Artichoke hearts are widely used in today’s cooking, especially for healthy recipes because of their medicinal properties. We can steam, fry, or grill the artichokes themselves or take them as a part of many dishes.
The problem is the shelflife of the artichoke do not allow us to keep them for as long as we’d probably prefer. So, that is where knowing the substitutes for artichokes is useful.
Thanks to the mild taste, it’s not hard to find substitutes for artichoke hearts. Of course, nothing can replace something else entirely, but they will work in particular aspects.
Learn More Below!
What Are Artichoke Hearts?
The artichoke heart is known as green artichoke in the U.S. It seems a bud of thistle before coming into bloom is similar to a flower. Nowadays, artichoke is widely used in cooking, they contain health benefits such as increasing ‘Good’ cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, improve liver and digestive health.
Artichoke hearts have a mild nutty flavor (similar taste compared with asparagus and Brussels) and a crunchy texture. You can meet artichoke in a lot of salad or soup recipes.
Both the artichoke leaves and heart are edible; however, the artichoke heart is more popular because its taste is delicious and easy to combine with other ingredients in recipes.
Recommended Artichoke Hearts Substitutes
Artichoke hearts play different roles in different recipes, from being a topping, thicken agents to the main ingredient. Let’s find out which substitute is suitable for the specific functions of artichoke hearts.
1. Jerusalem Artichoke: In Salads
People often get confused with this name, but it actually has nothing to do with the artichoke. Instead, this is a variety of sunflower, also called sunchoke, and looks like ginger roots.
Sunchoke has a sweet and nutty flavor which is similar to artichoke hearts. It is rich in iron, fiber, and low saturated fat, which is ideal for a healthy diet.
Its fresh property makes it perfect for replacing artichoke hearts in salads and roasted meals. However, its crunchy texture makes it unsuited with recipes that call for liquid, which is better to go with a soft texture of artichoke hearts.
2. Cardone: In Baking Dishes
Cardone, or cardoon, is a tough plant that looks like celery. Apart from having an artichoke-like flavor, cardone contains many vitamins, minerals, and low calories. That’s why it is a good substitute for artichoke hearts.
Cardone is well-known as a Christmas dinner delicacy. When it comes to replacing artichoke hearts, people love to add it to topping or baking dishes.
However, it is different in texture from the artichoke hearts, so it’s not recommended for sauce and gravy. It also can’t be eaten raw like artichoke hearts.
3. Brussel Sprouts: In Making Garlic Sauce
Brussel sprouts are considered a popular side dish during the holidays. They provide a significant amount of vitamin C, B-6, and calcium for healthy recipes.
Brussel sprouts taste similar to artichoke hearts with a mild nutty flavor. Therefore, it makes an excellent substitute for artichoke hearts in the case of eating themselves or cooking butter and garlic sauces.
4. Bamboo Shoots: In Side Dishes
Bamboo shoots are excellent sources of potassium, vitamins, and fibers. They bring a load of water and freshness to the dishes. Besides, bamboo shoots are easy to find on the market.
With a mild, sweet, and bitter-sour flavor, bamboo shoots make a clever substitute for all edible parts of artichoke, not the hearts only. We can eat them raw, slice and braise, or grill them to be a side dish in place of artichoke hearts.
Note that old bamboo shoots may have an acrid flavor and rugged exterior. So, make sure you get the young shoots for a nutty and fresh taste.
5. Asparagus: In The Roasted Meals
No doubt that asparagus is a favorite part of any healthy diet. Asparagus is nutrient-rich and gluten-free, so it is a great replacement when you don’t have any artichoke hearts.
Asparagus can be fried, roasted, or stir-fried with meat to have a fresh alternative for artichoke. Mom loves to add it to baby’s soup as well.
Among those recipes, the roast is the most popular way to go. Just preheat the oven, place asparagus mixed with some oil, salt, and ground black pepper, then wait for several minutes.
6. The Heart of The Palm: In Making Gravy
The heart of the palm comes from the inner white parts of palm trees. It packs high levels of antioxidants and minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc, and copper.
Its crunchiness is equal to asparagus, while the taste is similar to the artichoke heart that is mild and slightly sweet.
Hence, in the case of making sauce and gravy, the heart of the palm will be a tender and non-sharpness substitute for artichoke hearts.
7. Chayote: In Recipes For Kids
Chayote is a variety of squash that has been grown all over the world. Like any green veggie, it is rich in fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Besides, it contains a large amount of water, which is specifically suitable for summertime.
Most people find it has a fresh and slight taste like the cucumber, resulting in maintaining overall flavor and increasing freshness. Plus, it brings a natural sweetness to the dishes, especially for stew when the cooking time is long enough.
You can use chopped or sliced chayote to substitute artichoke hearts in the topping, salads, or any cooked recipes.
8. Kohlrabi: In Soup
Kohlrabi comes from the cabbage family, relative to Brussel sprouts and broccoli. It helps improve digestion, regulate blood pressure, and aid in weight loss.
Thanks to its similar flavor and texture, kohlrabi is a fantastic alternative for artichoke hearts. Apart from being in mixed veggies and soups, it can be sauteed or roasted independently.
Some people consider it as the best artichoke hearts substitute for the freshness aspect. Its flavor goes somewhere between broccoli, asparagus, and artichoke.
9. Broccoli Stems: In Sandwiches
Broccoli is viewed as one of the best weight loss-friendly materials out there. This green veggie contains many vitamins and fibers, which is excellent for improving immune health and skin health.
It is mild and loads of water, crunchy when slightly cooked, and tender when it goes longer. So when replacing artichoke hearts with this green veggie, broccoli stem may lower the taste a little bit.
This is because broccoli has a super neutral flavor. Regardless, people still find artichoke properties in it and use it to replace it.
10. Eggplant: In Mixed Veggies Recipes
It may seem a little strange to mention eggplant as a substitute for artichoke hearts. But if you can’t get anything else, why don’t you give it a shot?
Eggplant can replace artichoke hearts in mixed veggies recipes thanks to its similar texture, or served as a grilled side dish.
Well, it depends on your taste, but some people tried these recipes and they said that it works. Try it and you may have one more way to go!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which parts of the artichoke are edible?
There are three parts of the artichoke that we can eat:
- The heart, as we’ve discussed, is the most valuable part of the artichoke.
- Petal’s meat (also called leaf’s bases): Each petal comes with some heart at the bottom part, and they are edible. The recipes had given above.
- Stem: The outer layers of the artichoke stem are rigid and can’t be consumed, but the inner part is tender, resembling the heart. We can add it to salads or stir-fried dishes.
Is artichoke hearts keto friendly?
The answer is yes! Artichoke hearts is a keto-friendly ingredient dues to its nutrient properties.
It provides us with lots of nutrient elements but little calories and fat. A medium artichoke hearts contain about 10 grams of total carbs, which comes from half of the fibers and the rest of net carbs.
Therefore, if you follow a keto diet, don’t hesitate to put this veggie into your list. It not only helps control weight but enhances our health, as well.
What do artichoke hearts taste like?
While other parts may be a little bitter, artichoke hearts come with a soft and mild flavor, resembling young asparagus or boiled potato.
Overall, their taste is not overpowering and won’t affect the general flavor much. Artichoke hearts are there to be an additional ingredient that contains a load of nutrition for our body.
What do canned artichoke hearts taste like?
In general, it still retains much of its original taste, and we can enjoy a meal made from canned artichoke hearts with a fresh flavor.
However, canned artichoke often goes with acidic saltwater and some seasonings. The levels of those additional parts can make different changes to the flavor.
Therefore, you should look at the ingredients and check if they match your recipes.
