Air Fryer Artichokes with Feta Yogurt Dip

The air fryer makes it quick and easy to prepare delicious Air Fryer Artichokes for an easy snack, unique appetizer, or fun and healthy veggie side dish. Follow our simple instructions to quickly prep artichokes for the air fryer. While they’re cooking away to tender-crisp perfection, mix together the best complementary dipper. Our yogurt feta dip is creamy and has just the right amount of tang to match the flavor of the hot and salty air-fried artichoke leaves.

This post was created in partnership with Ocean Mist Farms.

Artichokes in the air fryer? Yes, please!

While we’ve admittedly been a little late to the air fryer party, we’re so glad we finally took the plunge! The air fryer is the perfect tool for turning gorgeous green leafy globes (we’re looking at you, artichokes) into a healthy snack or side dish when you use the instructions in our simple Air Fryer Artichoke recipe. We’ve also included a recipe for a Feta Yogurt Dip for dunking that we’re pretty smitten with. The dip is the perfect cool and creamy complement to the warm artichokes. And the tender cooked artichoke leaves are a great vehicle for getting dip from bowl to mouth.

We’re really excited to be partnering again with our friends at Ocean Mist Farms to share the love for one of the world’s healthiest vegetables: Artichokes. Ocean Mist Farms is located in Castroville, California, and has been growing artichokes and other vegetables for nearly 100 years. They’re the largest grower of artichokes in the United States, and the only grower in the country to provide artichokes year-round, thanks to strategically located growing regions with prime soil and micro-climates in Castroville, Oxnard, Coachella, and Baja.

air Fryer artichokes are the veg you must try

In this recipe, we’re using “Frost Kissed” artichokes, which pack an intense nutty flavor thanks to California winter frosts. Frost causes the outer layer of the artichoke to turn brown, flake, and peel, much like we do after getting sunburned. Once cooked, the peeling disappears and leaves a delicious, green and fresh artichoke underneath. Whether you find globe artichokes or Frost Kissed artichokes in your produce aisle, both will come out beautifully in the air fryer!

Learn more about frost-kissed artichokes and what makes them so special here. 

the health benefits of Artichokes

Artichokes aren’t just another pretty vegetable, they can also promote a healthy gut and improve digestion. Here are some nutrition highlights of this delicious plant-based powerhouse:

• Artichokes are a great source of probiotics, which we need to contribute positively to a healthy gut microbiota (the good bacteria in our guts)
• This veg contains an important prebiotic fiber called ‘inulin’, which has been shown to decrease inflammation and autoimmune response while increasing insulin sensitivity 
• Artichokes contain the highest antioxidant count of all vegetables (it’s true!) making them an anti-aging powerhouse
• These green globes are high in magnesium which helps improve sleep duration and quality
• Artichokes are naturally gluten-free and low in calories and carbohydrates

Ingredients to Make Air Fryer Artichokes with Feta Yogurt Dip

Here’s what you’ll need on hand to make artichokes in your air fryer at home:

• Artichokes – choose artichokes that are bright green with supple leaves. Avoid leaves that are dry or brown. Artichokes come in different sizes and some have more tightly packed leaves than others. Choose artichokes of similar size and density to ensure they cook at the same rate.
• Lemons
• Olive oil or avocado oil

• Plain Greek yogurt – if you’re looking for a dip recipe that is Whole30-compatible, dairy-free, and/or vegan, see the Frequently Asked Questions below
• Feta cheese 
• Milk – use dairy or unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice
• Garlic
• Fresh dill
• Fresh mint
• Fine salt and pepper

How to Make Air Fryer Artichokes

Follow these detailed instructions for how to prep the artichokes for the air fryer.

1. Preheat the air fryer and prepare the artichokes. Prep the artichokes by pulling off the outer leaves from the bottom of the artichoke. Using a large knife, cut off the bottom of the stem and the top ⅓ of each artichoke. Using scissors or kitchen shears, snip the pointy ends from each leaf, then slice the artichoke in half. 
2. Remove the chokes. The choke is the fuzzy part in the center of each artichoke half. To remove them, use a spoon to scrape out the fuzzy parts, leaving the leaves and heart intact. Rub all cut sides with a lemon wedge to prevent browning.
3. Rub artichokes with olive oil. Drizzle the cut sides of the artichokes with olive oil and rub the oil over the entire artichoke then sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
4. Air fry the artichokes. Place the artichokes, cut side down, into the basket of the air fryer. Air fry for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway, or until a leaf can be easily pulled from the base of the artichoke and you can easily pierce the heart with the tip of a paring knife.
5. Make the dip. While the artichokes cook, make the dip by combining the Greek yogurt, feta, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, garlic, dill, mint, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

How to Enjoy Artichokes in the Air Fryer

We think that one of the best ways to enjoy these incredibly delicious and nutritious air fryer artichokes is by dipping the leaves in melted butter or our Feta Yogurt Dip. Then, use your teeth to gently scrape the fleshy part from the bottom of each leaf. After the leaves have all been removed, it’s time to enjoy the heart of the artichoke. 

Other Ways to Use Air Fried Artichokes

You can peel the leaves away from the heart of an air-fried artichoke, then slice the heart to enjoy on a salad or tossed into a dip, grain bowl, or casserole. We think this Greek Quinoa Salad is the perfect way to enjoy this nutritional powerhouse of a vegetable. 

Air Fryer Artichokes: Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve been enjoying artichokes in many ways for many years, and have learned quite a few tricks each time we prepare them. Here are some notes that will help:

• Can you prep this recipe ahead of time? Since artichokes brown quickly after they are cut, we do not recommend preparing the artichokes ahead of time. However, you can make the Feta Yogurt Dip up to 4 days in advance.
• How do I clean a fresh artichoke? Check out this super helpful photo tutorial we created on how to clean and prepare fresh artichokes.
• Is this recipe Whole30-compatible? The air fryer artichokes themselves are Whole30-friendly, but the dip is not, since it contains yogurt. For a Whole30 dip, we suggest swapping out the Greek yogurt for non-dairy, compatible plant-based plain yogurt, such as Kite Hill, Cocoyo, and Forager. Also, use an unsweetened non-dairy milk alternative and omit the feta cheese, adding more salt to taste.
• How do I make this dairy-free and/or vegan? Easily! Just replace the yogurt with a non-dairy yogurt, such as Kite Hill, Cocoyo, and Forager. Also, use your favorite unsweetened non-dairy milk and non-dairy feta cheese (or omit the cheese and add more salt to taste). 
• I don’t have an air fryer. Can these be made another way? We have directions for making artichokes in the Instant Pot here or you can prepare them in the oven. 
• What can I use the leftover Feta Yogurt Dip for? The dip itself is so good! Use it as a salad dressing when thinned with a bit more milk, as a dip for other roasted or air-fried veggies, as a sauce for steamed broccoli and cauliflower, or even in place of the Tzatziki sauce in this Sheet Pan Greek Chicken that also features artichokes. 

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This post was made possible by our friends at Ocean Mist Farms. Although we received compensation for this post, the opinions expressed here are – as always – 100% our own. Thank you for supporting the great companies we work with thereby allowing us to continue creating great recipes and content for you.