How to Cook Artichokes & Best Artichoke Dipping Sauce (2024)

Why This Recipe Works

Simple & Delicious: Artichokes are probably one of my favorite appetizers to make. It is simple, elegant and so delicious. I wanted to share with you all exactly how to cook artichokes and serve them with the best artichoke dipping sauce! Steamed or boiled artichokes are a definite crowd pleaser and even picky eaters will eat these up in no time!

Anyone Can Do It: Don’t be fooled into thinking that cooking artichokes is difficult! Follow my step by step instructions on how to steam and boil artichokes in order to remove the inedible parts of the artichoke to enjoy the delicious leaves and artichoke heart!

Ingredients

When learning how to cook artichokes, you only need a few simple ingredients. With so few ingredients, make sure that you use the highest quality possible for the best flavors!

• Artichokes: You will need 2 globe artichokes here. You can also make more depending on the size of your steamer basket or biggest pot!
• Lemon: Lemon is great to help tenderize the artichoke leaves and add a tangy bite!
• Bay Leaf: Bay leaf will be added to the water used to steam or boil the artichokes.
• Dipping Sauce: To make the best dipping sauce, I combined reduced-fat sour cream and mayo, or creme fraiche, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and salt & pepper to taste!

Here’s How to Make It

Step by Step Instructions

How to Prepare the Artichokes:

1. Trim the Artichokes: Trim 1 inch off of the top of the artichoke, as well as trimming off 3/4 of the hard stem before peeling off both the tough outer leaves and any small unformed leaves around the base. You’ll need a very sharp knife for this! Using a sharp pair of kitchen scissors, trim the sharp tips off the remaining visible leaves.
2. Rinse: Rinse the artichoke until the cold tap, gently spreading the exposed leaves as you do so. Squeeze half of the lemon over the exposed artichoke leaves. Do not dispose of the spent lemon. Squeeze the other half of the lemon, reserving 1 tbsp of the juice.

How to Steam the Artichokes:

1. Prep & Boil Water: Prepare a steamer basket over a pot of water to which you have added the spent lemon halves, the bay leaf, and any leftover lemon juice (still reserving 1 tbsp).
2. Steam: Steam the artichokes with the pan lid on but just tilted to the side to release pressure from the steam for 30-40 minutes; this will depend on the freshness of your artichokes. You’ll know they are done when you can easily pull away an outer leaf without tugging.
3. Serve: Serve with the dipping sauce either whole at the table for people to pull away the tender leaves to dip into the sauce, or separated in the kitchen and piled on a platter (don’t forget to include the choke!) next to the bowl of sauce.

How to Boil the Artichokes:

1. Place in Pot: Place the artichokes in a large saucepan filled with cold water with the spent lemon halves, any remaining lemon juice and the bay leaf.
2. Boil: Bring to a boil over medium-high heat before reducing to low. Simmer for 35-45 minutes until tender.
3. Serve: Serve with the dipping sauce either whole at the table for people to pull away the tender leaves to dip into the sauce, or separated in the kitchen and piled on a platter (don’t forget to include the choke!) next to the bowl of sauce.

How to Make the Dipping Sauce:

1. Mix Ingredients Together: While the artichokes are cooking, stir together the sour cream, 1 tbsp of reserved lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Expert Tips

• Cooking your artichokes with the lemon water with an added bay leaf adds some extra flavor to the artichokes!
• Knowing how to cook and eat an artichoke can be weird at first! After cooking, start by pulling off the tender leaves and dipping them in sauce. However, don’t eat the whole leaf! Hold the leaf from the side that you pulled it off, and eat about halfway up (just the light colored part of the leaf), scraping the tender part of the leave and any dip off with your teeth.
• After all of the leaves are gone, scrape out the choke which is the fuzzy white part of what is left. This part is inedible. Then, cut the remaining piece of the artichoke, called the heart, into pieces and dip and eat!

What sauce do you serve with artichokes?

While you can eat artichokes on their own or with a little bit of salt and pepper, it is even more delicious to dip the leaves in something! You can dip them in melted butter, plain mayo, or I highly recommend dipping them in the best artichoke dipping sauce featured in this recipe!