Grilled Artichokes with Garlic Butter

Name: Grilled Artichokes with Garlic Butter
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 large artichokes; 1 tablespoon black peppercorns; 4 cloves garlic; 1 lemon (, halved); Olive oil; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (, to taste); 1/2 cup butter; 2 lemons (, zested and juiced); 2 cloves garlic (, thinly sliced); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 6-8 fresh thyme ((leaves only) )

by Heidi Larsen Updated: May 14, 2026

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Smoky grilled artichokes are slathered with a lemon-spiked garlic butter in this simple side dish that’s perfect for any bbq or pool party.

grilled artichokes on tray with garlic butter

Grilling Artichokes Is a Surprisingly Simple Process

If you’ve been eating your artichokes solely from a jar all this time, prepare to be blown away by the smoky, sweet, earthy flavor of fresh artichokes that have been lightly charred on the grill and doused in garlic butter.

This is one of those impressive appetizers that people associate with fancy restaurant menus without realizing artichokes are a breeze to prepare at home. The trick to softening the tough vegetable is to simmer it for about 20 minutes before finishing on the grill.

I don’t know if I’ll ever eat a ‘choke with plain butter and mayo again thanks to the caramelized garlicky chunks I now scoop up with each leaf. More napkins please!

Enjoy!

What’s in This Recipe?

The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.

Artichokes — Many recipes tell you to halve the artichokes, but I prefer quartering mine for maximum smoky flavor and easier eating.
Aromatics — To infuse the ‘chokes with flavor while they simmer, I add whole black peppercorns, garlic cloves, and half a lemon to the water.
Garlic butter — You can make your own by combining softened butter, pressed garlic, thyme leaves, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Or, make another flavor of compound butter.

How to Grill Artichokes

Prep the artichokes. I find it easiest to cut the artichokes with a serrated knife. Quarter them, then scoop out the prickly center and discard (you can’t eat that part!).
Simmer to soften. Place the quartered artichokes in a pot and cover with water. Add the aromatics and bring to a boil. The artichokes will need to simmer for about 20 minutes.

Heidi’s Tip: You’ll know your artichokes are ready to grill when the stems are tender and the leaves easily pull away from the head.

Meanwhile, preheat your grill. You’ll be grilling the artichokes over direct high heat.
Drain, season, then grill. Rub the artichokes with a little olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. They’ll need to be grilled for about 3 minutes per side, or until grill marks form. Simmering them will have cooked them completely, so we’re just finishing them on the grill for smoky flavor.

How Do You Eat Grilled Artichokes?

Just like crab or lobster, eating artichokes involves getting your hands messy. Simply pull a leaf off with your fingers, dunk it into the garlic butter, and use your teeth to scrape out the tender flesh. Discard the skin and move onto the next leaf!

Once you’ve eaten all the leaves, you’ll get to the artichoke heart, which is everyone’s favorite part because it’s so buttery and tender. You can also eat the stem of the artichoke, and once that’s done you’ll well and truly be in garlic butter heaven.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.

5 from 5 votes