Braised Cardoons with Lemon
Braised Cardoons with Lemon is a traditional Mediterranean dish, particularly popular in Italian and Spanish cuisine, where the thistle-like vegetable cardoon is slowly cooked until tender. The dish typically features cardoon stalks braised in a flavorful broth with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and sometimes herbs like parsley or bay leaf.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is low in calories and fat, making it a light yet nutritious option. It provides a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, and minerals like potassium and magnesium, with a rough calorie ballpark of around 80-120 kcal per serving.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 95 kcal |
| Protein | 3.5 g |
| Carbs | 18 g |
| Fat | 2.5 g |
| Fiber | 6.8 g |
| Sugar | 1.2 g |
| Sodium | 280 mg |
| Potassium | 420 mg |
| Vitamin C | 15 mg |
| Magnesium | 45 mg |
| Calcium | 70 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg |
| Folate | 65 mcg |
| Vitamin K | 18 mcg |
| Manganese | 0.3 mg |
Per 1 cup (180 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Cardoons are a relative of the artichoke and have been cultivated since ancient times for their unique, slightly bitter flavor and nutritional benefits. Nutritionally, they are rich in antioxidants and have been traditionally used in Mediterranean folk medicine for digestive health.
