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Super-Easy, Pan-Roasted Baby Artichokes
By Alexandra Stafford
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Last Updated: 08/30/2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Baby artichokes are much easier to prepare than large globe artichokes, and when pan-roasted on the stovetop in olive oil and garlic, they make an irresistible appetizer!
Inspired by an appetizer served at Osteria, an Italian taverna run by the owners of Vetri, these artichokes are cooked “alla Romana”: slowly in olive oil with rosemary and garlic on the stovetop. It’s a two-phase cooking process, first covered over moderate heat to allow the artichokes to cook fully; then uncovered over higher heat to allow the artichokes to crisp.
They emerge from the pot glistening and golden brown all around, and they are irresistible served with nothing more than a sprinkling of flaky sea salt and a squeeze of lemon.
Unlike globe artichokes, baby ones have no fuzzy inedible choke, which makes them much easier to prepare than the large ones. That said, they still require the outer leaves to be removed and the stems to be slightly peeled — enlist any humans/children looking for something to do to help.
They are tender and delicious and can be found at the market March through May, though you find them throughout the fall, too, depending on your location.
How to Make Pan-Roasted Baby Artichokes, Step by Step
First, gather your artichokes:
You’ll need to peel away the outer leaves and peel the stems. As you work, drop the artichokes into a bowl of lemon water:
When you are done, place olive oil, water, rosemary and garlic in a large pot on the stovetop:
Add the artichokes:
Then cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes:
Uncover the pot, raise the heat, and let the artichokes cook until the undersides begin to brown and crisp, then flip the artichokes over:
Continue to cook until the second side is as brown and crisp as the top:
Transfer the artichokes to a platter, season with flaky sea salt, and …
… serve with lemon on the side:
Super-Easy, Pan-Roasted Baby Artichokes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 as an appetizer 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Inspired by an appetizer served at Osteria in Philadelphia.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, halved
- 15 baby artichokes
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze half the lemon into it. Cut off the rough spiky tops of the artichokes and peel away leaves until the pale green leaves are exposed. With a paring knife, cut off very bottom of stem and peel dark green layer off sides of stem. Repeat with each one, dropping each cleaned artichoke into the prepared acidulated water.
- In a medium, deep heavy pot, add ½ cup water, the oil, salt, rosemary and garlic. Place over medium-high heat until oil and water mixture begins to bubble. Add the artichokes. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and let cook 20 minutes.
- Remove cover, and increase heat to medium-high. Let the artichokes cook undisturbed until the bottom side begins to turn golden brown and get crispy. Once nicely colored, flip artichokes and cook until second side becomes similarly golden-brown.
- When artichokes are crisped all over, remove with slotted spoon, sprinkle with salt to taste and serve with remaining half lemon.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
12 Comments on “Super-Easy, Pan-Roasted Baby Artichokes”
A wonderful dish! I made this as a side dish for our Italian Christmas Eve meal, and we all really enjoyed it. I added some red chili pepper flakes during the last few minutes of cooking. Will make again!
Oh Yay! So nice to hear this, Amy! That sounds like a lovely meal. Happy New Year to you!
Simple, yet really tasty! My partner (who is from the south of France) said this was the best artichoke he has had in his life. I have a couple artichoke plants in the yard that easily have 30 chokes on them. We will be having this again and again and again!!
Oh my goodness, so wonderful to hear this! And wow, how idyllic to have artichokes growing in your backyard?! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hello, Ali. These look fabulous, but I swear I saw a quick version with frozen artichoke hearts (there was even a photo of Whole Foods 365 frozen artichokes), but now can’t find it – ? Thank you! Cindy
Hi Cynthia! It was in my newsletter: https://alexandra-stafford-llc.ck.page/posts/asparagus-frozen-artichokes-blueberry-scones-more
Hi Ali! About to make these! I just wanted to clarify, by the time the artichokes are turning golden brown and crispy will the water have all evaporated? Thank you!
Hi! And yes, the water mixture should be nearly evaporated.
Easy to prep and make…turned out very delicious. Not greasy at all. I didn’t have fresh rosemary so I used some dry Italian seasoning instead. I wasn’t sure exactly how much to peel away so I ended up leaving a few “tougher” leaves on. Then once I was done cooking, I put the artichokes on a paper towel lined plate to absorb the grease. I peeled away the tougher leaves and nibbled on the parts that I could. Once I was able to eat a whole leaf, I stopped peeling, cut in halve, sprinkled a minuscule amount of course salt and enjoyed that way! Yum!
So nice to read this, Kimmie! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. So glad they did not turn out greasy.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I picked up a 2-pound bag of baby artichokes on impulse at the farmers market and then thought “now what?”. I’ve used this recipe three times since — I keep buying those 2-pound bags 🙂 The artichokes are so good piled on top of homemade hummus.
Oh yay! So nice to hear this, Lorraine! Thanks so much for writing and sharing this 🙂