18 Easy Ways with Artichokes

A touch of char adds a pleasantly bitter counterpoint to artichokes’ natural sweetness. Once you clean and simmer them, they grill in about the same time as boned chicken breasts. Cook both, make one of the perfectly paired dipping sauces below, and your dinner is done.

Recipes:

Classic Grilled Artichokes

Caper Sauce

Smoked Paprika-Garlic Butter

Spicy Soy Mayo

Don’t even try this salad unless you have very early artichokes, the first ones to show up in the spring markets. As with all spring vegetables, the still-cold nights help the artichoke’s sugars develop for the best flavor; and because they are smaller, young artichokes are less fibrous and more tender … but only if you slice them very fine.

Recipe: Raw Artichoke Salad with Herbs, Almonds, and Parmigiano

White wine brings out artichokes’ delicate sweetness. The artichoke-fava combo, minus the pasta, also makes a great side.

Recipe: Artichoke and Fava Pappardelle

Part salad, part appetizer, and all delicious, this is a great way to turn small artichokes into a special dish.

Recipe: Baby Artichoke Antipasto

What’s better than spinach and artichoke dip? Fresh crab and artichoke dip, of course.

Recipe: Warm Crab and Artichoke Dip with French Bread

These artichokes can be cleaned and blanched ahead, then tossed on the grill next to your favorite summer chicken or rib recipe.

Recipe: Grilled Artichokes

A twist on the classic Italian wedding soup, this uses leaner chicken sausage and artichokes to add flavor to a soothing broth. Finish each serving with a few sprinkles of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Recipe: Italian Chicken Sausage and Artichoke Soup

This is an elegant, adult version of fettuccini alfredo, with fresh shrimp and artichoke hearts playing the starring roles.

Recipe: Shrimp and Artichoke Linguine Alfredo

This is a good weeknight dinner that lets artichokes shine next to boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Served with a salad and a nice glass of wine and it’s ready for guests.

Recipe: Lemon-Artichoke Chicken

The crunchy toasted nuts, stir-fried favas, and curls of parmesan cheese add layers of richness to this artichoke recipe.

Recipe: Roasted Baby Artichokes with Spring Salsa

This falls between classic roast chicken and a braise. Adding a bit of water to the juices and the garlic creates a sauce to spoon over mashed potatoes.

Recipe: Chicken Halves with Artichokes and Garlic

Because this is such a simple salad, it’s important to use super-fresh vegetables and top-quality olive oil and cheese.

Recipe: Artichokes with Mint and Lemon

Fresh artichokes usually take a long time to cook, but if you slice them thinly and then saute them, they cook up in a flash.

Recipe: Artichoke Bruschetta

Ground almonds take the place of pasta's usual parmesan, making this a good vegan choice. Trim raw artichokes down to the very tender hearts and slice them quite thin, so they're crisp but not chewy.

Recipe: Farfalle with Artichokes, Peppers, and Almonds

When winter is making the turn to spring, a warm and seasonal artichoke soup is a great antidote to wet weather.

Recipe: Creamy Artichoke Soup

A simple savory mayonnaise works as a dipping sauce for simmered artichokes, the quickest and easiest way to prepare them.

Recipe: Artichokes with Garlic-Thyme Mayonnaise

Artichokes add a real earthiness to this hearty weeknight stew that’s a snap to throw together.

Recipe: Chicken Stew with Olives and Lemon

This artichoke stuffing recipe is one of our readers' favorites, and it’s so good that we see no reason to wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy it. Try it with a roast chicken for a simple, anytime dinner.

Recipe: Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing