Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Garlic Aioli
On December 16, 2019 (Updated May 11, 2024)
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Grilled Artichokes are a great way to enjoy cooked artichokes. Add a tart lemon garlic aioli to the mix, and you’re set to enjoy a delicious side when everyday veggies just won’t cut it.
Grilled Artichokes
Artichokes can be cooked in a variety of ways. Most folks are familiar with the good ol’ steaming method. And while this is a perfectly fine way to cook artichokes, sticking them on the grill adds some great char and flavor that you won’t get by steaming alone.
Today’s recipe begins with a quick steam followed by 8-10 minutes on the hot grill. It’s relatively fast, and the artichokes turn out beautifully cooked with plenty of flavor.
Grilled Artichoke Dipping Sauce
Now, I know some folks go nice and simple with their artichoke dipping sauce. Basic melted butter or a bowl of mayonnaise is always a winner, but today we’re making these artichokes sparkle and shine with a lemon garlic aioli. It adds a crisp and tart bite of flavor to the grilled artichoke.
Here’s what you’ll need for the artichoke dipping sauce (exact measurements and preparation notes are available below in the printable recipe card):
- Mayonnaise
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon zest and juice
- Salt and pepper
How to Grill Artichokes
Before grilling your artichokes, you’ll need to prepare them and steam them following these instructions. For a printable version of these directions, scroll below to read the entire recipe card.
- Trim and cut. Trim the top inch off the artichokes with a sharp knife. Cut each artichoke in half and use a large metal spoon to scoop out the hair attached to the heart (called the center choke). You can also simply cut the tips off all leaves instead of cutting off the top inch of the artichoke, especially if you have any remaining thorns on the ends of the leaves. Your main goal for this step is to remove any remaining thorns from the tips of the leaves and make the leaves more uniform.
- Steam. Heat a pan of water with a steam basket attached to it until the water begins to boil. Place the artichokes in the steam basket, put a lid on the pan, and steam for 8-10 minutes.
- Season. Remove the artichokes from the steam and drizzle the cut sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
These artichokes are ready to head to the grill:
- Grill. Preheat your gas grill to 450 degrees F (it’s best to allow the grill to preheat while the artichokes are steaming). Place the artichokes cut and seasoned side down directly on the grill grates. Close the lid, and grill for 4-5 minutes. Open the lid, flip them over, and grill them on the back side for an additional 4-5 minutes. The artichokes should be on the grill for no longer than 8-10 minutes.
- Serve! Promptly remove the artichokes from the grill to a serving platter. Serve immediately. While artichokes can be enjoyed hot or cold, I find they taste best nice and hot. You can either drizzle the artichokes with the artichoke dipping sauce, or you can serve individual portions of dipping sauce for your guests. Garnish with lemon wedges, and enjoy the tasty goodness that is grilled artichokes!
How to Eat Grilled Artichoke
Unless you’ve eaten grilled artichokes before, it can be a bit confusing as to how to eat them. After they’re cooked and ready at the dinner table, simply rip off a leaf at a time and dip the bottom portion in the garlic aioli. Next, place about 1/3 of the bottom of the leaf in your mouth and use your teeth to scrape the white fleshy inside of the leaf off to eat. Discard the rest of the leaf.
Continue to eat all the leaves until you reach the artichoke heart (the inner fleshy part). The heart is my personal favorite part of the artichoke. Make sure to save plenty of dipping sauce for the end! You can eat the entire heart; it’s tender and delicious.
Quick tip: It is very helpful to have a large “leaf discard bowl” on the table so your guests have somewhere to place their artichoke leaves without them piling up on their plates. You can also have a separate bowl of dipping sauce for your guests to prevent double dipping.
More Grilled Sides for BBQ
I’m all about adding some greenery to your table when making BBQ. It helps the meal feel balanced out, and veggies are good for you, right? Check out a handful of grilled sides that will beautifully compliment your BBQ below:
Grilled Vegetables
Garlic Parmesan Grilled Green Beans
Grilled Brussels Sprouts
Grilled Artichoke Recipe
I created this recipe for you, backyard griller! Here at Hey Grill Hey, we’re in the business of helping you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a backyard BBQ hero. You can find more of my smoking and grilling recipes here on my website (browse the Homepage for inspiration) on Instagram, YouTube or our Facebook Page.
Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
Lemon Garlic Aioli
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the artichoke dipping sauce. Make the lemon garlic aioli by combining all ingredients in a bowl and mixing well to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Prep the artichokes. Trim the top inch off of your artichokes with a sharp knife. Cut each artichoke in half, then use a large metal spoon to scoop out the center choke (the fuzzy hair attached to the heart).
- Steam the artichokes. Preheat a large pan of water with a steam basket attached to it and bring the water to a boil. Place the artichokes in the steam basket over the boiling water. Cover the pan with a lid, and steam the artichokes for 8-10 minutes.
- Preheat the grill. As your artichokes are steaming, preheat your grill to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (high heat).
- Season the artichokes, and prep for the grill. After the artichokes are done steaming, remove them to a cutting board or baking sheet. Drizzle the cut sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill the artichokes. Place the artichokes cut side down directly on the grill and grill for 4-5 minutes. Flip them over and grill them on the back side for an additional 4-5 minutes for a total cook time of 8-10 minutes.
- Serve hot. Remove the artichokes from the grill. Remove the lemon garlic ailoi from the refrigerator and serve immediately with the sauce and garnish with a lemon cut into wedges.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
