Earthy with a slight nutty sweetness, Slow Cooker Artichokes is an easy, no-fail method of cooking this fresh vegetable. Cooked with garlic, butter and lemon, how can you go wrong?
Steamed artichokes or spinach artichoke dip are classically vintage appetizers, but why stop with appetizers? We love them for dinner, too like in this delicious Chicken Spinach Artichoke Pasta or this Creamy Artichoke Mushroom Chicken.
Artichokes tend to be viewed as either a special occasion food or too intimidating to bother with. While certainly they can be added to any fancy or special occasion meal, they aren’t too intimidating to prepare.
In fact, as far as prep or cooking goes, crockpot artichokes are simple. And what’s even better, they are incredibly healthy and nutritious; high in fiber, minerals, and vitamins A and K. They’re also low fat, well, they’re low fat until you dip the meaty leaves in melted butter or mayonnaise.
Recipe Ingredients
- Artichokes — you’ll want plump large artichokes versus the skinner ones; they’re more meaty. Fresh artichokes can almost always be found at the grocery store!
- Lemon — we recommend using freshly squeezed lemon instead of lemon juice in a bottle for best flavor.
- Butter — as the better melts, it will seep between the petals for maximum deliciousness.
- Seasonings — salt, pepper, and freshly minced garlic.
- Water — this will create the steam for cooking.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One — Prepare the artichokes by trimming any undesirable outer leaves and cut the stem so they can sit flat in the crockpot. Cut about between 1/2-1 inch off the top. The thorns on the tips of the leaves tend to soften while cooking, but snip them off if in doubt.
Step Two — Place the artichokes in the slow cooker. You’ll want them to sit flat. You may have to trim a few additional leaves off.
Step Three — Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the top of the artichoke, then add the minced garlic. Squeeze the lemon (or drizzle the juice if you juiced them) over the artichokes and top each with a pat of butter. Pour the water into the bottom of the crock.
Step Four — Cover and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours. DO NOT OPEN THE LID WHILE COOKING, this will release the built up steam needed for cooking. Once done, serve with melted butter or your favorite mayonnaise.
How to eat an artichoke
- Peel a petal off from the base, they should easily pull off. Dip the bottom portion of the petal in any desired dipping sauce or melted butter. Strip the meat off of the petal through clenched teeth and discard the leaf.
- After the leaves are fully removed, you’ll be at the heart. Use a spoon to scoop out the choke, or the fuzzy part and discard it.
- Slice or dice the heart and enjoy it with your dipping sauce. We love mayonnaise, melted butter, chipotle aioli, or even garlic butter for dipping sauces for artichokes.
- If there’s some stem left, the very center portion is also edible, so remove the outer portion and dice the very center to enjoy.
Variations
- Use your favorite herbs and spices to further season your artichokes.
- Sprinkle a bit of Parmesan cheese over the top with the garlic for a slight Italian flair.
- Use broth, white wine, or sherry as the cooking liquid for your crockpot artichokes.
- Use roasted garlic instead of fresh minced garlic.
Recipe FAQs
We think so! Cooking them in the slow cooker does take longer, but the process is much simpler and doesn’t require the same attention as stovetop steaming; totally worth the wait to try this yummy recipe. Keeping the vegetables upright and water evaporation are the biggest concerns with stovetop cooking. The veggies will stay upright snugly in the crock and there’s little-to-no evaporation in the slow cooker.
Yes, you’ll need to cook them for 8-9 hours without opening the lid.
A serrated knife works better than a chef’s or paring knife for cutting off the stem and the top portion of the artichoke. Kitchen scissors or shears can be used to snip off the pointy thorns on top of the leaves.
The petals (at the base), the center of the stem, and the entire artichoke heart are edible. The choke, or the fuzzy fibrous section of the artichoke, is not edible, as its name implies; you could choke if you try to eat it.
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Slow Cooker Artichokes Recipe
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 3 artichokes medium or 2 large
- 1/4 tsp salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup water
Instructions:
- Trim the artichokes: Cut the bottoms off the artichokes so they sit flat.
- Cut the very tops off the artichokes (I cut about a half inch off)
- Add the artichokes to the slow cooker. If you have a hard time getting the artichokes to fit, peel off a few of the leaves and that should allow them all to fit nicely.
- Sprinkle over with salt and pepper, then add the garlic.
- Squeeze over the lemon juice.
- Cut the butter into slices and place on top of the artichokes.
- Add the water to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3.5 -4 hours or LOW for 8-9 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Serve with melted butter (or mayonnaise if that’s your thing).
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Peel a petal off from the base, they should easily pull off. Dip the bottom portion of the petal in any desired dipping sauce or melted butter. Strip the meat off of the petal through clenched teeth and discard the leaf.
- After the leaves are fully removed, you’ll be at the heart. Use a spoon to scoop out the choke, or the fuzzy part and discard it.
- Slice or dice the heart and enjoy it with your dipping sauce. We love mayonnaise, melted butter, chipotle aioli, or even garlic butter for dipping sauces for artichokes.
- If there’s some stem left, the very center portion is also edible, so remove the outer portion and dice the very center to enjoy.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I am going to try my Italian Grandmas recipe with bread crumbs, parmean cheese salt, pepper and olive oil! It will take some time to stuff leaves but will be amazing to the taste, I promise!
This is how I always make them.
Can it be cooked on low for 7 hours?
I have not tested. I think it should be fine. They take longer than you would expect.
swap the water with chicken broth for a little kick!
Can’t wait to try these!! Out of curiosity, since 3 regular or 2 large artichokes make 8 servings, how many leaves would that be? I have to count…diabetes.
Hi Kay, sorry I don’t have that info off hand. I apologize.
No problem. My artichokes are in the crock pot as we speak. I love mine with blue cheese dressing. Looking forward to dinner!
Turned out amazing.
Perfect for not heating up the house!
Cheers
Add a few drops of liquid smoke to the water for a nice flavor.
Wow, this looks super delicious. I’m definitely going to try it this weekend. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!
Try mayo with curry powder. It’s awsomw!
another great idea, thank you!
Mayo and Curry Powder…. an absolute must…. also great on asparagus!!!!!
mayo with curry powder is awesome… also maybe a touch of garlic.
I am totally doing this! I usually buy my artichokes at Trader Joes and look every single time I go in for them (haven’t had them lately). I will do an aioli with lemon juice, fresh garlic and mayo. If I feel like a little sweet heat I will mix mayo, sriracha and some honey to dip in. Both ways are yummy!
Your dip sounds amazing Shelby!
I’m excited to try this! I love artichokes (with mayonnaise + dill) and had never thought to cook them in the slow cooker. Thanks, Sarah!
Dill sounds so good Darla!
I usually cook my artichokes in my pressure cooker – however my neighbor doesn’t have one and this recipe using her crock pot will work great for her. Thanks for posting it.
That’s great Kathy!
I never have had a slow cooker, plus I don’t remember see them in stores until recently. They don’t grow around here. I am going to try with a slow cooker. I will see how they taste.