For a tasty way to eat the popular vegetable-like flower bud of a thistle, air fryer artichoke is the recipe for you!
With a spice-oil blend and a little patience, you can be munching on the tender heart of the artichoke in no time at all.
Artichokes in the air fryer are easy to make once you get them cut open – and they can be enjoyed on their own or with a dip of your choice!

Recipe Tips
Before you make artichoke in the air fryer, be sure to read through these recipe tips so that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into!
- This recipe is for making full artichokes from fresh. You can check out our recipe for preparing artichoke hearts in the air fryer for all the taste and much less work!
- Be sure to pick artichokes that are of similar size so that they finish cooking at roughly the same time. Also, try to pick artichokes with tight leaves that haven’t yet opened as this indicates freshness.
- An important step that needs to be done quickly when you air fry artichokes is covering the cut open halves in lemon juice. Otherwise, the inner flesh will turn brown quickly.
- You can change up the spice blend to suit your taste but we really like to keep it simple with salt, garlic powder, and pepper to compliment the taste of the artichoke itself.
- Depending on the size of the artichokes and your air fryer, the cooking time can vary. Check the artichokes for doneness by removing some of the outside leaves. If the pull off relatively easy, the artichokes are likely done.
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.

Step by Step Instructions
You can find some step-by-step process photos of how to make artichokes in the air fryer.
This way, you can see exactly how we made our artichokes in the air fryer (since there are a few steps).
Alternatively, you can skip below to the detailed recipe card for all the instructions without visuals!

Rinse the artichoke and pat it dry. Cut off the lower part of the stem and the top of the artichoke.
If there are little thorns on the top of the leaves, cut them off with some scissors – if not, don’t worry about it.
Remove the lower straggler leaves that can be found around the stem of the artichoke.

Mix the oil with the salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Also, cut the lemon into halves or quarters.

Now, cut the artichoke in half and rub the open cut sides with lemon juice right away (otherwise they will turn brown quickly).

Place the artichoke halves onto a large plate or dish and brush the artichokes with the oil-spice mixture until they are evenly coated.
Coat the cut open side first, then use any extra spice-oil mix on the outside of the artichoke.

Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
When it is hot, add the artichokes into the air fryer tray (cut side up).

Cook the artichokes for 10-14 minutes total until browned, slightly crispy, and the outside leaves remove easily when pulled (this is a sign that the artichoke is done).
Flip the artichokes about halfway through the cooking time. The cooking time can vary depending on the size of the artichokes and your air fryer.

Once done, remove the artichokes from the air fryer and serve them with your favorite dip.
To eat the artichoke, rip off the leaves and scrape the inside of the leaves with your teeth to get the good flesh.
Make sure to not eat the choke – the “hairy part” on top of the artichoke heart. The heart of the artichoke is often considered to be the best part.
Storage Tips
It’s best to eat air-fried artichokes while they are hot and fresh. If you have any halves left over, you can store them in a sealed container in the fridge.
Properly stored, they’ll last for 2-3 days. You can eat them cold or heated up again – it’s up to you!
Related Recipes
For some tasty air fryer vegetable recipes, you can check out these delicious creations!
- Air Fryer Broccolini
- Air Fryer Fingerling Potatoes
- Vegetable Skewers in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Carrots (So Easy!)

Air Fryer Artichoke
Ingredients
- 2 small artichokes
- 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the artichoke and pat it dry.
- Cut off the lower part of the stem and the top of the artichoke. If there are little thorns on the top of the leaves, cut them off with some scissors – if not, don’t worry about it.
- Remove the lower straggler leaves that can be found around the stem of the artichoke.
- Mix the oil with the salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Also, cut the lemon into halves or quarters.
- Now, cut the artichoke in half and rub the open cut sides with lemon juice right away (otherwise they will turn brown quickly).
- Place the artichoke halves onto a large plate or dish and brush the artichokes with the oil-spice mixture until they are evenly coated. Coat the cut open side first, then use any extra spice-oil mix on the outside of the artichoke.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When it is hot, add the artichokes into the air fryer tray (cut side up). Cook the artichokes for 10-14 minutes total until browned, slightly crispy, and the outside leaves remove easily when pulled (this is a sign that the artichoke is done). Flip the artichokes about halfway through the cooking time. The cooking time can vary depending on the size of the artichokes and your air fryer.
- Once done, remove the artichokes from air fryer and serve them with your favorite dip.
Notes
- Make sure to choose artichokes that are still tightly closed – this means it’s fresher. Also, try to choose artichokes that are approximately the same size so they’ll be done at the same time.
- Eating: rip off the leaves and scrape the inside of the leaves with your teeth to get the good flesh. Make sure to not eat the choke (the "hairy part" on top of the artichoke heart).
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.