Air Fryer Artichoke

Yes, you can air fry artichokes! Air fryer artichoke is the easiest and fastest way to prepare this rustic appetizer.

artichoke recipe overview

Your air fryer artichoke will be tender with slightly crispy leaves that will be ready to dip into melted butter or your favorite creamy dipping sauce.

Cutting the artichokes in half allows them to cook up quickly. Using the air fryer to roast artichokes is way faster than roasting them in the oven.

ingredients you’ll need

• Artichokes – I can cook two medium-sized globe artichokes in my Cosori air fryer.
• Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice adds flavor and keeps the leaves from turning brown.
• Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil is added for flavor and richness. Plus it helps the artichokes to get soft and tender in the air fryer.
• Kosher Salt – Basic seasonings are all this appetizer needs.
• Black Pepper – Freshly ground, if you can.
• Garlic Powder – I love the flavor of garlic with artichokes. Garlic powder is the easiest way to get it.

how to pick artichoke at the store

You want to look for firm artichokes that have closed heads and compact layers of leaves.

A fresh artichoke will feel heavy for its size, and shouldn’t be dry, shriveled, or slimy.

how to prep the artichokes

Before you can cook your artichokes, you’ll need to do a little bit of work to get them ready.

1. Start by washing the artichokes under cool running water,
2. Remove any damaged leaves.
3. Trim the pointy tips from each of the leaves, going all around the entire artichoke to remove all of the sharp parts.
4. Slice the top off of the artichoke, removing about an inch or the top 1/4th of the artichoke.
5. Cut off the long stem too so that the artichoke is more compact.
6. Finally, for this recipe, you’ll want to cut the artichokes in half, lengthwise.

air frying instructions

1. Prep the artichokes for air frying as described above.
2. As soon as possible after cutting them, toss the artichoke halves with lemon juice. This prevents them from browning and adds extra flavor.
3. Drizzle the artichokes with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
4. Place the air fryer halves in the air fryer basket, cut side down. If your artichokes don’t fit in your air fryer in a single layer, you may need to cook them in two batches.
5. Air Fry at 350°F/180°C for 15-17 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, flip the artichokes over.
6. The artichokes are ready when you can easily pull off the outer leaves. Serve with lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce.

a note on cook time

The amount of time the artichokes need to roast in the air fryer will depend on how large or small they are.

• Small or baby globe artichokes will take about 10 minutes in the air fryer.
• Medium-size artichokes (about 3 inches in diameter) will air fry in about 15 minutes.
• For anything larger than 3 inches add 5 additional minutes to the cooking time in this recipe.

As always, you should keep an eye on your food as it’s cooking in the air fryer. That way you can pull the food out when it’s ready.

what to serve with artichoke

Traditionally, artichokes are served as an appetizer that you can share before enjoying a meal.

You may want to incorporate air fryer artichokes into an appetizer spread or a charcuterie board along with things like olives, cured meats, and sliced cheese.

A side of Air Fryer Garlic Bread is also delicious with artichokes.

If you really love artichokes, try this recipe for artichoke quesadillas. You can heat them in the air fryer!

how to eat artichoke

After the artichokes come out of the air fryer, let them cool slightly before eating them.

Then, you can tear off each petal. The inner part of the leaves is the part that you eat, and you can scrape it off with your teeth, leaving the hard outer leaf behind.

Once you’ve enjoyed each leaf, you can also eat the center or the artichoke heart. Just be sure to remove the fuzzy choke with a spoon first.

Dipping sauce recommendations

You can dip the leaves of your air fryer artichoke into just about anything.

An easy dipping sauce for artichokes is made by melting a bit of butter and mixing it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some salt and pepper.

Add a bit of garlic powder or crushed red pepper for extra flavor.

Try making some fresh lemon garlic aioli or serving artichokes with pesto too.

are artichoke hearts poisonous? Debunking the myth

Nothing about an artichoke is poisonous or toxic, but there is a part of the artichoke that you shouldn’t eat.

The “choke” or the fluffy, hairy, spiky part in the very center of the artichoke is named as such because it can get stuck in your throat.

Remove the choke and throw it away either before you cook your artichokes or just after. The rest of the artichoke heart is edible and delicious!

It’s best not to try to eat the hard stem of the artichoke and the outer leaves either. Again, they aren’t poisonous, but they are woody and fibrous and not digestible.