Low fat and high protein dishes are fundamental to every healthy diet. You can replace an unhealthy plate full of carbs and fats with a low-fat, richer comfort food just by adding vegetables like artichokes to your diet.
They’re high in fiber and just as rich in protein while supplying a healthy concentration of fat, Vitamin K, and other essential nutrients.
There are, however, times when you’ll struggle to find Jerusalem artichokes. High demand and consumption, especially in cold weather, often leads to stock running out.
If your recipe calls for a very small amount of Jerusalem artichoke, then feel free to omit it as the taste is very subtle in low quantities.
Yet, if you want to roast it alone or cook it up as a primary component in one of your meals, then we’ve got some worthy alternatives that’ll do the job.
In this post, we’ll be walking you through the ten best Jerusalem artichoke substitutes available. Read on.
What Are Jerusalem Artichokes?
Jerusalem artichokes are a starchy root vegetable harvested from the Helianthus tuberosus plant. The name takes no relation from Jerusalem, and there’s no connection to artichokes either.
Instead, Jerusalem artichokes are a distant relative of daisies that have been consumed and cultivated for hundreds of years. Also known as earth apples, sunroots, and sunchokes, their roots resemble ginger.
First cultivation traces back to Native Americans, however, today, crops are found all around the world. Use these tubers in the same way that you would potato, or eat them raw in a salad.
Roasting is the ultimate serving suggestion, but Jerusalem artichokes come out tasting amazing in pickles and relish as well, thanks to their sweetness.
What Do Jerusalem Artichokes Taste Like?
Jerusalem artichokes have a light, fresh flavor that’s similar to a cross between water chestnuts and globe artichokes. Expect a creamy, nutty, sweet taste with a dense starchy texture most akin to salsify and turnip.
How Do You Substitute Jerusalem Artichokes?
The earthy, fresh flavor of Jerusalem artichokes makes them ideal in roasts, stews, and served mashed. We recommend that you pick a substitute based on how you plan to cook it.
Certain alternatives listed will be better suited to serving raw, others to being mashed. Consider your options carefully and use any of our suggestions as direct substitutes for Jerusalem artichokes.
10 Best Substitutes For Jerusalem Artichoke
Jerusalem artichokes are in such demand with such low stock levels found in most places that you’re bound to be needing an alternative at some point. Here are ten of the best substitutes for Jerusalem artichokes available.
1. Jicama – The Closest Alternative For Jerusalem Artichoke
Jicama is a sweet-flavored vegetable with an equally crunchy texture and similar flavor to Jerusalem artichokes. You’ll also find jicama sold as Mexican turnips and Mexican yam beans.
The tuberous root of the Mexican jicama vine carries a taste comparable to raw green beans. Many find it sourish, similar to light-tasting apples.
It’s a great substitute to use in salads, soups, and stirfries, pairing with pungent and umami flavors best. The only potential drawback to jicama is that they’re often out of stock.
When you do find them available, we suggest stocking up because they’re one of the best Jerusalem artichoke substitutes around and extremely versatile.
2. Artichokes Hearts – A Compatible Alternative For Jerusalem Artichoke
Don’t let the strikingly different appearance of artichokes turn you away. Jerusalem artichokes and artichoke hearts may not look anything like each other, but they taste remarkably similar.
Both are sweet and nutty with a rough texture, but Jerusalem artichokes are much firmer. Artichoke hearts are soft, so don’t use them in any recipe that calls for solid or half raw Jerusalem artichokes.
If you can’t fit in a session of separating the hearts from raw artichoke, give canned artichoke hearts a try. The flavor is a little more intense, and all the crunch is gone, but they sure are tasty and versatile.
3. Water Chestnuts – Another Great Substitute For Jerusalem Artichokes\
Water Chestnuts aren’t actually nuts but instead a reliable Jerusalem artichoke substitute with a similar nutty and sweet but neutral flavor.
Water chestnuts, otherwise known as Chinese Water Chestnuts, may look like nuts, but that’s about where the resemblance ends. Raw, boiled, grilled, pickled, or canned, water chestnuts come out great when added to stirfries.
The water chestnuts retain their crunchy outer texture despite the flesh turning soft, similar to mashed potatoes. Adding texture is one of their primary uses.
We don’t recommend substituting water chestnuts for Jerusalem artichoke in meals where they’re served alone or as a primary ingredient. The taste is too light and starchy with a touch of tartness.
4. Parsnip
Parsnips are another root vegetable that will work very well in place of Jerusalem artichoke. This parsley family member, resembling a long, white thick carrot, is a favorite part of a traditional British Sunday roast.
While edible raw, parsnips are best when roasted, boiled, fried, or steamed. They cook similarly to carrots, developing sweetness as they roast.
Take care to use cut parsnips right away because they oxidize, turning brown. If you’re planning to peel and cube them for later, store the cut parsnip in a bowl of water with a dash of lemon juice.
5. Salsify
Salsify is yet another root vegetable resembling parsnip that tastes great as a substitute for Jerusalem artichoke in just about any meal. It also goes by the name Jerusalem star, or oyster plant.
Salsify is nicknamed the oyster plant because of its flavor, which is mildly reminiscent of oysters. Once the thick skin is peeled away, white creamy, starchy flesh that’s similar to a turnip is revealed.
Whereas most other starchy tubers contain moderate nutrition, salsify is considered a superfood and comes with high levels of iron, Vitamin C, fiber, Calcium, and Thiamin.
Use it in the same way as you would potato, adding salsify root to stews or soups, or simply saute it with your choice of fresh greens to experience the full flavor.
6. Sweet Potato – Easy Alternative For Jerusalem Artichokes
One of the most convenient substitutes for Jerusalem artichokes is sweet potatoes. All across the world, most grocery stores keep them readily in stock, with availability high.
Feel free to use sweet potatoes in the place of sunchokes using equal quantity without worrying about it overwhelming the recipe. There are endless serving suggestions for sweet potatoes.
We’d almost go as far as to say that there’s no way that you can’t use sweet potato.
Yams are another option, but they’re much starchier and not as sweet, so keep this in mind if the rich flavor of baked or roasted sweet potato is a little too intense.
7. Cardone
The artichoke thistle, otherwise known as Cardoon, is a taste replacement for Jerusalem artichoke that’s a part of the sunflower family.
This thistle has a herbaceous, fresh flavor comparable to a cross between asparagus and Brussel sprouts with a distinct bitterness. Depending on your recipe, you may need to soak cardoon stems before frying them.
If you’re averse to toughness to the outer skin, cut and soak your Cardoon in water overnight, and then poach them for around half an hour before using them in any of your recipes.
After soaking and poaching, cardoons are perfect for frying or just about anything else, losing a great degree of bitterness while coming out succulently soft.
8. Brussel Sprouts
Brussel sprouts may not be a root vegetable, but this delicious member of the cabbage family comes out tasting similar when cooked.
They’re a great vegetable for roasting and stewing and come out the healthiest when briefly steamed. Feel free to swap out Jerusalem artichoke for Brussel sprouts directly.
Served raw, they’ve got a slight bitterness, while cooked, they’re mild and tender with a crunchy exterior and a flavor that’s best described as a mini cabbage but milder and a little nuttier.
9. Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a vastly underutilized vegetable that’s also known as a German turnip. Despite the name, there’s little similarity between turnips and kohlrabi.
Instead, this variety of wild cabbage tastes like broccoli stems crossed with cabbage with a sweet peppery bite. The texture is also similar to broccoli stems, remaining firm but tender when cooked.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised by just how versatile this bulbous Jerusalem artichoke substitute is. The whole plant is edible, but you’ll typically buy the bulbous bottom with its steams and a few leaves attached.
Use the stems and leaves in stirfries, and use the thick bottom as you would potato or any other root vegetable.
Boiled, roasted, steamed, boiled, or even mashed, kohlrabi tastes great, retaining a crisp consistency and lingering light spiciness.
10. Chayote
Chayote may not be as common as other Jerusalem artichoke alternatives listed, but this member of the gourd family’s mild flavor and versatile consistency makes it a worthy consideration.
This is one of the few suggestions that’s actually a fruit. It’s starchy like a yam or sweet potato but nowhere near as sweet.
The taste is fairly neutral, arriving as a fresh earthy taste that’s best described as a midway between a regular potato and a cucumber. Loved by Cajun cuisine, chayote pairs with strong, spicy flavors very well.
Asian chefs also treasure chayote for its ability to pair with savory tastes, such as the umami of soy sauce.
Which Is The Best Jerusalem Artichoke Substitute?
Jerusalem artichokes are one of a kind which makes finding a worthy alternative challenging.
Every one of these Jerusalem artichoke substitutes will change the flavor of your recipe, but no ingredient listed is overpowering enough to spoil it.
With a little bit of luck, running out of ‘earth apples’ may lead you to find a new favorite twist on a beloved meal.