Carciofi alla Romana (Roman style artichokes)

Carciofi alla Romana is an Italian artichoke recipe of braised artichokes simmered in a pot with water, olive oil, and herbs like mint and parsley.

They are primarily served in central Italy, in and around Rome, but the recipe is now famous worldwide.

We think this is the best way to appreciate fresh artichokes.

They become buttery, tender, and incredibly tasty, with olive and nutty notes, and their flavor is enhanced and complemented by fresh parsley, mint, garlic, and lemon.

To learn more about artichokes, check out our guide “how to cook artichokes,” with many more of our best artichoke recipes.

Artichokes

The traditional type of artichoke for this recipe is a Roman artichoke called “carciofo Romanesco” or “mammole.”

If you are not in Italy, get hold of any type of fresh artichoke you can find.

Especially good for this recipe are globe artichokes that are easy to find in US supermarkets and all-over Europe.

Fresh herbs and garlic

To season the artichokes, you’ll need garlic, mint (also mentuccia or Roman mint if you can find it), and flat-leaf parsley.

Lemon

We use lemon to prevent the artichokes from turning dark.

White wine

Dry white wine is recommended if you want to follow the traditional Italian recipe for carciofi alla Romana.

Substitute vegetable broth for the wine.

Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is a crucial ingredient in carciofi alla Romana. We use it for cooking the artichokes and drizzle on top before serving.

Salt & Pepper

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper are best.

If you want more in-depth instructions, here’s our complete guide on how to clean and cook artichokes.

1. Clean the artichokes

Before touching the artichokes, rub your hands with lemon or use gloves to prevent your hands from getting brown.

Cut off the top part of the artichoke with spiky leaves. Use a serrated knife.

Snap off the artichoke’s harder and woodier outer leaves with your hands.

You need to remove leaves until you reach softer leaves.

Rub the artichoke with lemon to prevent it from oxidizing and turning dark.

Cut the stem down to 2 inches (5 cm) with a paring knife, then peel it.

With your thumbs, gently open up the center of the artichoke, exposing the choke, then remove the fuzzy core with a teaspoon.

Put the clean artichokes in a bowl with cold water and squeezed lemon so that they don’t turn black. Repeat with the other artichokes.

2. Cook the artichokes

Chop mint, parsley, and garlic. Add them to a small bowl and season them with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

With your fingers, add the mix of herbs in the center and between the leaves of the artichoke. 

Warm up the olive oil in a pot big enough to fit all the artichokes snuggly. Then add the artichokes upside down, side by side, quite tight.

Fry them for 1 minute, without moving them, then add the white wine, cook for 2 minutes, then add 1 cup of water and an extra pinch of salt, pepper, and the leftover herb mix, if any, on top.

Cover the pot and cook for 20 to 30 minutes on medium-low heat or until the artichokes are buttery tender. 

Pierce their stem with a pointy knife to check for doneness.

Transfer on a plate or serving platter, and serve with a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil, and fresh parsley.

Serve carciofi alla romana as an appetizer with:

• Chickpea farinata (chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt).
• Homemade crostini (bread, olive oil, salt, pepper).
• 1-minute mayo (soy milk, vegetable oil, olive oil, mustard, salt).
• Homemade chipotle sauce (soy cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lime juice, adobo pepper).
• Easy focaccia: a simple no-knead recipe with rosemary.

Serve as a side dish with a main of:

• Lemon tofu (tofu, lemon, cornstarch, parsley, flour, olive oil.)
• Easy lemon ricotta pasta (pasta, spinach, ricotta or vegan ricotta, lemon, nutmeg).
• Cauliflower pasta (garlic, spaghetti, cauliflower, lemon, pine nuts, parsley).
• Kale pesto pasta (dinosaur kale, almonds, lemon, garlic, bowtie pasta).
• Broccoli pasta (orecchiette pasta, broccoli, red pepper flakes, garlic).

Find fresh artichokes

Fresh artichokes are strongly recommended for this recipe because they are less “hairy” inside.

An artichoke is fresh when it’s 1) heavy, 2) squeaky when you squeeze its head/leaves, 3) toned, not floppy, especially the stalk, and 4) it has a uniform color with no dark spots.

Remove their fuzzy choke

When cleaning the artichoke is best to remove all of the “fuzzy, hairy” parts inside.

Fresh artichokes have less hair, but not-so-fresh artichokes have more hair. Remove it with a teaspoon or with a paring knife.

Brush your hands with lemon

Artichokes oxidize quickly, and oxidization will color your fingers a dark color. To avoid that, brush your hands with lemon, or wear gloves.

Season between leaves

You need to brush the seasoning with your fingers inside the core and between the leaves to get artichokes that are bursting with flavor.

Remove all woody parts

Artichoke is a woody vegetable that, if not appropriately cleaned, is not pleasant to eat. Pay particular attention to the outer part of the stalk and the outer leaves.

Keep the artichokes in lemon water

To prevent artichokes from turning brown, you need to put them in a bowl with water and lemon and cover them with a piece of kitchen paper soaked with lemon water.

The lemon will slow the oxidization process, and the artichoke will keep its bright green color.

Don’t throw out scraps

Check out how we use them for soups, hummus, and pasta.

Make ahead: carciofi alla Romana is an excellent recipe to prepare ahead of time. You can clean the artichokes and keep them in cold lemon water in the fridge for 24 hours. If you cook them, they keep well for a couple of days.

Refrigerator: keep roman style artichokes in an airtight container in the fridge for three days.

Freezer: you can freeze the artichokes for up to 3 months. However, they will lose some of their texture as they thaw.

Thaw: defrost in the refrigerator.

Reheat: you can eat carciofi alla Romana at room temperature – in this case, take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before eating – or warm them up in the microwave.

More Artichoke Recipes

Get more green and tasty artichoke inspiration with these wholesome and easy recipes:

• How to cook artichokes with 12 artichoke recipe ideas and tips on cleaning artichokes.
• Steamed artichokes in a steamer basket with fresh herbs and garlic.
• Artichoke pasta with olives, pine nuts, lemon, and a creamy blended sauce.
• Easy artichoke pasta bake with peas and jarred artichokes, a perfect Sunday dinner.
• 10-minute artichoke salad with black olives, cherry tomatoes, and Italian dressing.

These veggie-packed and colorful appetizer ideas are perfect for guests and family dinners:

• Tomato Bruschetta brushed with garlic and topped with juicy diced tomatoes.
• Panzanella with leftover bread, tomato, cucumber, and red onion.
• Sautéed eggplant: ready in 20 minutes, an easy topping idea for toasted bread.
• Roasted zucchini with breadcrumbs and fresh Italian herbs.
• Shaved zucchini salad with cherry tomatoes, an elegant and inviting starter idea.

For many more side dish ideas, check out our sides category page.