale in spring when they are most abundant.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
California Artichokesxxxxxx

See what else is in season at the same time: March, April, May, June, September, and October.

Signs of a fresh artichoke

  1. Tight, compact leaves
  2. Discolored leaves are ok: that's a natural occurrence that starts when they come in contact with the air.
  3. When squeezed, the leaves squeak a little
  4. It is heavy for its size, a sign it has a lot of moisture and hasn't dried out

Signs of a bad artichoke

  1. There's an open hole in the center and the leaves are loose
  2. The tips of the leaves are split or shriveled, a sign it is dried out
  3. It feels light, another sign it has dried out
  4. It feels spongy when squeezed

How to store

Wrap each artichoke in a paper towel to absorb excess moisture (which can cause deterioration). Then store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They should last for about a week.

Cooked artichokes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.

What parts are edible?

If you are new to working with globe artichokes, they can be a bit confusing. I've found cutting them in half and looking at the different parts to be helpful.

Artichokes: what's edible (and what's not)
  • Heart: the entire heart is edible
  • Outer leaves: the leaves are not edible, except for the flesh on the bottom where they connect to the heart
  • Inner leaves: these have no edible flesh on the bottoms and therefore aren't edible. Some people say you can chew the entire leaf, but I haven't ever found that to be pleasant.
  • Stem: the outer layer of the stem is usually stringy or tough, but the inner parts are edible and nearly indistinguishable from the heart.
  • Choke: the choke has a feathery consistency that is not pleasant to chew and can also get stuck in your throat, causing choking. (Closeup of choke pictured below to show feathery / hairlike texture). The choke is not poisonous (but still not good to eat due to choking hazard).
Closeup of the artichoke's choke
Close up of the choke - very feathery or hairlike

How to eat an artichoke

When presented with a whole (mature) artichoke for the first time, pretty much everyone wonders, "how am I supposed to eat this?" Watch Ocean Mist's 30-second video to demonstrate or visit Simply Recipes' guide, "How to cook & eat an artichoke."

How to prep

Prepping can take some time, depending on how you plan to use them.

How to prep artichokes

  1. Rinse & scrub

    Scrub the outside of the artichoke to remove the bitter coating

  2. Trim the top & bottom

    Trim the top ⅓ off (those parts of the leave are inedible (a serrated knife works better here than a chef's knife). Also trim off the bottom stem.

  3. Trim the thorns off leaf tips

    If the leaves have long, sharp thorns, trim them. If not, skip this step.

  4. Refer to recipe for further prep

    At this point, you might leave the artichoke whole, cut it in half, or using just the heart.

Cooking instructions

Artichokes can be cooking any number of ways. Whichever method you choose, the key is to not let the flesh dry out.

Cooking methodDuration
Boil (whole)20-40 minutes
Steam (whole)35-60 minutes
Bake (whole)30-80 minutes + pre-steam
Roast (cut in half)25-35 minutes
Braise (cut in half)20-30 minutes
Grill (cut in half)3-7 minutes + pre-steam
Fried (small or hearts)5-10 minutes
Pressure cook (whole)5-20 minutes
Artichoke cooking times

Recipes

Below are a handful of recipes from the Artichoke recipe collection with over 30 recipes and all 8 cooking methods listed above.

Grilled artichokes & polenta with blistered tomatoes recipe by Feasting at Home
Grilled artichokes & polenta with blistered tomatoes
Sheet pan sausage and veggies with artichokes recipe by Running to the Kitchen
Sheet pan sausage and veggies with artichokes
Italian fried artichokes recipe by An Italian in my Kitchen
Italian fried artichokes
Risotto with chopped asparagus and artichokes
Asparagus, artichoke, and shiitake risotto
Artichoke halves stuff with brie
Brie stuffed artichokes
3 pieces of toast with chopped artichoke hearts, herbs, and tomatoes
Artichoke toast - 3 ways

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michele says

    March 29, 2022 at 3:08 pm

    I bought three purple artichokes at my local Italian market. I have never cooked purple artichokes (they are not the baby ones). I am using an old family recipe for stuffed artichokes. I normally cook the stuffed artichokes in an inch or two of water and they are ready in 45 minutes to an hour. It’s over an hour and a half and these artichokes are still hard at the base of the leaf. Can I just keep cooking them until they soften? What’s up with these artichokes?

    Reply
    • Vee says

      March 29, 2022 at 6:05 pm

      I'd try to keep cooking them - it's possible they are bigger or have denser flesh? Another possibility is they are past their prime and the flesh is dried out. I'll try to get my hands on some full sized purple artichokes this season and see if I run into the same thing.

      Reply
  2. Chris says

    March 21, 2022 at 6:57 am

    Very much informative.
    Appreciated

    Reply
  3. Oscar Acevedo says

    February 11, 2022 at 9:59 pm

    I planted four artichokes plant , on 27 of september, the are big and beautifull, but they do not produce yet, What I done wrong, please help me out here. thanks

    Reply
    • Vee says

      February 14, 2022 at 5:00 pm

      Hmm, let's see if we can figure this out. What zone are you in? Also note that it's not uncommon for the plants to not produce artichokes the first year.

      Reply
  4. Steve Bluer says

    July 29, 2021 at 3:02 pm

    What do Artichokes taste like

    Reply
  5. Nick Skriloff says

    May 24, 2021 at 12:20 pm

    Where can I find artichoke flavoring? If I wanted to infuse a food with an artichoke flavor, how would you recommend I do it?

    Reply
    • Vee says

      June 02, 2021 at 5:45 pm

      This one almost stumped me, but after some persistent searching I was able to find a place that sells artichoke powder. I have never ordered from them or tried it, however. If you do, I would love to hear your thoughts to share with everyone here. https://www.myspicesage.com/products/artichoke-powder

      Reply
  6. Kathy says

    December 17, 2020 at 7:30 am

    I boiled 2 artichokes tonight and ate one. It's in the fridge in an air tight bowl. What's the best way to reheat it?

    Reply
    • Vee says

      January 04, 2021 at 7:44 pm

      I am so sorry I missed this. For future reference, I follow this guide: https://kitchenous.com/reheat-artichoke/

      Reply

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