Microwave Artichoke or Instant Pot with Herb Sauce

Artichokes are quite the summer treat, and we love them in a good herb sauce.
Microwave Artichokes with Herb Sauce

Last Updated on May 13, 2023

artichokes
Microwave artichoke or Instant Pot – Both easy and fast!

One of the reasons artichokes are not that popular is they take a long time to cook on the stovetop.  Well, there are easier ways.  In this recipe, I offer two ways to have artichokes on the table quickly, either microwave artichokes or if you have one use the Instant Pot.

Spane really likes artichoke heart salad, so I thought it was time for him to try a real artichoke. The problem is A) I don’t have a large pot and B) I really don’t want to heat up my kitchen by putting something on the stovetop to cook for that length of time. What to do?

Microwave Artichoke

Well, microwave artichokes, of course! I prepare my artichokes as I would for normal steaming by cutting the tips off the outer leaves, and actually cutting about an inch off the top to make a nice presentation. I removed the stem to cook in the water. Then they’re ready for their quick trip in the microwave, followed by the refreshing cold of the refrigerator, and waiting to be presented at the dinner table with some nice herb dipping sauce.

Instant Pot Artichoke

Update: Now that I have an Instant Pot, the game has changed.  The Instant Pot is super quick and does a better job, in my opinion. If I had to give just one reason why you should have an Instant Pot, this is it.  You can make the best artichokes in about 20 minutes, including getting to pressure.  All you have to go is chill them to enjoy them with this sauce, serve them with clarified butter – or these are just so tasty, just by themselves.

So, no matter whether you want to microwave artichoke or put it in the Instant Pot, enjoy it!

Here without further ado, is the recipe. Please enjoy!

artichokes

Microwave Artichokes with Herb Sauce

Artichokes are quite the summer treat, and we love them in a good herb sauce.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French
Newsletter: 2020-10-31
Servings (slide to adjust): 2
Calories per serving: 220kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 artichokes, leaves trimmed
  • 1 cup water

For the Microwave

  • 1 teaspoon malt vinegar

For Instant Pot

  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 garlic clove, broken up

For the Sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon freeze-dried or fresh poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon freeze-dried or fresh chives, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Vegetable base
  • ½ teaspoon White Worcestershire sauce
Ingredients necessary for the recipe step are in italic.

Instructions

  • Prepare the artichokes by clipping off the top of the leaves, and cutting off the first inch of the vegetable. See the picture.

For the Microwave

  • Put the artichokes in a large microwave safe bowl, preferably one with a lid. Add the vinegar and salt. Cover, put in the microwave and cook on high about 12-15 minutes. You can tell the artichokes are done when a leaf comes away easily. Let stand in the microwave until the container is cool enough to handle, then place in the refrigerator and chill at least 2 hours.

For the Instant Pot

  • Put the artichokes in a steamer basket or on the included trivet. Add a cup of water. Add the bay leaf. Break the garlic clove into a few pieces with your hands or a knife. Add that to the pot and seal the lid. Set the Instant Pot for 9 minutes and use the Quick Release method when they are done.

For the Sauce

  • In the meantime, prepare the sauce by combining the remaining ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
  • Serve the artichokes and sauce together with a large bowl for the discarded leaves. Enjoy!

Notes

The freeze-dried herbs from the Lite House people are really wonderful. You could try using regular dried herbs, but the end product will not be quite as good.

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 7gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 1986mgPotassium: 581mgFiber: 7gSugar: 1g
Got Questions? Let me know!Mention @arbpen or tag #arbpen!
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About arbpen

As an award-winning and serious home cook, I seriously believe there is no reason why you can't have a restaurant quality meal at home. One of the good things about eating at home is to save money, so armed with a good menu plan, a shopping list, and an appreciation of good food, we can all have gourmet food on a budget.

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