Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes with Spinach and Herb Sauce

Jerusalem artichokes are one of those vegetables that people walk and have absolutely no idea what they are or what to do with, and honestly, that is a CRIME because they are so, so good. Nutty, earthy, and when you roast them properly they go perfectly golden and crispy on the outside while staying creamy in the middle. I've paired them here with a vibrant green spinach, tarragon, and parmesan sauce that is honestly one of my new favourite things, a dollop of sour cream, and fried capers on top for a salty, crunchy little hit that takes the whole dish to another level. This one is going to be your new winter obsession. Let's cook!

Watch me make this on YouTube!

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 to 45 minutes
• Total Time: 55 to 60 minutes
• Serves: 4 as a side dish
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Blender or NutriBullet, small frying pan for capers

The secret to getting Jerusalem artichokes beautifully crispy is the parboil first. By boiling them until just tender before they go into the oven, you give them a head start. The outside dries out quickly in the heat and caramelises into that gorgeous golden crust, while the inside stays soft and nutty. Skip the parboil and you'll end up with tough, undercooked centres and an outside that colours too fast. Take the time, it is absolutely worth it.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• An underrated winter veg gets its moment: Jerusalem artichokes are available all winter in NZ and most people have no idea how to use them. This recipe fixes that completely.
• That spinach sauce: Blanched spinach blended with tarragon, chickpeas, parmesan, and lemon zest makes a sauce that is earthy, bright, and a little bit creamy all at once. You will want to put it on everything.
• Fried capers are a game changer: Two minutes in a hot pan and they go crispy and intensely salty, which is the perfect contrast to the soft artichokes and creamy sour cream.
• Impressive but genuinely easy: This looks and tastes like a restaurant dish but comes together with simple techniques and affordable winter produce.

Ingredients

For the Jerusalem Artichokes:

• 800g Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and halved lengthways
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Spinach and Herb Sauce:

• 150g baby spinach
• 1/2 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 15g parmesan, finely grated
• 1 small bunch fresh tarragon, leaves picked (about 2 tablespoons)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoons blanching water (reserved from the spinach)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Serve:

• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (for frying the capers)
• Extra lemon zest (optional)

Instructions

1. Parboil the artichokes: Place the halved Jerusalem artichokes in a pot of well-salted cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until just tender when pierced with a knife. You want them cooked through but not falling apart. Drain well and leave to steam dry for a few minutes.
2. Roast until golden: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6). Toss the drained artichokes in the olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and spread cut-side down on a lined baking tray. Don't crowd them but also give them a little squash. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply golden and crispy on the outside.
3. Blanch the spinach: While the artichokes are roasting, bring a small pot of salted water to the boil. Drop the spinach in and blanch for just 30 seconds until wilted or if you are using frozen until mostly defrosted. Scoop out with a slotted spoon into a colander, reserving a few tablespoons of the blanching water. Squeeze out as much excess water as you can from the spinach.
4. Make the sauce: Add the blanched spinach to a blender along with the drained chickpeas, parmesan, tarragon leaves, and lemon zest. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved blanching water and the olive oil. Blend until smooth, adding a little more water if needed to get a spoonable, saucy consistency. Taste and season well with salt and pepper.
5. Fry the capers: Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over a high heat. Pat the capers completely dry with paper towels, as this is important or they will spit. Add to the hot oil and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until they open up and go crispy. Tip onto a piece of paper towel to drain. And add the capery oil to your sauce. Waste not want not!
6. Plate and serve: Spread a generous spoonful of the spinach sauce across the base of your serving plate or plates. Arrange the roasted artichokes on top cut-side up, then add dollops of sour cream. Scatter the fried capers over the top and finish with a little extra parmasan if you like.

Chef's Tips

Scrub, don't peel: Jerusalem artichoke skin is thin and full of flavour, so there is no need to peel them. Just give them a good scrub under cold water to remove any dirt from the knobbly bits.

Steam dry after boiling: Once you drain the artichokes, give them a few minutes to steam and dry out on the tray before tossing in oil. The drier they are, the crispier they will roast.

Squeeze that spinach properly: If you don't squeeze enough water out of the blanched spinach the sauce will be watery and won't hold its vibrant green colour. Really get in there and squeeze it out.

Capers must be bone dry before frying: Moisture plus hot oil equals dangerous spitting. Pat them very thoroughly with paper towels before they go anywhere near the pan.

Taste your sauce before it hits the plate: Parmesan varies in saltiness, so always taste and adjust with salt, pepper, and a little extra lemon juice before you serve.

Substitutions & Variations

• No tarragon? Fresh basil, flat-leaf parsley, or a mix of both work really well. Tarragon has a lovely anise note that is quite special here, but don't let it stop you.
• No parmesan? A hard pecorino or grana padano will give you the same savoury depth. For a fully plant-based version, use 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast instead.
• No sour cream? Creme fraiche, Greek yoghurt, or labneh all work beautifully in its place.
• No capers? Finely chopped gherkins or a scattering of toasted pine nuts give you a similar salty, textural contrast.
• Want to make it more substantial? Serve alongside grilled chicken, lamb chops, or a fried egg on top to turn it into a main.

Storage

Best eaten fresh: The roasted artichokes and fried capers are at their best straight out of the oven while everything is crispy and hot. This is not a dish you want to leave sitting around.

Fridge: Store leftover artichokes and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the artichokes in a hot oven (200°C) for 10 minutes to bring back some crispiness. The microwave will make them soggy.

Freezer: The spinach sauce freezes well for up to 2 months. Freeze in small portions and defrost in the fridge overnight. The roasted artichokes are not ideal for freezing as they go soft on defrosting.

Avoid: Don't dress the plate ahead of time. Once the sauce hits the artichokes and the sour cream is on, everything softens quickly, so plate up just before you are ready to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Jerusalem artichokes taste like? They have a nutty, earthy flavour a bit like a cross between a potato and a water chestnut, with a slightly sweet edge. They are nothing like a globe artichoke despite the name, so don't let that put you off!

Do I really need to parboil them first? Yes, genuinely. Roasting from raw gives you uneven results. The outside browns before the inside cooks through, so the parboil takes 10 minutes and makes a huge difference to the final texture.

My sauce has gone grey, what happened? This usually means the spinach wasn't squeezed dry enough, or the sauce sat for a while before serving, or you cooked your spinach for to long! Also if it hot when you make it will lose colour. To keep it vibrant green, make it close to serving and press a piece of cling film directly onto the surface if you are making it ahead.

Can I double this recipe? Absolutely. Just make sure you roast the artichokes across two trays so they are not crowded. Crowding the tray means they steam instead of roast and you will lose the crispiness.

Can I use tinned artichokes instead? Not for this recipe. Tinned artichokes are a completely different product (globe artichokes in brine) and won't give you the same result. Jerusalem artichokes are a root vegetable and need to be bought fresh.

What if I can't find Jerusalem artichokes? They are a winter crop in NZ, so look for them at farmers markets or good greengrocers from around June through August. If you genuinely can't find them, this sauce and garnish would also be wonderful with roasted celeriac or parsnips.

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These roasted Jerusalem artichokes are everything I love about winter cooking. An underdog vegetable treated with a bit of care and transformed into something genuinely special. The spinach and tarragon sauce is vibrant, savoury, and creamy all at once, the sour cream adds richness, and those fried capers on top are the little crunchy salty hit that makes the whole dish sing. If you have never cooked Jerusalem artichokes before, this is the recipe that will convert you. Make it once and you will be hooked for the whole winter season.

Enjoy!

Del x

Roasted Jerusalem artichokes with a vibrant spinach, chickpea, and tarragon sauce, sour cream, and crispy fried capers. A stunning winter side dish that turns an underrated vegetable into the star of the show.