These Air Fryer Crispy Artichokes are an easy appetizer that packs a big crunch. Make up a batch for a party or BBQ and you’ll have all your guests asking for the recipe.
» Other air fryer appetizers to try. Crispy Sweet Potato Chips, Cranberry Brie Bites and Pork Belly Bites are both crowd pleasers.
With the air fryer, you can get the classic crispy artichoke hearts you love without all the excess oil. With a crispy exterior and tender interior, these artichoke bites are a huge hit.
I love making these crispy artichokes in the air fryer. They make great little appetizer bites for a family dinner or to serve to guests who stop by for a chat. They’re very easy to make.
What Artichokes to Use
The best type of artichokes to use are water-packed canned artichoke hearts. These come in little pieces, or in bigger chunks. You want them to be little bite sized pieces, so if they come in bigger chunks, cut them into pieces before you start breading them.
Don’t use oil-packed or marinated artichoke hearts. The oil keeps the breading from sticking. And the marinated flavor just doesn’t go well here. It’s too overpowering.
If you want to use fresh artichokes, you just need to cut off the hard leaves of the artichoke, cut it in half and clean out the tiny leaves in the center, then cut the heart and small soft leaves into sections. You can cook it in the air fryer from raw. Read here on how to cook a whole fresh artichoke.
Ingredients You Need
There aren’t a lot of grocery items to get on this list, so it’s quick and easy to make. You’ll need:
- Canned artichokes – go with water-packed artichokes in a can, or start from fresh
- Butter – I use salted butter for a bit more flavor, but unsalted is just fine
- Breadcrumbs – Use a fine breadcrumb instead of a Panko for a better breading that stays on easier
- Parmesan cheese – Finely grated is best here. Shredded Parmesan is too big to stick to the hearts
- Salt
- Aioli or mayo for serving
What Oil & Oil Sprayer is Best for the Air Fryer?
The biggest issue most air fryer lovers face is finding the right oil and oil sprayer to use on food cooked in the air fryer. A fine mist of oil will help the entire piece of food crisp evenly, so it’s very important.
My personal preference is to use canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, or avocado oil. I use both a refillable spray bottle like the Evo one pictured below and non-propellant extra virgin olive oil, which has not harmful aerosols or chemicals.
How to Make Air Fryer Crispy Artichokes
Drain the artichoke hearts. Gently squeeze them to release more liquid. They can be rather wet and this can lead to soggy artichokes, even after air frying, so try to release a little more water before you bread.
In a bowl, melt the butter. In another bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and salt. These will be your two dipping stations. Have a plate ready to put the breaded artichokes on, or simply place them directly into the air fryer basket.
Coat each piece of artichoke in butter, then roll it in the breadcrumb mixture.
Place the artichoke pieces in the air fryer basket, spaced out. You don’t want them touching, so they get evenly browned and crispy. If your basket is too small for all the pieces, cook them in batches.
Spray the artichoke hearts with cooking spray. You don’t need to get the underside right now, because you’ll flip them over halfway and spray them again halfway through cooking.
Air fry at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, flipping the artichoke hearts and spraying them again with oil halfway through cooking. After 8 minutes, check to make sure they are as crispy and browned as you want them. If not, continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Remove the artichokes from air fryer and place them on a serving tray.
TIP: Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in batches. It’s important not to overcrowd the basket. The results will be crispier if they aren’t overlapping and the breading will stay on better as well.
What Sauce to Serve These With
I like to serve these artichoke hearts with a garlic aioli. It’s simple to mix up yourself.
Start with 1/4 cup of mayonnaise in a small bowl. Add half a glove of minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Stir it together and you’ve got your quick-style aioli.
Use the aioli as a dip for these artichoke, French fries, crispy potato wedges, or sweet potato fries.
If you don’t like aioli, there are plenty of other dips to serve these with.
- Buffalo Sauce
- Sweet chili sauce
- Ranch dressing
Can These Be Reheated?
Yes, you can easily reheat any left overs you might have in the air fryer. Just pop them in again at 375 degrees for about 5 minutes to recrisp them.
If you want to make these up and freeze them for a later date, you can easily do that as well. Just air fry them per the instructions, allow them to cook, and freeze them in an air tight container or bag.
When you take the out of the freezer, you can put them directly into the basket and air fry for about 6-8 minutes to crisp them up again.
Why Use an Air Fryer
An air fryer is an incredibly easy way to cook just about anything. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and hot air rapidly circulates all around the food, making the food crisp – much like deep-frying, but without the oil. You can cook anything you’d make in the oven.
- I use a Ninja MaxXL air fryer (pictured left). If you don’t have an air fryer yet, check out these options to find one that fits your needs.
- See reviews and prices for air fryers on Amazon.
- Here’s a printable Air Fryer Cooking Times Cheat Sheet to get you started.
- Click to find more recipes to make in your Air Fryer.
- Learn how to make fun things in the air fryer, like potato wedges, pork belly bites, and chicken wings.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Like this recipe? We’d love for you to share it with your friends on social media. For more great recipes, follow us on Pinterest and Facebook, where we share our recipes daily.
Air Fryer Crispy Artichoke Hearts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 14.5 ounce can artichoke hearts non marinated
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup garlic aioli
Instructions
- Drain the artichoke hearts. Gently squeeze them to release more liquid.
- In a bowl, melt the butter. In another bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and salt.
- Coat each piece of artichoke in butter, then roll it in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the artichoke pieces in the air fryer basket, spaced out. If your basket is too small for all the pieces, cook them in batches.
- Spray the artichoke hearts with cooking spray.
- Air fry at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, flipping the artichoke hearts and spraying them again with oil halfway through cooking.
- Remove from air fryer and serve with garlic aioli.
All air fryers have different wattage and may cook at different rates. You may need to adjust the time or temp for the best results.
Nutrition
Like it? Pin it for later!
Laura is a passionate foodie and owner of Air Fry Anytime She is dedicated to sharing delicious recipes and helpful tips for using air fryers at home. With years of experience in the kitchen and a love for healthy, flavorful cooking, Laura has become an expert at using air fryers to create amazing meals that are both nutritious and delicious.
I followed this recipe and the outcome was NOT good. Not at all edible.