Pregnancy Friendly Instant Pot Steamed Artichokes
Artichokes are one of those vegetables that feel a little fancy but are genuinely simple to prepare, and the Instant Pot makes the whole process even more approachable. These steamed beauties come out perfectly tender — soft enough to scrape the flesh cleanly from each leaf — without any of the long stovetop babysitting a traditional steam requires. The lemon-garlic butter alongside is bright, savory, and just rich enough to make every leaf worth pulling. During pregnancy, it helps to know exactly what's going into your food, and this recipe keeps things refreshingly straightforward: fresh artichokes, real butter, garlic, lemon, and herbs. Artichokes are naturally high in folate and fiber, two things that genuinely matter right now, so this dish earns its place on the table beyond just tasting good. The garlic is cooked gently until fragrant but not browned, which keeps the dipping butter mellow and easy on a sensitive stomach. The pressure-cook-then-natural-release method locks in moisture and flavor without any guesswork, and the doneness test — pulling a leaf and checking the tenderness of the base — means you'll never end up with something undercooked. It's the kind of hands-off, wholesome cooking that fits perfectly into a season of life when you want nourishing food without a lot of fuss.
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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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