Mom’s Artichokes and Artichoke Dipping Sauce is a recipe that brings back childhood memories for me because my mother loved artichokes and she’d make them occasionally for our family of 12! Use Artichoke Recipes if you’re also an artichoke fan!
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This weekend is Mother’s Day and on that day I’ll be missing my amazing mother and wishing I could have a nice dinner with her. And out of the 2,000+ recipes on my blog, this recipe for Mom’s Artichokes and Artichoke Dipping Sauce is probably the one that makes me miss my mother the most.
I grew up in a family where most of us considered fresh artichokes to be a delicacy, thanks to a wonderful mom who taught us to like them. (Well most of us, I have a few siblings who didn’t get the artichoke gene.) My parents had a family of ten kids to feed, and even back then artichokes were pricey, so we never got them as often as we wanted them.
It wasn’t until I was well on the way to adulthood that I realized that some people didn’t eat artichokes, and had no idea how to cook them. My mother always steamed the artichokes in a big pot, and in this post I’ll show you how to cook them in a vegetable steamer. But if you’re a fan of the Instant Pot or pressure cooker, check out my post about cooking artichokes in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker and use one of those methods. And I do recommend my mother’s method for prepping the artichokes!
No matter which cooking method you use, I hope you’ll try my Artichoke Dipping Sauce, which is a lower-carb version of my mom’s sauce that was made with Miracle Whip. No judgements from me if you’re a Miracle Whip fan, but I prefer Mayo and it doesn’t have the carbs that are in Miracle Whip.
I like my Artichoke Dipping Sauce with artichokes whether they’re hot or cold, but melted butter is also great for hot artichokes. And this is something I love to make for a treat!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
Can you cook artichokes in the Instant Pot?
This post shares my mom’s method for steaming artichokes, which is the way I did it for years. But now I’d probably cook my artichokes in the Instant Pot for a quicker method. Check out How to Cook Artichokes in the Instant Pot to see details for that method! Or if you want even more options, check out How to Cook Artichokes in the Slow Cooker or the Instant Pot on my Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker site.
Are Artichokes low in Carbs?
Artichokes do have some carbs, but they are super high in fiber, so the net carbs aren’t very high and they’re considered a low-carb vegetable for that reason.
Want more tasty ideas for artichokes?
Use Artichoke Recipes if you’re also an artichoke fan to see all the artichoke recipes on this site. Or check out Amazing Low-Carb Recipes with Artichokes to see a round-up of all my favorite artichoke recipes.
How to Prepare Artichokes for Cooking:
- No matter how I’m cooking them, I always cut my artichokes in half the way my mother did!
- I choose artichokes with the longest stem I can find, since the stems are tasty.
- I trim the stem and even peel them if there are some discolored parts.
- Then I cut the entire artichoke plus stem in half.
- The very center contains fuzz and inedible parts called the “choke”. Use a sharp knife and cut along the bottom of the choke (where it meets the artichoke heart) then grab the prickly part of the leaves and pull the choke out. This is the only part of the cooking process that is at all difficult.
How to Cook the Artichokes and Make the Dipping Sauce:
- I like to use kitchen shears and cut off the sharp ends; but it’s optional and my mother certainly never did that.
- While you’re trimming the artichokes, put several inches of water into a stovetop vegetable steamer and let it come to a boil. (I like to add a few tablespoons of my fresh-frozen lemon juice, to keep the artichokes from turning brown, but my mother never used that.)
- When the water comes to a boil, put the artichokes in, cut side down.
- Put the lid on the steamer and time for 25 minutes; then check (by piercing the artichoke heart with a fork) to be sure they are done.
- Check out How to Cook Artichokes in the Instant Pot if you prefer that method.
- While artichokes cook combine the mayo, sour cream, and fresh-frozen lemon juice to make the dipping sauce.
- Let artichokes cool slightly and then eat with Mom’s dipping sauce.
More Artichokes to Swoon Over:
Air Fryer Artichoke Hearts ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
The BEST Spinach Artichoke Dip ~ Spend with Pennies
Artichoke Antipasto Salad with Basil Vinaigrette ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Grilled Artichokes with Garlic Butter ~ Foodie Crush
Artichoke Frittata with Bacon ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Ingredients
Artichoke Ingredients:
- 3 whole artichokes, stem trimmed, cut in half, and choke cut out (see notes)
- water
- 2 T lemon juice (see notes)
Artichoke Dipping Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 T lemon juice (see notes)
Instructions
Preparing Artichokes:
- I choose artichokes with the longest stem I can find, since the stems are tasty.
- Trim the stem and peel away any discolored parts.
- I cut the entire artichoke plus stem in half.
- Then use a sharp knife and cut along the bottom of the choke (where it meets the artichoke heart), then grab the prickly part of the leaves and pull the choke out. (This is the only part of the cooking process that is at all difficult.)
- I like to use kitchen shears (affiliate link) and cut off the sharp ends of the leaves; but it’s optional.
Cooking Artichokes:
- While you’re trimming the artichokes bring, put several inches of water into a stovetop vegetable steamer (affiliate link) and let it come to a boil. (I like to add a few tablespoons of my fresh-frozen lemon juice, to keep the artichokes from turning brown, but my mother never used that.)
- When the water comes to a boil, put the artichokes in, cut side down.Put the lid on the steamer and time for 25 minutes; then check (by piercing the artichoke heart with a fork) to be sure they are done.
- Read How to Cook Artichokes in the Instant Pot or Stovetop Pressure Cooker if you prefer that method.
Making Dipping Sauce:
- While artichokes cook whisk together the mayo, sour cream, and fresh-frozen lemon juice to make the dipping sauce. (Start with one tablespoon of lemon juice and taste to see if you want more.
- The sauce can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for a few days.
Notes
I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice for cooking the artichokes and for the dipping sauce. Start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in the sauce; then taste and see if you want to add more.
This recipe makes enough sauce for three artichokes if you can fit that many into your steamer or pressure cooker. Artichokes do have some carbs, but they’re very high in fiber so the net carbs are low.
This recipe inspired by Mom’s Artichokes, which are one of my best food memories from childhood.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 352Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 6.3gUnsaturated Fat: 24.1gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 312mgCarbohydrates: 14.3gFiber: 10gSugar: 2.1gProtein: 4.3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Artichokes do have some carbs, but they aren’t eaten in huge amounts and they’re high in fiber, which makes them good for low-carb diets. Artichokes are also a great low-glycemic food, and even though mayo is a “limited” food on South Beach, when you eat this you aren’t eating the dipping sauce by the spoonful, so I would eat this for any phase of the South Beach Diet.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Side Dishes to see more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
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Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip
My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip was a Denny family favorite long before anyone heard of Ranch Dressing! And this family favorite Ranch Dip is a delicious low-carb and keto dip recipe and in my family this makes an appearance at every holiday gathering!
PIN Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip to try it later!
My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is one of my favorite memories from childhood! As early as I can remember, my Grandma Denny made a fantastic dip that she served with carrots and celery as an appetizer at every family gathering. In those days we called Grandma’s homemade ranch dip just *Vegetable Dip* as if there was only one kind of dip that could possibly be served with veggies.
This was long before the introduction of Ranch Dressing to the American culinary scene, and obviously my Grandma Denny was ahead of her time, because now people all over the country are eating Ranch Dip with veggies. And in my own extended family, there would never be a holiday gathering without this delicious homemade Ranch Dip on the table.
Of course there’s nothing wrong with making Ranch-Style Vegetable Dip using a package mix if that time-saver works for you. But my grandma’s Homemade Ranch Dip is a bit fresher tasting as well as being low in carbs, and if you usually use the mix but don’t have a package on hand I bet you’ll love my Grandma’s recipe.
Grandma Denny always used full-fat mayo and sour cream, but for anyone wanting lower fat you can obviously make this with reduced-fat products if you prefer. Or if you don’t like mayo, you might prefer the variation below for Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip, made with Greek yogurt and blended cottage cheese for a higher protein, lower-fat dip.
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
Can you make this dip with onion powder?
I love the flavor the grated onion gives to my Grandma Denny’s homemade ranch dip. But if you prefer or want to save time, just use 1 tsp. onion powder.
Can you make this homemade ranch dip with Greek Yogurt?
I sometimes make a variation of this that I call Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip that’s lower in fat and higher in protein. For that variation follow this recipe but replace the sour cream with one cup of cottage that’s blended in the food processor until it’s nearly smooth and replace the mayo with one cup fat-free Greek Yogurt. (This is the version I would make when I was strictly following the original South Beach Diet.)
Want a version of ranch dip with more texture?
You can make a variation of this homemade ranch dip recipe with a little chopped red onion, finely diced cucumber, and finely diced red pepper if you’d like a chunkier dip. I would use about 2 T of each.
How to Make Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning Salt as the secret seasoning in her vegetable dip, but it’s no longer being made (sob!) If you still have Bon Appetit, use it, but now I use Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link). If you’re in Europe you can also use Trocomare Seasoning. (affiliate link)
- Grate a small amount of raw onion into a bowl. (I use the large side of a box grater; don’t use a microplane grater which just turns the onion to liquid.)
- Add mayo and sour cream to bowl.
- Then add Beau Monde Seasoning and dried dill weed (affiliate link).
- Mix all ingredients together well with a whisk. You can use a food processor as well, but the whisk is quicker.
- Let the dip chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or two for best flavor.
- Serve with raw vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, bell pepper strips, jicama, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower.
- This is also good with carrots or as a dip for baked sweet potato fries for those who don’t mind more carbs.
- I tested this out on my friend Robin and she gave it two thumbs up!
More Tasty Vegetable Dips You Might Like:
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream (see notes)
- 1 cup mayo (see notes)
- 1 tsp. grated onion
- 2 tsp. dried dill weed
- 2 tsp. Beau Monde Seasoning (see notes)
Instructions
- Grate onion into a bowl, using the large side of a box grater or flat grater (not a microplane grater.)
- Add all other ingredients to the bowl and stir together with a whisk (or you can use a food processor, but it’s not necessary.)
- Chill an hour or so before serving.
Notes
I only use Daisy full-fat sour cream and full-fat mayo for this recipe but if you prefer to make a lower-fat version of the recipe you can definitely use reduced fat sour cream and mayo.
My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning for this. When that was discontinued I started making it with Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link), which is almost identical in flavor.
This will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Nutritional information doesn’t include vegetables and is calculated on 1/4 cup serving size.
Recipe from my Grandma Denny, who was a wonderful cook!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 245Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 564mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is great for low-carb diets.Eat with low-carb vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, jicama, bell pepper strips, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower for low-carb diets. If you’re making this for the original South Beach Diet the Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip variation above is better for South Beach.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Appetizers to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Kalyn was making this dip recipe long before the existence of the internet, and it was first posted on this site in 2005 (probably without a single photo in those days.) The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
- Calories N/A
- Total Fat N/A
- Saturated Fat N/A
- Cholesterol N/A
- Sodium N/A
- Total Carbohydrates N/A
- Protein N/A
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