These succulent artichokes and potatoes are mouthwateringly tender, moist, and bursting with flavour! They are perfect as a festive side dish at Easter or Christmas when artichokes are in season and at their best. Artichokes and potatoes are an Italian speciality from the central and southern regions of Italy, where artichokes thrive in the warmer climate. I used the Sardinian variety, carciofo spinoso di Sardegna, for this particular recipe, but you can use any kind of fresh artichoke.
These authentic Italian-style artichokes and potatoes are an amazing dish to serve as part of a festive meal or when you have friends around for dinner. They’re simply divine! Words can’t do them justice, so I can only suggest you make them and see for yourself! This recipe is easy to make, and if you follow it to the letter, you’ll be rewarded with an outstanding dish! The secret here is not the ingredients but how you cook them. Don’t worry, I’ve prepared step-by-step instructions with photos, so you can’t go wrong.
Trimming the artichokes is a bit fiddly and takes a while, but don’t even think about substituting them with frozen, tinned, or anything but fresh, seasonal artichokes. Otherwise, you won’t be happy, your guests won’t, and I won’t either because you won’t leave me a 5-star review! After trimming them, the artichokes and potatoes are cooked in two stages.
First, you sauté the artichokes with a little coarse sea salt on all sides until golden. Next, you sweat the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the potatoes and sauté them until lightly browned. Then, add the vegetable broth and continue to simmer until the potatoes are tender. Finally, return the artichokes to the pan and braise them with the potatoes for the last few minutes. This way, the artichokes retain their colour, and most of the broth evaporates, leaving the artichokes and potatoes wonderfully moist and full of flavour.
Tips before you start
- Only use fresh seasonal artichokes and trim them according to the instructions below.
- Use a variety of potatoes that remain firm when cooked.
- Pay close attention to the cooking methods and times stated in the recipe for the best results.
How to make Italian artichokes and potatoes
Ingredients
The exact quantities of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Artichokes – Only use fresh, seasonal artichokes for this recipe. Calculate one artichoke per person as a side dish or two as a main course. Any kind of artichokes are OK – just make sure they are fresh and feel firm with no brown patches.
Potatoes – You’ll need waxy potatoes for this recipe. Choose a variety that doesn’t break up when cooked. Avoid farinaceous varieties.
Onion – Yellow onion is best for this artichoke and potato recipe. You’ll need to chop it very finely.
Garlic – How could a dish like this be complete without a hint of garlic? Use fresh garlic here, not powder. If you’re not a garlic fan, just omit it.
Vegetable broth – You can either make your own homemade vegetable broth or use shop-bought vegetable broth in cubes or powder form. The broth will need to be quite concentrated for this recipe to give the dish plenty of flavour.
Salt – I use Guérande unrefined sea salt.
Pepper – A few twists of freshly ground black pepper round off the seasoning.
Lemon juice – You’ll need fresh lemon juice to prevent the artichokes from oxidising and turning brown as you trim them.
Instructions
- Trim the artichokes. I recommend using gloves so your fingers and nails don’t get stained.
How to trim an artichoke
You’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Cut the stem off the artichoke close to the base. Next, cut off the top third of the artichoke. It could be necessary to cut off more than a third if the artichokes are a bit tough.
- Now, peel off the dark outer leaves until you get to the tender, lighter-coloured leaves – yellow and light fuchsia/purple rather than green and dark purple. This usually means the outer third (up to half) of the leaves. It is often a question of trial and error – experience will teach you. If some of the leaves in the finished dish are a bit tough, remove more leaves next time. I usually test it by eating one of the leaves raw. You’re fine if there are no woody bits – they soften up during cooking.
- Cut off the bottom part of the stem where it starts to get tough. Peel the stem, removing a thickness of about 2 – 3 mm. The inner part of the stem is very tender and tasty – it would be a pity to waste it. Next, trim around the base. The base is very tender, so only cut off the knobbly bits where the leaves were attached – more for appearance than anything else.
- Cut the artichoke in half. Remove the choke (fuzzy bit) and the purple leaves in the middle. Cut the stem into ½ cm slices.
- Cut the artichoke in half again so that you have four quarters. Rub lemon juice over the cut edges to prevent them from oxidising and turning brown. Put them in a bowl of water with some of the lemon juice. Trim all the other artichokes and then submerge them in the bowl of water with the rest of the lemon juice.
Cooking instructions
You’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Peel the potatoes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and then cut each half crosswise into 3 – 4 mm slices. Put them in a bowl of water to stop them from turning brown.
- Drain the artichokes and pat them dry. Do the same with the pieces of the stem. You can either put these in the dish or use them in another recipe like artichoke risotto, artichoke soup or artichoke pasta sauce.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add the artichokes and a pinch of salt (preferably coarse, unrefined sea salt). Sauté on medium/high heat for a few minutes, turning them as you go so that they are golden brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan (there is no need to clean it) and add the finely chopped onion and garlic. Sweat on low heat with a lid on for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. If necessary, add a tablespoon of water so that the onions don’t fry.
- Add the potatoes to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté the potatoes on medium heat with a lid on, stirring often. The idea is to brown the potatoes lightly, which will take approximately 5 – 7 minutes.
- Put the artichokes back in the pan, add the vegetable broth and stir. Simmer on medium-low heat with a lid on until the artichokes and potatoes are cooked through but still firm. Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.
- The cooking liquid should be reduced to a thick juice, and the artichokes and potatoes should be succulent and moist.
How to serve Italian artichokes and potatoes
I usually serve artichokes and potatoes as a warm first course, in the way Italians serve pasta or risotto. You can then follow up with something like aubergine parmigiana or polpette di melanzane as a main course. Just before serving, sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley over the potatoes and artichokes. Serve them hot during the winter months and warm in the spring.
What to do with leftover potatoes and artichokes
If you have any leftover artichokes and potatoes, which I doubt, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container for three or four days. Otherwise, you could use them in a different recipe. I once added leftovers to a farinata, which was really nice. They are also fantastic in a vegan quiche or mini tartlets. I don’t really recommend freezing them because it will alter the texture and taste over time.
To reheat, put the potatoes and artichokes in a non-stick pan, add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable broth or water, and heat through slowly with a lid on the pan.
I’m sure you’ll love these braised artichokes and potatoes! If you try this recipe and like it, I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below, or take a quick pic and share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Facebook @vegan_hot_stuff – I love seeing your re-creations!
Artichokes and potatoes
4
servings20
minutes20
minutes40
minutesSucculent artichokes and potatoes cooked according to Italian tradition. Tender, moist, and bursting with flavour, they are perfect as part of a festive meal.
Recipe by Deborah, veganhotstuff.com
The quantities indicated in this recipe card are for a first course or side dish for 4 people or a main course for 2.
Ingredients
4 artichokes
the juice of one lemon (to prevent the artichokes from oxidising and turning brown)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
unrefined sea salt
30 g very finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic (minced)
400 g waxy potatoes
150 g/ml vegetable broth
or 150 ml/g water + 1 teaspoon of vegetable stock powder (or one cube)freshly ground black pepper
fresh parsley for garnish (finely chopped)
Directions
- Trim the artichokes and slice the potatoes
- Cut the stem off the artichoke close to the base. Next, cut off the top third of the artichoke. It could be necessary to cut off more than a third if the artichokes are a bit tough.
- Now, peel off the dark outer leaves until you get to the tender, lighter-coloured leaves – yellow and light fuchsia/purple rather than green and dark purple. This usually means the outer third (up to half) of the leaves.
- Cut off the bottom part of the stem where it starts to get tough. Peel the stem, removing a thickness of about 2 – 3 mm. The inner part of the stem is very tender and tasty – it would be a pity to waste it. Next, trim around the base. The base is very tender, so only cut off the knobbly bits where the leaves were attached – more for appearance than anything else.
- Cut the artichoke in half. Remove the choke (fuzzy bit) and the purple leaves in the middle. Cut the stem into ½ cm slices.
- Cut the artichoke in half again so that you have 4 quarters. Rub lemon juice over the cut edges to prevent them from oxidising and turning brown. Put them in a bowl of water with some of the lemon juice. Trim all the other artichokes and then submerge them in the bowl of water with the rest of the lemon juice.
- Peel the potatoes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and then cut each half crosswise into 3 – 4 mm slices. Put them in a bowl of water to stop them from turning brown.
- Cook the artichokes and potatoes
- Drain the artichokes and pat them dry. Do the same with the pieces of the stem. You can either put these in the dish or use them in another recipe like artichoke risotto, artichoke soup or artichoke pasta sauce.
- Put a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Heat the oil and add the artichokes and a pinch of salt (preferably coarse, unrefined sea salt). Sauté on medium/high heat for a few minutes, turning them as you go so that they are golden brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Put another tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan (no need to clean it) and add the finely chopped onion and garlic. Sweat on low heat with a lid on for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. If necessary, add a tablespoon of water so that the onions don’t fry.
- Add the potatoes to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté the potatoes on medium heat with a lid on, stirring often. The idea is to brown the potatoes lightly, which will take approximately 5 – 7 minutes.
- Put the artichokes back in the pan, add the vegetable broth and stir. Simmer on medium-low heat with a lid on until the artichokes and potatoes are cooked through but still firm. Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary. The cooking liquid should be reduced to a thick juice, and the artichokes and potatoes should be succulent and moist. Sprinkle with fresh, chopped parsley and serve hot or warm.
Notes
- See the notes in the main blog post above for the best results.
Before you go, maybe you’d like to have a look at some other delicious vegan recipes…
I hope you liked this recipe for Italian artichokes and potatoes! If you did, it would be great if you could give it 5 stars and leave a comment below! It helps other readers to find my content and posts and ultimately makes my blog more successful! Thank you so much for your support! Deborah xx
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