I’m completely smitten with this grilled artichoke recipe — I made it two nights in a row. I even gave my filet mignon to my husband last night so I could have his grilled artichoke. I love meat, but these artichokes are that good.
Each artichoke half holds its own lemony butter dipping sauce, which marinates the heart as the leaves pick up a pleasant smoky char.
When I was a kid my mom steamed artichokes and served them with lemon butter. We’d scrape the tender bit from the leaves with our teeth until we reached the prized heart. Before eating the heart, my mom would take it to the sink and remove the choke — those thin inedible fibers — and we always competed for the biggest piece.
This version removes the waiting and the sharing: each half gets its own butter-filled cavity, so the heart is all yours.
I normally reach for asparagus and zucchini at the grill, but these grilled artichokes deserve a spot on the table too — as a beautiful side or a satisfying vegetarian entrée.
To get tender, smoky artichokes you do need to pre-steam them. My mom suggested microwaving them — a quick, reliable method — which led to my simple and easy-to-remember 7-6-5 method:
Microwave for 7 minutes
Grill for 6 minutes
Flip and grill for 5 minutes
Artichokes are in season now — mine were 2 for $3 at the market. If you find a good deal, grab some and try this simple, flavorful dish.
Grilled Artichokes
Ingredients
- 2 artichokes
- 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Instructions
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Preheat a grill to medium-low. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the halves to prevent browning.
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Using a paring knife, trim the top of the heart just below the fibers.
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Pull out the inner purple leaves to remove as many fibers as possible.
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Spoon out the remaining choke so the heart is fully clean.
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Rinse to remove any loose fibers, then squeeze the juice of the other half of the lemon over all the halves.
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Add 1/2 cup water to a 13 x 9 microwave-safe dish. Place the artichoke halves cut-side down in the dish, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 7 minutes. Be careful removing the dish and wrap — they will be hot from the steam.
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Turn the artichokes cut side up and drizzle with olive oil.
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Place the artichokes cut side down on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 6 minutes.
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Whisk together the melted butter, juice of 1 lemon, and salt. Flip the artichokes and brush each half twice with the lemon-butter mixture. Pour any remaining lemon butter evenly into the cavities of each artichoke.
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Close the grill lid and cook for 5 more minutes, until the butter is bubbly and the artichokes have a nice char.
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Remove from the grill and serve warm.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.