Marinated Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Aioli

Grilled artichokes on a platter with dipping sauce.

5 from 6 votes

Marinated Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Aioli

Large, fresh artichokes are steamed, prepped, and marinated for 24 hours in a flavorful balsamic vinegar mixture filled with garlic and ginger. The artichokes get grilled and basted with the excess marinade and take on a wonderful smoky flavor. Served with a garlic lemon aioli dipping sauce, these marinated grilled artichokes will become your favorite recipe for grilling season.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Grill Time15

Total Time1 45

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 170kcal

Author: Callan Wenner

Equipment

Serrated knife
Vegetable peeler
kitchen shears
Large pot
steamer basket
chefs knife
large cutting board
2 gallon ziptop bags

Ingredients

4 large artichokes fresh and whole
1 lemon sliced
2 cloves garlic smashed

Marinade

¾ cup balsamic vinegar 180ml
⅔ cup water 160ml
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce 120ml
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil 160ml
2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
2 tablespoons fresh garlic minced
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Lemon Garlic Aioli:

½ cup mayonnaise 113g
1 large garlic clove grated
1 lemon zested and juiced
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepping the artichokes for the marinade:

Use a serrated knife to cut off the top inch of the artichoke and the bottom of the stem (leaving 1 inch of the stem on the artichoke) and remove any small leaves from the stem and base of the artichoke and use a vegetable peeler to peel the hard pieces from the stem. Then, use kitchen shears to cut the thorny tips off of all of the leaves. Rinse well.
4 large artichokes
In a large pot, add 1-2 inches of water, the smashed garlic cloves, and half of a sliced lemon. You want the bottom of the steamer basket just touching the water line.
1 lemon, 2 cloves garlic
Set a collapsible steamer basket in the pot and add the artichokes upside down (stems up). It's ok for them to be very snug. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cover with a lid.
Start checking the artichokes for tenderness after about 30 minutes, but this can take up to one hour depending on how large the artichokes are. The artichokes are done when a leaf from the middle of the artichoke pulls out easily. Use tongs to pull out the middle leaf, test eating the meat to see if it's tender.
Remove the steamer basket of cooked artichokes from the pot and set out to cool.

Marinating the artichokes:

Using a serrated knife, cut each cooled artichoke in half lengthwise (through the stem). Pull out the purple-tipped leaves and the fuzzy choke (using a spoon) and discard.
Whisk together the balsamic, water, soy sauce, olive oil, ginger, garlic, and black pepper.
¾ cup balsamic vinegar, ⅔ cup water, ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Add the prepared artichokes into two, gallon ziploc bags and cover with the ingredients for the marinade, splitting the liquid and garlic and ginger pieces evenly between the bags. Marinate for at least 24 hours, adding the bags to the fridge overnight and removing them in the morning. Flip the bags a few times during the marinating process.

Lemon Garlic Aioli:

Grate a clove of garlic into the mayonnaise. Zest half a lemon, and juice half the lemon and add it into the mixture. Add a pinch of salt and fresh cracked black pepper, stir to combine. Allow the flavors to merry while you grill the artichokes.
½ cup mayonnaise, 1 large garlic clove, 1 lemon, Salt and cracked black pepper

Grilling the artichokes:

Remove artichokes from the bag onto a platter or cookie sheet, reserving the marinade.
Grill the artichokes until leaves begin to char, turning and basting the cut sides of the artichokes with the marinade as you grill. Add the marinade to the cavity and in between the leaves of the cut side.
Serve on a platter or cutting board with lemon garlic aioli.
Enjoy the meat from the bottom of the leaves and the entire heart.

Notes

Store the artichokes covered in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat gently in the microwave or add back to the grill until warmed through.

Tips:
-Refer to the step-by-step photos in the blog post-write-up if you are unfamiliar with how to prepare an artichoke or how to remove the choke.
-Allow the artichokes to marinate for a full 24 hours for the best flavor. 48 hours is even better!
-When basting the cut sides during grilling, spoon the excess marinade into the leaves and the center.
-Set out a few bowls for people to discard their leaves once eaten.

Nutrition