Great Grillin': How To Make Grilled Artichokes

Summer is always grilling season at my house. Not only do things taste delicious when they are grilled, but cooking outside means that you don’t need to heat the house up quite as much as when you prepare a whole meal indoors. Artichokes are one of the many wonderful vegetables that can benefit from spending a little time on a hot grill, and this tutorial will show you how to make a great grilled artichoke.

Photos via Nicole Weston of Baking Bites

The first time I had grilled artichokes, it was at a restaurant. I fell in love the smoky, charred flavor that the grill gave the artichoke, contrasting with the buttery flavor of the vegetable. Ever since then, I throw artichokes on my grill on a regular basis.

Making grilled artichokes is easy but requires a little bit of prep work. Don’t worry — the flavor of the finished artichokes is well worth the effort. This technique can be used on artichokes of all sizes, however, baby artichokes will have a quicker cooking time than their larger counterparts. 

Step-by-step grilled artichoke recipe

Step 1. Prepare the  artichokes

If your artichokes have a stem, that stem is edible! Use a vegetable peeler or a small pairing knife to remove the tough outer layer from the stem of the artichoke. If your artichoke only has a small stem or you don’t want to save it, you can simply slice it off. 

Use a very sharp knife to slice off the top of the artichokes, removing the pointy tops of the leaves. Use your knife to remove small, tough outer leaves near the base of the artichoke, as well. 

Step 2. Cook

Once your artichokes are prepared, they need to be boiled or steamed. Artichokes typically take a long time to cook and pre-cooking them on the stovetop allows you to simply finish them off on the grill, then serve them immediately from there. 

I cook my artichokes whole in about 1 inch of water. The size of the artichoke will have a big impact on the cooking time, but approximately 20-25 minutes will work for most medium-to-large artichokes. 

I cook them whole because it is then easy to remove the fuzzy choke using a small spoon. If the artichokes are too firm, it can be a struggle to get out all that fuzz. 

Once your chokes are removed, it’s time to grill!

Step 3. Grill

Heat up your grill to medium heat. Brush the cut sides of the artichokes with olive oil and place cut-side down on the grill. Cook for 4-6 minutes, until well-browned. Remove from grill and serve immediately with dip. 

Lemon and garlic artichoke dip 

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well-combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.