Grilled Artichokes Recipe

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/19/22
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Grilled Artichokes on a platter with lemon wedges

The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 3 to 4 artichokes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
153 Calories
11g Fat
14g Carbs
3g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 153
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 230mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 9mg 44%
Calcium 26mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 345mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Grilled artichokes are a fantastic addition to spring cookouts. It's the best time of year to find the freshest artichokes at the market and an excellent side for the start of grilling season. The tender hearts and leaves pick up a smokiness on the grill that perfectly complements the artichoke's nutty flavor.

For grilled artichokes, it's best to keep things simple and season them lightly with oil, salt, and pepper, though garlic and paprika are a nice touch. First, however, you need to steam the artichokes because they're grilled for such a short time. Steam them on the stovetop (it can take up to 40 minutes) or in the microwave until tender. Additionally, you'll want to trim the artichokes before or after steaming to remove a portion of the stem and crown, as well as the prickly thorns from the leaves. While they can be trimmed after grilling, the artichokes cook more evenly on the grill when cut in half and the inedible hairy choke is removed.

For proteins, artichokes are an outstanding accompaniment for grilled lamb, chicken, or seafood. A vegetarian meal can include grilled avocados, eggplants, or potatoes with a bold main like tandoor paneer tikka kebabs. And, if you can't resist dipping artichoke leaves in sauce, try honey mustard, aioli, garlic butter, mayo, or remoulade. Use any leftover hearts to make a smoky artichoke dip.

"I love artichokes so much that I buy them any time I see them. Usually, I steam them, so when I tested this recipe, I was very curious to see how they'd taste steamed and then grilled. One word: Delicious." —Diana Andrews

Grilled Artichokes/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 large fresh artichokes, trimmed, halved, and steamed

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika, optional

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Clean the grill grates. Prepare a medium (350°F to 375°F) gas or charcoal grill fire, or heat until you can hold a hand over the heat for 4 seconds.

    Grilled Artichokes ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

  2. Pat the artichokes dry. Place the steamed artichoke halves cut side up onto a tray. Brush with the garlic olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika, if using.

    Artichokes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika on a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

  3. Place the artichokes cut side down onto the hot grill. Cover and grill for 8 to 10 minutes, or until there are grill marks on the stems.

    Artichokes halves on a grill

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

  4. Let cool slightly before serving, sprinkling them with extra salt and lemon juice, if desired.

    Grilled Artichokes on a platter with lemon wedges

    The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

How To Trim and Steam Artichokes

  • Use this step-by-step guide to cleaning and trimming your fresh whole artichokes.
  • Use this step-by-step guide for steaming your prepped artichokes.

Tips

  • Select the freshest artichokes you can find. Look for tight heads and stems that are not dried out.
  • You can steam artichokes a day before grilling. Let them cool, then cover and refrigerate. Bring them to room temperature while preheating the grill.
  • Grilling over direct heat ensures that the artichoke gets the most smoke flavor and becomes perfectly tender. Keep them away from the flames so you don't burn the tender inner leaves.

Recipe Varitions

  • If you don't have garlic olive oil on hand, use regular olive oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil. Switch from regular salt to garlic salt to bring back that garlic flavor.
  • While steaming the artichokes, add herbs to the steamer water for a little extra flavor. Bay leaf and a few sprigs of fresh parsley or thyme are ideal pairings for artichokes; use all or any combination that you have on hand.
  • You can grill frozen or brined artichoke hearts to impart a smoky flavor. Since they're small, it's best to place them in a grill pan and treat them like roasted artichoke hearts, cooking for 25 to 35 minutes.
  • For frozen whole artichokes, thaw, oil, season, and grill them like fresh artichokes. If they're small, a grill pan may be necessary.

How to Store

To store grilled artichokes, let them cool completely then cover and refrigerate for up to two days.


How do you eat grilled artichokes?

Eating artichokes is a bit of an adventure, and they're enjoyable either warm or cold. The leaves have a soft, edible flesh at the base; dip this in sauce and scrape it off with your teeth (discard the rest). Beneath the cavity where you removed the choke is the heart, and that's the best part. You can also use a knife to cut out the tender middle of the stem.