Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes with Garlic Aioli

Steaming artichokes has never been easier with the help of your Instant Pot. By pressure cooking artichokes, you’ll end up with these perfectly cooked Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes with Garlic Aioli that’s great as an appetizer, side dish, or healthy snack.

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Even though artichokes may seem a bit rough and intimidating, they are actually a wonderful veggie to enjoy once they’re soft and tender. After trying this recipe once, you’ll undoubtedly agree that cooking artichokes in a pressure cooker is the way to go! 

This delicious recipe for Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes begins by giving the artichokes a trim before adding them to the pot with some water, sliced lemons, and other aromatic seasonings. While they cook, you can whip up the easy garlic aioli dipping sauce by mixing together homemade mayonnaise with garlic, paprika, and lemon juice.

These fragrant and soft steamed artichokes turn out to be the perfect low-carb appetizer or snack. They also make for a quick and unique side dish alongside an Oven Cooked Ribeye Steak or a flavorful Low Carb Chicken Caprese Bake. 

How to choose the best artichokes

It’s really important to choose the right artichoke before making this recipe because the wrong ones will impact the flavor and texture of the dish. Follow these tips to choose the best artichoke at the grocery store or farmers market:

• Look for ones that have tightly packed leaves. Even though the leaves on the outside can be rough, a tightly packed artichoke will better protect the meaty insides. This also means the cooked artichoke will turn out softer and take little time to cook. 
• Choose one that feels firm and heavy for its size. This is similar to choosing a citrus fruit. The heavier it is, the more water, fiber, and nutrients it will retain. 
• The best artichokes will have green leaves with some purple. Avoid artichokes that have browning leaves. 
• Gently squeeze the artichoke to see if it squeaks slightly. This is the sign of a healthy ripe artichoke that is ready for pressure cooking.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Artichokes – These can be found at your local grocery store or farmers market. The best time to buy artichokes is between March and May. 
• Aromatics – You’ll need to add water, lemon, bay leaves, and garlic to the Instant Pot in order to make sure the fresh flavors infuse into the artichokes as they cook.
• Smoky garlic aioli – You’ll whisk together garlic, smoked paprika, lemon juice, sea salt, and mayo to make a creamy and smoky dipping sauce for the artichoke leaves. It’s a great go-to sauce to use with veggies, chicken tenders, or even as a spread for sandwiches.

How to steam artichokes in the Instant Pot

1. Prepare the artichokes: Trim the artichokes by slicing off the tip and peeling 2 rows of leaves off from the bottom. Remove any sharp ends.
2. Add the aromatics: Add the lemon, garlic, and bay leaves to the bottom of the pot along with some water. 
3. Pressure cook in the Instant Pot: Place your artichokes stem side up on the steaming rack over the aromatics and water. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes then manually release the pressure.
4. Make the aioli: Whisk all of the aioli ingredients together in a bowl. Set it aside or keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
5. Serve steamed artichokes: Remove the artichokes from the pot with tongs and serve alongside a bowl of smoky garlic aioli. 

How to eat an artichoke

To eat your steamed artichokes, remove the leaves one at a time from the outside and dip them into your favorite sauce. Then, scrape off the meaty light-colored part of the leaf with your teeth and discard the rough top part. 

After the leaves have all been removed, you’ll reach the bottom of the artichoke. Spoon out the inedible fuzzy choke, slice off the stem, and eat the meaty heart.

Tips and substitutions

• Do not overfill the Instant Pot if you’re cooking more than 2 artichokes. Place them stem side up on the steamer rack with enough space apart from each other so they can cook evenly. 
• If you do not have a steamer basket, use the trivet that the Instant Pot came with or place them on a ball of aluminum foil to keep the artichokes off the bottom of the pot. 
• Want to make it spicy? Add some cayenne pepper to the aioli for a kick. 
• If you don’t have aioli for dipping, use melted butter and a squeeze of lemon juice on top as an alternative.
• Looking for a garnish? Sprinkle the artichoke petals with crumbled feta cheese for a salty bite. 
• When storing uncooked artichokes, do not wash them until you are about to cook them. Artichokes should be cooked within 1 week of purchasing for the best results. 
• Make the aioli ahead of time. The garlic aioli can be prepared up to 5 days ahead of time. Just keep it in a sealed jar or container in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

Can you freeze cooked artichokes?

While cooked artichokes will last in the fridge for up to 3 days, they can also be frozen for up to 3 months if stored in an airtight container or freezer bag with the air removed. For best results, sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice to prevent darkening.

What to serve with steamed artichokes

Artichokes are versatile because they make a great appetizer, snack, or side dish. You’ll love pairing them with these easy recipes: 

• Purple Cauliflower Mash 
• Keto Buffalo Chicken Tenders
• Pan-Seared Lemon Butter Scallops
• Ribeye Steak Crostini with Horseradish Sauce

Did you try these Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes with Garlic Aioli? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below and giving this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to take a picture tag me on Instagram or use #lenaskitchenblog to be featured in my stories! I love seeing what you come up with!