Air fryer artichokes are a simple yet delicious appetizer perfect for any occasion. Roasted artichokes cooked in air fryer take significantly less than in the oven so why not give it a go!
Serve them with your favorite dip or find some easy dip recipe ideas below.
Can you air fry artichokes?
Yes, you can. The full step by step instructions for this air fryer artichokes recipe can be found in the recipe card, located under this post.
Can you cook a whole artichoke in an air fryer?
Yes, but I prefer cutting them in half to reduce the cooking time.
How long to cook artichoke in air fryer?
This will depend on the size of your artichokes as well as on the air fryer you own. Also, if you decide not to preheat your air fryer, I recommend adding 2-3 minutes to the overall cooking time.
When I make these air fryer artichokes, I count with a minimum of 12 minutes (medium in size). When the time is up, I take one out and check for doneness by peeling off the outer leaves – if they go easily, it’s a sign they are done.
If you wanted to make whole artichokes in the air fryer, you would definitely need to increase the cooking time, so I recommend cutting them in half, unless you want to make stuffed artichokes in air fryer.
How to make artichokes in air fryer
First, you need to prep the artichokes for cooking. Rinse them and remove some of the outer leaves (I usually do about 7 or more). Then, cut the stem off and cut off the tip. Cut them in half.
Then, all you have to do is pour lemon juice over, drizzle some olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Air fryer artichokes are ready in no time, so why not give them a go!
How do you eat artichokes?
Peel off a leaf (start with the outer leaves) and dip the wide part in a sauce of your choice (Our favorite is this simple garlic dip or blue cheese dip. Alioli is also a tasty option).
Using your front teeth, pull the leaf through to remove the soft part that you have dipped in the sauce. Discard the rest.
Once you have peeled all the leaves, you will be left with the heart – the best part of the artichoke. There will be the fluff as we have not removed it before cooking. Take a spoon and gently slide it under the fluffy area and move around until you have removed all of it. You can also just grab the fluff with your fingers and pull.
When done, you can dip the heart in sauce and enjoy it.
If you are looking for more air fryer appetizer recipes, I have some inspiration for you:
Baked brie, orange chicken wings, air fryer sticky chicken wings and ham & jalapeno air fryer pinwheels are all easy appetizers made in air fryer that are perfect for any occasion.
Check out our video for how to make Air Fryer Artichokes:
Air Fryer Artichokes
Ingredients
- 2 artichokes (medium-sized, see note 1)
- 1 lemon (juice only)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (see note 2)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- black pepper (to taste, see note 3)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 340° Fahrenheit (170° Celsius) – 4-5 minutes is enough. Rinse the artichokes under running water. Remove outer leaves (about 7-10), cut the tips and shorten the stem. Cut them in half, lengthwise. Turn them so the cut side is facing you.
- Pour a generous amount of fresh lemon juice over (about ¼ of lemon per piece).
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Now place them in preheated air fryer cut side down and repeat (drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper).
- Cook for 12-15 minutes (or until ready) at 340° Fahrenheit (170° Celsius).
- Serve with a dip of your choice.
Video
Notes
- Artichokes vary in size and shape. For this reason, they might need less or more seasoning as well as less or more time in the air fryer. 12-15 minutes should be enough for medium ones. If using large ones, you will need to increase cooking time. I would go with 17-20 minutes, but I would keep an eye on them. I also like to season them well on both sides because some of the seasoning will come off while cooking. Also, be generous with lemon juice as well.
- For best results use olive oil only (I used extra virgin olive oil).
- In this case, more pepper is better than less. It does give the artichokes a nice flavor.
Susan says
I received a NINJA AIR FRYER as a gift, and Ihad just bought myself a whole artichoke. Voilá! So delicious. I used one of the filters [sent separately] so I don't have any mess whatsoever and I am loving my artichoke!
Debbie M says
Large artichokes are best if you par-boil for 5-10 minutes. It also helps slow the browning of outer leaves. Even if I don’t have really big artichokes - I soak them in cold water before prepping them per recipe. They turn out wonderful.
Kylie says
Great recipe. I followed it exactly, except, I cooked mine (medium size) face up for the first 5 minutes, then flipped, seasoned + EVOO (per your recipe), and cooked the remaining 10. Mostly because I used the inside of the artichoke as a bowl to hold all the lemon juice I squeezed on them, ha. They were perfect. I appreciate your recipe so much!
Julia | Appetizer Addiction says
Thanks so much for your comment, Kylie!
Tracy Gracie says
Thanks! I’m gonna give it a try. Sounds so easy and loving my new air fryer so this will great to try.
Elisha says
I was so excited for this to work, but was really skeptical. And for good reason. After 25 minutes, artichokes were still tough on the inside and now burnt on the outside. So sad!
Julia | Appetizer Addiction says
Hi Elisha. I am sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, artichokes all vary in sizes so some might take longer to cook than others.I stated this in recipe so that everyone can adjust the cooking time. Unfortunately, every air fryer cooks differently and this can also affect the cooking time. Yes, the outside leaves won't be edible, but this is normal. They would never get so tender and there is barely any flesh to enjoy, so don't worry about the outter leaves. As long as the middle and about 2/3 of the artichokes are tender, then they are great. You could par-boil them prior air frying though. Hope this helps and you try again.
Scarlet says
Hmm! I never knew you could cook artichokes in the air fryer. That will be fun to try. Looks like they came out perfectly for you!
Julia | Appetizer Addiction says
Yes, you can 🙂