Barley Free Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes
Steamed artichokes have a reputation for being fussy, but the Instant Pot completely changes the game — you get perfectly tender leaves and a silky heart in a fraction of the time it takes on the stovetop. The lemon, smashed garlic, and bay leaf infused into the steaming liquid give the artichokes a subtle, aromatic depth before they even hit the dipping sauce. Speaking of which, that warm lemon-garlic butter is genuinely dangerous — bright, rich, and fragrant with fresh parsley, it makes pulling each leaf feel like a little reward. Every ingredient here is naturally free of barley and grain-based additives, so there's no label-scanning required, just straightforward whole foods doing their thing. This is the kind of dish that looks impressive on a dinner table but asks very little of the cook, especially with the pressure cooker doing the heavy lifting. Serve them upright on a platter and let everyone dig in — it's interactive, a little indulgent, and endlessly satisfying.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the artichokes
- 4 medium artichokes (about 10–12 oz each)
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 cup water
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp salt
For the dipping butter
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim the artichokes: slice off the top 1 inch of each artichoke with a chef's knife, then use kitchen shears to snip the sharp tips off the remaining outer leaves. Cut the stem flush with the base so each artichoke sits flat. Rub all cut surfaces immediately with the cut side of one lemon half to prevent browning.
- 2
Pour 1 cup water into the Instant Pot insert. Squeeze the remaining lemon half into the water, then drop in the spent lemon half, the smashed garlic cloves, bay leaf, and salt. Place the trivet or steamer basket in the pot and set the artichokes on it stem-side down.
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