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Grilled Artichokes are one of the best grilled summer side dishes or appetizers! Serve them with your favorite aioli, lemon garlic butter, or even just mayo as a dipping sauce!
Those giant globe artichokes of summer are just begging to be grilled. But you can enjoy artichokes anytime with our Must Try Jalapeño Artichoke Dip Recipe, One Pot Creamy Spinach Mushroom Artichoke Chicken, or Chicken Spinach Artichoke Casserole.
Grilled Artichokes
We love how grilling vegetables brings out the most in their natural flavors. In artichokes, it’s a smoky nuttiness that makes so much better than plain steamed artichokes. Plus the bit of char from the grill also adds to the flavor and beauty of these artichokes.
These grilled artichokes are perfect for a party since most of the work can be done a day or two in advance. Then when it’s time to eat, just grill them up in less than 10 minutes and serve them warm or at room temperature!
How to Prepare an Artichoke:
- Have a couple of cut lemon wedges for rubbing on the artichokes immediately after slicing them in half to prevent browning.
- You don’t have to trim the artichokes before grilling them, but they have a little hook at the end of the leaves so it’s common to slice the top ½ to ¾ inch off and trim the leaves with kitchen shears. It doesn’t hurt to skip this step though. You can trim the stem too, but don’t cut off the whole thing. It’s an extension of the heart and definitely edible!
- Slice each artichoke in half and rub with a lemon wedge. There is a fuzzy center in the middle of each artichoke half known as the “choke” that is inedible. Use a spoon to remove the fuzzy choke and purple leaves. Rub with a little more lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
How to Grill Artichokes:
- Boil the artichokes for about 15-20 minutes to soften them. The secret to the best grilled artichokes is to boil them in a large pot of water seasoned with Kosher salt, peppercorns, and whole garlic cloves. This infuses them with flavor, without overpowering the delicate flavor of the artichokes themselves. You don’t need to boil them all the way since they will finish cooking on the grill. You just want them to be tender enough to pierce with a knife. This part can even be done in advance and the artichokes can be refrigerated for a day or two until you are ready to grill them.
- Pat the artichokes dry, then brush with olive oil and minced garlic and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. This flavors the artichokes as well as helps prevent them from sticking to the grill grates.
- Place the artichokes with the flat side up on a hot grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook on the flat side for another 3-4 minutes until lightly charred. Remove from the grill and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
How to Eat an Artichoke:
It’s so much fun to eat artichokes! I like to start by plucking off the outer leaves one at a time and placing the base of each petal or leaf in my mouth to strip the fleshy part off with my teeth. Sometimes I dip them in sauce first, although with grilled artichokes they are super flavorful all on their own. Discard the leaves and repeat with all the outer leaves of the artichoke.
When you get to the middle of the artichoke, you get the ultimate prize, which is the artichoke heart. This is pretty much everybody’s favorite part, which is the large fleshy morsel at the base of the artichoke. Scoop it out with a spoon and enjoy!
What to Serve with Grilled Artichokes:
- A good quality mayo
- Homemade aioli (so many flavor options to try and all of them are amazing with grilled artichokes!)
- Melted butter mixed with a little lemon zest, lemon juice, and minced garlic
