Frozen Artichoke Hearts Are A Secret Weapon That Saves Hours Of Prep

Artichokes feel fancy. Maybe it's because of the way the word sounds, or the fact that artichoke is considered a vegetable but is also categorized as a flower. Most likely, artichokes feel a little extra special because we only eat a tiny portion of the plant, and it takes a lot of work to get to the good part. While artichoke leaves and stem are edible, they're tough and thick, all around unpleasant to eat. Sure, there's a tried and true way to steam and eat a whole artichoke, but even then you'll have to trim it up a bit. The best part of the artichoke is the heart and it takes effort to get there, though the pros can core an artichoke in about five minutes. An easier way to do it is to use canned or jarred artichoke hearts, though you'll get a little different flavor and some extra salt depending on how they're packed. The best way to cut down on the prep time for artichoke hearts with nothing added to them is to find them in the freezer section.

Frozen artichoke hearts are the most labor-light way to add artichoke hearts to anything from a quick and easy French omelet to  a classic, hearty risotto, but they're the most cost-effective as well. You'll likely pay around $3 for a fresh artichoke, which will yield one heart. You can get a 12-ounce bag of hearts for about 30 cents more in the freezer section — $3.29 at Trader Joe's, for example.

Somehow quirky and elegant at the same time, frozen artichoke hearts add a little something extra to any kind of meal and offer the rare opportunity to elevate dinner without any extra work. They're already washed, peeled, carved, and blanched, so you can just pull them out of the freezer and toss them straight into whatever you're cooking. They thaw quickly and don't release a ton of water when they're melting, so they'll catch up to the rest of your dish without watering it down. They also maintain their texture, so you'll still end up with tender, fleshy veggie-flowers in your meal.

Artichoke hearts are known for being packed with nutrients and they maintain their high level of vitamins and minerals in their frozen form. So, not only are they some of the easiest ways to add some pizzazz to dinner, but you can say they're healthy, too. Straight from the freezer, artichoke hearts can be roasted, fried, grilled, sautéed, and used to add flavor and texture to a variety of soups — cooked pretty much any way you like.