Instant Pot artichokes are quick to make, taking less than 15 minutes, and they are tender and perfectly steamed, so you can dip the leaves in butter or easily carve out the center for a salad.
» You might also like Instant Pot Asparagus and Instant Pot Potatoes & Carrots. Two great side dishes!
I make artichokes often, but I never loved how difficult it was to steam them perfectly. It would either turn out too crisp or too soggy. In the Instant Pot, you just set it on the trivet and cook for 8 minutes, depending on the size. It turns out perfectly steamed, just like this corn on the cob does. Such a time saver!
There are two ways to cook an artichoke in the Instant Pot. You can put it in whole, or you can cut it in half, remove the fine leaves at the center, and steam it face up. I usually prefer to steam them whole. It’s fun to serve them that way.
Ingredients Needed for Instant Pot Artichokes
- Artichokes – 2-4 large
- Salt & ground black pepper – To taste
- Water
- Dipping sauce – Melted butter or mayonnaise. You could also try aioli, Dijon mustard, or garlic butter.
Equipment Needed
- Instant Pot – I use a 6-quart Instant Pot Plus to make all of my recipes. If you’re using an 8-quart pot, you will need to adjust the amount of liquid accordingly, as it requires more than the 6 quart to build steam.
- Trivet – If you don’t have a trivet, you can use a steamer basket. It just needs to be raised up out of the water.
How to Choose an Artichoke
Artichokes are in peak season from March through May. In the US, green artichokes are mostly grown in northern and central California. If you drive in that area, you’ll see tons of artichoke fields.
There are also purple artichokes (I love their color!) aka Romagna artichokes, originally grown in the Mediterranean. You can get either green or purple artichokes for this recipe. They cook the same.
To choose an artichoke, look for one that has a firmly packed head of leaves, with leaves that look fresh and not dried or shriveled.
How to Clean an Artichoke
With a paring knife, cut off any small leaves near the stem that aren’t held tightly to the base of the artichoke. Slice off most of the stem, leaving just about ¼ inch.
Cut the top 1/3 of the artichoke off with a sharp chef’s knife. The top of the leaves have a spark point on them, so it’s best to just cut those off in one clean cut.
If you’re cooking them whole, this is how they will go into the Instant Pot.
If you’d rather cut them in half and clean the insides first, then proceed with these instructions:
Cut the artichoke in half. Cut the top 1/3 of the artichoke off with a sharp chef’s knife. The top of the leaves have a spark point on them, so it’s best to just cut those off in one clean cut. With a paring knife, cut out the small fine leaves in the center, leaving just the artichoke heart. You can use a spoon to ensure that you have scooped out all of the fine fuzzy choke.
How to Make Instant Pot Artichokes
Place the trivet or a steamer basket in the Instant Pot inner pot.
Pour in a cup of cold water.
Place the artichoke halves on the trivet, face down. You can stack them on top of each other, if there are too many for one layer.
Lock the lid and set the vent to sealing. Press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 8 minutes. When the time is up, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then release the remaining pressure.
The artichokes should be perfectly tender and ready to eat. If they aren’t as soft as you would like, put the lid back on immediately and set the time for another 2 minutes.
How Long to Cook Artichokes
Since artichokes vary so much in size, there’s no one-size-fits-all timer setting. You’ll need to gauge your artichokes and base the time off their size and firmness.
Larger, tightly packed artichokes can take 25 minutes or more to cook in the Instant Pot, while small, less tightly packed artichokes take about 12 minutes to cook.
- Medium artichokes (around 11″) = 8 minutes
- Large artichokes (around 15″) = 25 minutes
Why Use An Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot is one of the most useful kitchen appliances you can buy, because it drastically cuts down on the cooking time for developing flavors in soups and stews, getting tough cuts of meat tender, and even baking a cheesecake. If you don’t have one, check out our guide on which one to buy. Also see our guide to How to Use an Instant Pot and the many accessories you can buy for it.
- Don’t Have an Instant Pot? This guide can help you choose the right one.
- See reviews and prices for Instant Pots on Amazon.
- Learn some great Instant Pot Tips & Tricks.
- Click to find more recipes to make in your Instant Pot.
How to Serve & Eat Steamed Artichokes
I serve the artichoke leaves with melted butter or mayonnaise to dip them in. If you like a little extra flavor, add some dried dill and a pinch of garlic powder to the melted butter.
To eat them, you gently grip the leaf about halfway up between your teeth and pull. The meat of the artichoke will slide off as you pull.
Don’t chew on the leaves or try to bite through them. The meat on the inner side of the leaf is all that should be eaten. And it should come off easily if steamed properly.
Once you’ve pulled off all the leaves, you can eat the artichoke heart, which is the tender part at the base of the leaves.
What to Eat with Artichokes
Steamed artichokes make a great side dish for a beef or pork roast, pork chops, or a whole chicken. The artichoke heart can be cut into pieces and added to a garden salad or a pasta salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to cook an artichoke in an Instant Pot?
Larger, tightly packed artichokes can take 25 minutes or more to cook in the Instant Pot, while small, less tightly packed artichokes take about 12 minutes to cook.
Can you steam an artichoke too long?
Yes you can. If you steam an artichoke too long it will just be a pile of mush. You want to cook it so that the leaves pull off without much resistance but the artichoke is still holding it’s shape.
Why can’t you eat the middle of an artichoke?
The inner part of an artichoke, known as the flower or choke, consists of a fibrous, fuzzy hair-like substance. This portion is inedible and should be removed and discarded. While it is not toxic, it can pose a choking hazard if ingested.
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Instant Pot Artichokes
Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2-4 medium artichokes
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or mayonnaise, for dipping
Instructions
- Clean the artichokes by removing the top 1/3 of the leaves and cutting off the stem.
- Place the trivet or a steamer basket in the Instant Pot inner pot. Pour in water.
- Place the artichoke on the trivet, stems down.
- Lock the lid and set the vent to sealing. Press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 8 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then release remaining pressure.
- Use natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then release the remaining pressure. If they aren’t as soft as you would like, put the lid back on immediately and set the time for another 2 minutes.
- Serve with butter or mayonnaise.
Notes
- Larger artichokes may need up to 25 minutes or more of cooking time. For large artichokes, start with 25 minutes, and increase the time by 4 minutes, if they are not as soft as you would like.
- You can quickly reset the timer if the artichokes are not cooked enough for you. Just place the lid back on and set more time. It will take only a few minutes to come back up to pressure. If cooking a second time, there’s no need for a natural pressure release.
Nutrition
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Laura is a passionate home cook and the owner of A Pressure Cooker Kitchen. She is dedicated to helping people create delicious Instant Pot meals with ease. Laura is an expert at developing recipes that can be prepared quickly and easily using a pressure cooker.
I love serving artichokes with pasta but they can be a lot to cook. With this instant pot recipe, I can make them anytime I want.
That’s true, they take such a long time to cook that it’s usually too much to do when adding it as an ingredient in another dish.
Had no idea I could cook artichokes in an Instant pot. It’s so easy and they look perfect.
Chef Graham Elliot taught me how to trim an artichoke at a cooking event – it was so fun – but I’ve never had the guts to do it again – until now! These were delicious dipped in butter and so easy! Not intimidating any more!
That’s awesome! For me, it’s only ever easy if my knife is super sharp, otherwise it’s a disaster.
I’ve never cooked with artichokes before, but this presentation is beautiful! I love your Instant Pot version.
I never thought artichokes could be so easy to make or that they could be cooked on an instant pot! Thanks for the recipe!
It’s definitely way easier in the IP!
Thank you for this great recipe. The one thing I did not see in the recipe is the removal of the choke in the center of the artichoke. The choke is the furry inside and is absolutely not edible. It can be scooped out with a melon baller or, if cutting the artichoke in half, can be removed with a paring knife. I like to stuff artichokes with a mixture of minced garlic, breadcrumbs, Italian parsley and a handful of Romano cheese. Delicious. By the way, the base is the best part of the artichoke IMO.
Hi Mario, thanks for pointing that out. We are always looking for ways to improve our information. Your artichoke stuffing sounds delicious.
I never thought making artichokes could be so quick and effortless until I tried this recipe.
The Instant Pot really takes the hassle out of cooking artichokes, and the results are always fantastic.
I highly recommend trying artichokes in the Instant Pot!
Do I have to remove the thorny outer leaves of the artichoke before cooking?
You don’t have to. We recommend removing the small leaves near the stem and cutting the tips off of the leaves just because they are sharp.
I made a slight tweak to this recipe and it turned out fantastic! Instead of plain water, I used a combination of white wine, lemon juice, and vegetable broth for the cooking liquid. Loved it!”
That sounds amazing!