Fried artichoke hearts
- Preparation 40 min
- Cooking 20 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🌿 The Spain-inspired tapas appetizer that floors everyone. And takes 40 minutes
These fried artichoke hearts are the recipe that proves the best things are often the simplest. Inspired directly from a trip to Spain, this tapas-style appetizer only needs a handful of ingredients, a deep fryer and a little patience for the drying step. And the result is spectacular. Canned artichoke hearts drained, dried for 30 minutes to eliminate excess water, dropped in small batches into oil at 190°C and pulled out in 3 to 4 minutes with a golden, crispy and lightly caramelized crust that contrasts with the tender, melting centre. Served hot with lemon wedges and a homemade honey Dijon mayo. This is the kind of appetizer that silences the entire room with the very first bite. Perfect for a cocktail dinner, a get-together with friends or a tapas night at home.
🔥 The homemade honey Dijon mayo. The dipping sauce that changes everything
What takes these fried artichoke hearts to the next level is the honey Dijon mayo that comes with them. Mayonnaise, sour cream, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and whole grain mustard. Six ingredients mixed together in 2 minutes in a bowl, and you get a creamy, tangy, lightly sweet dipping sauce with real bite thanks to the two mustards. The lemon acidity cuts through the richness of the fry, the honey rounds everything out and the whole grain mustard brings a texture and depth that Dijon alone simply can’t deliver. Simple, homemade and so much better than anything from a bottle.
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💧 The 30-minute drying step. The most important step in the recipe
Drying the artichokes on paper towel cut side down for 30 minutes is non-negotiable. Canned artichoke hearts are loaded with water. That moisture, if not eliminated, causes violent oil splatter on contact with the fryer and prevents the golden crust from forming properly. Press each half gently after draining, then let dry flat. The drier the artichokes are before frying, the crispier and more even the crust will be.
🌡️ Keep the oil at 190°C. The temperature must not drop
Oil temperature at 190°C (375°F) is the most critical parameter of the cooking. Dropping too many artichokes in at once brings the oil temperature down, which gives artichokes that absorb oil rather than frying properly. Result: greasy, soft and crustless. Cook in small batches, let the oil come back up to temperature between each batch and use a frying thermometer for precise control.
🍋 Salt with fleur de sel immediately out of the fryer. Not after
Fleur de sel only sticks to artichokes that are still hot and lightly oily straight out of the fryer. Waiting until they cool gives unseasoned artichokes. The fleur de sel falls to the bottom of the plate rather than clinging to the crust. Sprinkle generously as soon as they’re transferred to the paper towel, before even putting them in the oven to keep warm.
🫙 The honey Dijon mayo. Make it the day before for more depth
The honey Dijon mayo can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. A night in the fridge lets the flavours of both mustards, the honey and the lemon marry and deepen. The next day’s dipping sauce is always better than the same day’s. Take the mayo out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving so it’s slightly tempered and more spreadable.
🔥 Keep the artichokes warm in the oven without softening them
The oven at 100°C (200°F) with a rack on the baking sheet is the ideal technique to keep the fried artichokes hot and crispy while cooking all the batches. The rack lets hot air circulate underneath the artichokes and prevents them from sitting in their own steam. Avoid covering them or stacking them. Trapped steam softens the crust within minutes.
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Honey Dijon mayo
- ¼ cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) sour cream
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) whole grain mustard
- Salt and ground pepper
Artichoke hearts
- 3 cans of 398 ml (14 oz) whole artichoke hearts in water
- 1 to 1.5 litres (4 to 6 cups) vegetable oil
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
- Fleur de sel (for serving)
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Preparation
Honey Dijon mayo
- In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and whole grain mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well and refrigerate until serving.
Artichoke hearts
- Drain the artichoke hearts, then press them lightly to remove excess water. Remove any tough outer leaves and cut the hearts in half.
- Place the artichoke halves on a few sheets of paper towel, cut side down. Let dry for 30 minutes.
- Pour the oil into the deep fryer and preheat to 190°C (375°F). Preheat the oven to 100°C (200°F).
- Drop a small batch of artichokes into the hot oil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oil, drain and place on paper towel for 2 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a rack and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batches.
- Sprinkle with fleur de sel to taste. Serve with the honey Dijon mayo and lemon wedges.
Yes, as long as they’re fully thawed and well dried. Frozen artichoke hearts tend to hold even more moisture than canned ones after thawing. Double the drying time on paper towel (60 minutes rather than 30) and press them more firmly before cutting in half. The result is excellent, sometimes even slightly more flavourful than canned.
Yes. In a heavy-bottomed pot or deep sauté pan, pour enough vegetable oil to fully submerge the artichokes (about 5 cm deep) and heat to 190°C (375°F) using a thermometer. Cook in small batches exactly as you would with a deep fryer. A pan that’s too shallow or used without a thermometer gives uneven results. A frying thermometer is strongly recommended for this recipe.
The mayo can be made up to 3 days ahead. The fried artichokes are significantly better served immediately after frying. Their crispy crust starts softening as soon as they cool completely. If needed, reheat for 5 to 8 minutes in a 200°C (400°F) oven on a rack to bring back some crispiness, but the result will be less perfect than straight out of the fryer.
Absolutely. And it’s even better. A homemade olive oil mayonnaise brings extra richness and depth to the honey Dijon dipping sauce. Use the same quantity as the store-bought mayo called for in the recipe. For a lighter version, replace up to half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt. The sauce is less rich but just as flavourful.
Yes. As tapas during a cocktail dinner alongside other small bites, or as a crispy topping on a green salad with the honey Dijon mayo as the dressing. They’re also delicious tucked into a sandwich with prosciutto, arugula and a generous spread of honey Dijon mayo. The versatility of this recipe is one of its greatest strengths.
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