Good Product: Frozen Artichoke Hearts from Trader Joe’s

There are a few essential food items that we keep stocked in the freezer at all times, like peas, corn, and chicken stock. Say hello to a newcomer. We tried these frozen artichoke hearts from Trader Joe’s a few weeks back, and now we keep at least one bag in our freezer at at times!

These artichokes are seriously good and about as close to fresh artichoke hearts as we’ve ever come. They taste sweet and green, in that particular way artichokes have. The texture is nicely firm and yet incredibly tender. You know how with both fresh and jarred artichoke hearts, you often get a few tough outer leaves that you end up having to surreptitiously pick out of your teeth? None of that here!

Another point in Trader Joe’s favor is that these artichokes are loose in the bag. Most other brands come packed in a block of ice, which takes a long time to melt and leaves a lot of excess moisture on the artichokes. With Trader Joe’s artichokes, you can pick out just a few and you don’t even have to wait for them to thaw. The hearts warm through in just a few minutes on the stove and seem to let off very little moisture.

We’ve been using these artichokes for all sorts of quick weeknight meals. Frittatas are a standby – one whole bag is just the right amount. We can use them in recipes like Chicken with Artichokes and Meat Pie with Artichokes, or we’ll just toss them into pasta, casseroles, and gratins.

How do you use frozen artichoke hearts?

Related: Prickly, Green, and Fabulous! Tips and Recipes for Artichokes

(Images: Emma Christensen)