This recipe for roasted artichokes with vegan garlic butter is great to make as an impressive appetizer or snack. Earthy artichokes are baked with lemon slices until terrifically tender, and are served with a simple homemade plant-based garlic butter sauce for dipping.
Tender, earthy roasted artichokes are a delicious starter to kick-off any fabulous meal. And when paired with a satisfying plant-based garlic butter sauce, artichokes baked with lemon and herbs become something extra special. The bright citrus and savory garlic flavors play wonderfully together, making every bite a luxurious little mouth party.
You are going to love this easy recipe for your spring and early summer gatherings, when artichokes are at their prime. Serve roasted artichokes with plant-based garlic butter as a fun appetizer, healthy(ish) snack, or side with any of your favorite seasonal dishes!
This easy recipe only needs a handful of simple and wholesome ingredients, including:
Ingredients
- Fresh artichokes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Lemons
- Fresh rosemary
For the vegan garlic butter, you just need your favorite plant-based butter, like Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter, plus garlic cloves.
TIPS FOR HOW TO CLEAN AND PREPARE AN ARTICHOKE
- First, clean fresh artichokes by rinsing under cold water. Pat dry with a towel and place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut off most of the stem.
- Snip the sharp tip off of each leaf using a pair of kitchen shears. Be careful, they are prickly!
- Slice the artichoke in half lengthwise.
- Remove the fibrous “choke” from the center, and discard.
Place the cleaned halves in a bowl of cool lemon water to keep them from turning brown as you prep all three artichokes.
HOW TO ROAST ARTICHOKES
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and get out a deep baking dish. Remove the artichoke halves from the lemon water and shake to get off any excess water, and place them cut side up in the dish. Brush them with a bit of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cut a lemon into 6 thin slices, and put one slice on top of each artichoke half. Add a sprig of fresh rosemary and garlic clove on each, too.
Now carefully flip the artichokes halves over, so that the goodies are on the bottom and the leaves are on top. Brush them with oil and sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. The roasted artichokes are done when you can easily pull off a leaf.
Remove the pan from the oven, take off the foil, and gather the roasted garlic cloves to make the garlic butter…
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN GARLIC BUTTER
Use a mortar and pestle, or the flat side of a knife, to mush the roasted garlic into a thick paste.
Melt the plant-based non-dairy butter in a microwave or on the stovetop. Add the mashed garlic and stir to combine.
HOW TO EAT ROASTED ARTICHOKES WITH GARLIC BUTTER
This snack or appetizer is definitely best to enjoy when freshly made, so don’t let it sit around for too long!
To eat roasted artichokes, grab a leaf by the snipped tip and gently pull off of the full artichoke. Dip the tender end into the melted vegan garlic butter. Place the artichoke leaf in your mouth dipped-end first, with the meaty underside against your bottom teeth. Bite down and pull the leaf, scraping the artichoke flesh with your teeth.
Have an empty dish handy to easily discard the remaining inedible part of the leaves.
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Roasted Artichokes with Vegan Garlic Butter
Ingredients
- 3 fresh artichokes
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 2 lemons
- 6 sprigs rosemary
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) vegan butter I like Earth Balance or Country Crock Plant Butter
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
Tools:
- 9×13" baking dish
- foil
- large mixing bowl
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill a bowl with cool water and squeeze lemon juice from 1 lemon into the water. Feel free to put the peels in there too!
- Cut the artichokes: Trim the end of the artichoke and remove loose leaves on the bottom. Using kitchen shears, trim pointy ends of artichokes leaves. Be careful as they are sharp! Cut the artichoke in half and use a spoon to remove the fuzzy "choke". Quickly place artichoke halves in the bowl of lemon water face down. This is to prevent them from browning as artichokes brown very quickly when in contact with air. Continue the process for other artichokes.
- Place each artichoke half in a 9×13" baking dish cut side up. Do not shake off excess water. Leaving them with water steams them and makes them more tender. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cut the other lemon into 6 slices and place 1 lemon slice on top of each artichoke half. If there's any leftover lemon, I like to squeeze it over the artichokes. Place a rosemary sprig and 1 garlic clove on top of each artichoke half as well.
- Carefully flip over each artichoke half so the cut side is facing down. Brush the tops of the artichokes with more olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. You can test the doneness by pulling off a leaf. If it comes off easily, the artichokes are done.
- Once artichokes are done baking, remove them from the oven and remove the roasted garlic cloves. Mash them with a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife. Melt vegan butter and mix in the roasted garlic. As the butter sits, the garlic will infuse into the butter more! Dip artichoke leaves in the butter and enjoy!
Made these tonight- so easy& delish! Will be making again soon, for sure…
Thanks so much! One of my favorites for sure.