Sheela PrakashSenior Contributing Food Editor
Sheela is the Senior Contributing Food Editor at Kitchn and the author of Mediterranean Every Day: Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food. She received her master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and is also a Registered Dietitian.
updated May 1, 2019
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Since I grew up on frozen vegetables that were cooked in the microwave until they turned to mush, I wrote them all off as soon as I was an adult. I avoided the freezer aisle completely and proclaimed I’d only buy fresh vegetables from then on out.
Then I walked into Trader Joe’s, where it’s basically impossible to write off the freezer aisle. And it was there I discovered the one frozen vegetable that completely changed my opinion: frozen artichokes.
Your Freezer Is Missing a Bag of Frozen Artichokes
Artichokes always feel a little fancy, which is perhaps why I’ve always loved them. Unfortunately, however, canned and jarred artichokes tend to be lacking in something and the fresh ones really are just a lot of work. Frozen artichokes, then, are perfect. They’re as easy to enjoy as canned and jarred but taste a whole lot closer to fresh. The texture is firm yet tender and the flavor is clean and not muddled by the tin of a can or the oil in a jar.
While some frozen artichokes come packed in a block, the best option is the bag, which is becoming a more common choice these days. Trader Joe’s definitely carries it but I’ve also seen it at Whole Foods. The benefit with the bag is you don’t need to defrost the whole block. Instead, just pour out what you need.
How to enjoy frozen artichokes? There are so many possibilities. I love stirring a big handful into risotto or adding them to a frittata. You don’t even need to wait for them to thaw, as they tend to warm up quickly in whatever you’re cooking and don’t release much water. Really, wherever you’d use canned or jarred artichokes, you can use a bag of frozen artichokes. So definitely pick up a bag the next time you’re at the store.
Are you a fan of frozen artichokes? How do you use them?
