INSTANT POT GREEK ARTICHOKE STEW RECIPE (AGINARES à la POLITA)

Instant Pot Greek Artichoke Stew is a sweet, tangy, savoury, nutrient-dense classic Greek dish featuring vegetables cooked in an oily lemon sauce. It’s ready in about 30 minutes with the help of the Instant Pot!

Artichokes! Not an ingredient that I was very familiar with before moving to Greece except for smothered in cheese as a warm hot dip. In Greece, the most popular way to cook them is in a stew, known as Aginares à la Polita or Αγκινάρες αλά πολίτα in Greek (pronounced Ag-ee-NA-res ala pol-EE-ta). Artichokes are slow-cooked in a pot with peas, potatoes, lemon, dill, and lots of olive oil. This dish has a tangy, sweet, and savoury summer flavour that makes a truly unique taste that you will love. As Tony often says, it comes together as poetry.

To save time with this dish, it is best to use frozen artichokes. The reason why is that preparing fresh artichokes takes quite a bit more work. To be honest, I have never done it before. We are all busy people and I think we can agree that if there are any shortcuts possible that won’t compromise on taste then it’s a win-win all around. I always use frozen peas and frozen artichokes to save time. This truly is a dump-and-go recipe and can be prepared in a few short minutes.

Instant Pot Greek Artichoke Stew is vegetarian, vegan, and packed with wonderful vitamins and nutrients.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE OUR INSTANT POT GREEK ARTICHOKE STEW RECIPE

• Delicious – There are many complementary flavours to this entree, it’s tangy and sweet, savoury, and yet so simple.
• Easy – A true Dump-and-Go recipe! Put all the ingredients in the Instant Pot and let it perform magic.
• Nutritious – There isn’t enough room to write about all of the amazing health benefits of Aginares à la Polita. Artichokes are low in calories, high in fibre and protein, rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Combine this with all the nutrients of the other vegetables and the omega fatty acids of the extra virgin olive oil and it makes for a nutrient-dense fulfilling entree.
• Plant-based – As with many Mediterranean Diet recipes, this is another main dish that is naturally vegetarian and vegan. Use a vegetarian/vegan bouillon cube to ensure this dish fits your dietary requirements.

TONY’S NOTES!

“One of our favourite traditional Greek dishes. Very healthy, very nutritious, and fast to make, with a cooking time of only 7 minutes! Aromatic and fresh flavours, from the fields to your plate. Artichokes, green peas, carrots, potatoes, dill, lemon, and olive oil in an absolutely perfect combination that gives this dish its own distinctive character as a main course. Like most Greek vegetarian dishes, it combines perfectly with a piece of feta cheese and some bread, and if you are in the mood, with some white wine, good friends, and family. Children love this dish too. Discover how easy and simple it is to follow a healthy diet. Smile and enjoy!”

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE INSTANT POT GREEK ARTICHOKE STEW RECIPE

• 1 kg (approx 16 pieces) frozen artichoke bottoms
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into discs
• 2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 ½ cups frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 bouillon cube, vegetable or chicken
• 1 cup water

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT AGINARES à la POLITA

Our Greek Artichoke Stew recipe is a true dump-and-go recipe!

Put all of the ingredients in the liner of the Instant Pot. Mix well to combine all the ingredients together.
Close the lid of the Instant Pot and turn the release valve to the closed position. Set the manual pressure cook timer to 7 minutes.

When the cooking is complete, carefully turn the pressure release valve to allow for a quick pressure release.

Carefully remove the lid once pressure is released. Gently mix the Greek Artichoke Stew to combine the flavours, ensuring that you don’t crush the tender, cooked vegetables.

Serve Aginares à la Polita on a dish while warm, optionally accompanied with an extra drizzle of olive oil, an extra squeeze of lemon, a slice of feta, some crusty bread, and a glass of white wine.

FROZEN VERSUS FRESH ARTICHOKES

This recipe uses frozen artichoke bottoms. The reason we and many people in Greece use frozen is because of the ease of using an already prepared ingredient. Frozen vegetables are almost always an excellent substitute for fresh vegetables in stews. They are picked at their prime so the nutritional value remains the same and they’re often prepared and ready for use.

Since we have only made this recipe using frozen artichokes, we can’t comment on the preparation or cooking time required for using fresh artichokes. Perhaps it’s something we’ll try in the future and we’ll update when that day comes.

*Extra note – Marinated, jarred artichoke hearts do not work in this dish.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS FOR INSTANT POT GREEK ARTICHOKE STEW

Greek Artichoke Stew is served as an entree. It is a fulfilling vegan meal that you can enjoy during Lent, on Meatless Mondays, or any day at all!

For seasoning, if you prefer a brighter taste, season it with a bit of extra freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you want to add a gourmet twist you can serve it with some feta cheese. The saltiness of the feta adds another wonderful layer of flavour to this multifaceted dish.

As with most Greek olive oil-based recipes, we recommend serving it with some thick crusty bread to scoop up all the delicious oily-goodness left on your plate.

ALLERGY INFORMATION FOR GREEK ARTICHOKE STEW

Our Greek Artichoke Stew recipe is:

• Dairy-free
• Egg-free
• Nut-free
• Peanut-free
• Wheat-free
• Soy-free
• Sesame-free
• Fish-free
• Crustacean-free
• Celery-free
• Mustard-free

Always check food labels to ensure the ingredients comply with dietary needs. Some bouillon contains dairy and wheat. This can be substituted with soup salt or plain salt.

HOW TO STORE AGINARES à la POLITA

Store leftover Instant Pot Greek Artichoke Stew in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

This recipe, like many soups and stews, is even more delicious when served the next day!

I do not recommend freezing this dish as the texture will not be pleasant when reheating.

TRY THESE DELICIOUS INSTANT POT GREEK RECIPES NEXT!

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