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Artichokes are a type of vegetable primarily associated with use in Italian and other Mediterranean cuisines along with French. That said though, these vegetables are popular in various corners of the world with most of their production originating from America. As such, you may be curious to try them and therefore be wondering what to serve with artichokes?
Table of Contents
- What Are Artichokes?
- What Goes With Artichokes?
- What To Serve With Artichokes?
- Answered: What To Serve With Artichokes?
- FAQ – What To Serve With Artichokes?
What Are Artichokes?
Despite being known as a vegetable in the culinary world, however, they are in actuality the flower bud of a thistle that has been harvested before reaching full maturity. That said though, due to being used in much the same contexts as many other vegetables, artichokes are usually known as such.
Artichokes can be quite expensive along with being difficult to prepare due to the artichoke hearts at the centre of these fruits being where most of the flavour comes from. However, the delicious nutty yet slightly bitter flavour, along with a slightly firm texture that softens when they are cooked is often considered to be worth it. If you’ve never had them though, they are often compared to boiled potatoes, asparagus or brussels sprouts.
What Goes With Artichokes?
Artichokes are truly a very versatile vegetable that can be paired with a wide variety of different dishes and ingredients. As such, when using them in cooking it is important to identify flavours and textures that will specifically complement those already present. This is so that when you do decide to use artichokes in your cooking, you will be able to truly get the best out of them and allow them to shine.
What To Serve With Artichokes?
With the above in mind, you may be unsure what to serve with artichokes. Similarly to when serving something like mashed potatoes though, artichokes will commonly not be the main star of a dish. However, they will often be an ingredient that shines and stands out, especially when paired with appropriate dishes. As such when wanting to serve artichokes, consider the following options:
- Pizza
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Creamy Sauces
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Pasta
- Green Salad
Pizza
Everyone loves a pizza right and naturally we all have our preferences when it comes to crust thickness, toppings and the sauce used for the base. If you like having a few veggies on your pizza or want to try to diversify your typical toppings, then artichokes are a wonderful choice for doing so.
If you typically have meat toppings on your pizza such as chicken or pork the nutty and slightly bitter tastes helps contrast them and balance them out. However, if you’re avoiding meat entirely then artichokes can add a similar texture and plenty of delicious taste. Even if they’re the only topping that you use.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich
In a similar vein to with pizza, this spin on the grilled cheese sandwich is an excellent way to enjoy some artichokes. Of course, the grilled cheese is delicious and iconic. However, if you want to add some extra flavour to them then you can add artichoke hearts in order to do so.
In addition to adding some extra flavour, the addition of artichokes will also make the humble grilled cheese into something more substantial. As such, if wanting to make more of a meal that will still taste great, the addition of artichokes to a grilled cheese sandwich is a wonderful way to do so.
Creamy Sauces
No matter how you enjoy your artichokes, they will always go wonderfully with some sauces. This is true whether you go for dipping sauces or toppers, no matter how you cook artichokes.
In a dipping sauce like cream cheese, sour cream or mayonnaise battered and fried baby artichokes or you can dip artichoke petals. All of which make for wonderful choices.
Meanwhile, when you decide to bake artichokes something like melted butter, garlic butter, hollandaise sauce or even fresh lemon juice is an excellent choice. Especially if you sprinkle them with parmesan cheese or pieces of feta cheese as well.
Alternatively, a creamy sauce can be made when you stuff and bake fresh artichokes. Stuffed artichokes with feta cheese, garlic, parsley and potentially red pepper flakes will make for a wonderfully creamy combination.
Lamb
When deciding on a type of red meat to pair with artichokes, lamb always makes for a wonderful choice.
The reason for this is that difference in flavours makes for a wonderful contrast between the two foods. This is because the nutty and bitter flavours people love artichokes for will be brilliantly complemented by the salty but sweet flavours of the lamb.
Chicken
If though you are less of a lover of red meat then, of course, some chicken is a good choice that artichokes go wonderfully with.
When you make steamed artichoke hearts with some garlic to season them, the results are delicious. Especially when paired with roasted chicken as the tender but juicy chicken which contrasts wonderfully with nutty artichokes.
Eggs
Sources of animal proteins and artichokes are a wonderful combination of flavours. However, if you’re not eating meat or just wanting to cut down then eggs are a great vegetarian option. Especially if you’re preparing steamed artichokes.
One classic option is to serve your artichokes on the side of some fried eggs. However, another idea is to add them to in an omelette or to mix them in with some delicious scrambled eggs.
Pasta
Like how artichokes can go with pizza, another Italian staple that they will fit with perfectly is of course pasta. Whether it’s with farfalle, penne or spaghetti this is a wonderful combination.
However to really make things special then you should also incorporate other ingredients. Some wonderful choices include fresh lemon juice, chicken, pancetta and olives.
Green Salad
A wonderfully fresh salad that incorporates artichokes can be an excellent choice for a healthy, light and incredibly flavourful option.
One wonderful way to do so is to serve it on a bed of arugula (rocket) with red peppers, grape tomatoes, sliced red onion and a zesty Italian dressing. This can then be topped with a few other options of your choice, whether its proteins like diced salami or grilled chicken strips. Or alternatively cheese like feta or mozzarella.
Answered: What To Serve With Artichokes?
When incorporating artichokes into a meal, there is a number of delicious possibilities for doing so. When incorporated into traditional Italian dishes like salads, pizza or pasta they pair excellently. Meanwhile, particularly creamy or buttery sauces or animal products like lamb, chicken or eggs are also excellent choices.
Ultimately, these are only some of the options that you can choose from though with the options above being a starting point. So why not go crazy and experiment? You may find something truly delicious in the process.
FAQ – What To Serve With Artichokes?
What protein goes with steamed artichokes?
Steamed artichokes are delicious, especially with garlic. Some wonderful sources of protein to pair with them are lamb, chicken and eggs.
Why is artichoke bad for you?
For the most part, artichokes are quite healthy. However, it can cause some side effects such as gas, an upset stomach or diarrhoea. Additionally, some people can also have allergic reactions to them.
What food goes well with artichokes?
Artichokes are delicious with a wide variety of different foodstuffs pairing excellently with them. You can incorporate them into traditional Italian dishes like salads, pizza or pasta they pair excellently. Additionally, particularly creamy or buttery sauces or animal products like lamb, chicken or eggs are also excellent choices.
