Boiled artichokes take anywhere between 20-70 minutes. Cook time depends on how big and how fresh the artichoke is. Smaller, greener artichokes that you get early in the season cook much faster than the larger, darker ones you get later. Small, bright green artichokes are usually done in 25-30 minutes, while larger, darker ones require at least 45 minutes. I usually start with cooking them for 30 minutes (20 minutes for very small ones) before testing, and then test once every 10 minutes.