These bright and nutty oven roasted artichokes with dairy-free cashew aioli make the perfect healthy side dish or appetizer!
Okey dokey smokey hokey pokey artichokey.
Oh my gahhhhhd I did not know what I was in for with this recipe.
Jeff and I had been couch and counter shopping alllll freaking day before these babies hit the oven. And between you and me, while I could easily live at West Elm, I think I spent a bit more time than I needed to there. On purpose.
Why? Because I was a wee bit stressed about coming home and trying my hand at this roasted artichoke idea that only existed in my brain. To be completely honest, I had never cooked an artichoke before this lovely challenge came along. I couldn't wait to partner with Ocean Mist Farms, the largest grower of fresh artichokes in the United States, but I was super intimidated by this funky fabulous green veg.
To my surprise, cooking artichokes is actually super simple.
When it doubt, roast it out! After many a video on how to cook an artichoke, I rolled a million ways into one, added a few cups of love, and voila. This fuss-free roasted artichoke recipe could not have turned out better! Simply slice, season, bake, and devour.
And oh, the dip! The velvety smooth, totally luxurious, thick and creamy best friend of the 'choke is made from none other than the cashew. Gazuntite. Most dipping sauces for artichokes tend to be mayonnaise-based.
While there's definitely a time and a place for mayo, I'm a huge fan of using cashews when I can for the same creaminess with a bit of lemon or vinegar for bite. It takes about forty-seven seconds to whip up and almost makes me weep from its simple greatness.
The combo of roasted artichokes with creamy cashew aioli is bright and nutty and savory and so satisfying. It's the perfect party appetizer, doncha think?
But wait, there's more! Did you know that if the artichoke isn't harvested from the plant, it grows into a gorgeous blue flower? How cool is that? It's also pretty neat that one medium artichoke boasts seven grams of fiber, four grams of protein, 12% of the daily value of vitamin K, and 25% of the daily value of vitamin C. Hubba hubba!
Eat, dip, be merry, and win a vaca! Is that so hard?
Roasted Artichokes with Creamy Cashew Aioli
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These bright and nutty oven roasted artichokes with dairy-free creamy cashew aioli make the perfect side dish or appetizer. Vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the artichokes:
- 2 medium artichokes
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- garlic (I used garlic powder)
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup water
For the aoili:
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (vegan if desired)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with hot or boiling water. Set aside.
- Prepare artichokes by breaking off any tough leaves from the outer layer. Using a sharp knife, slice about an inch off the top of the artichoke. Use kitchen scissors to trim any sharp ends off remaining leaves. Then use a peeler to peel rough layer off stem before chopping so about an inch remains. Cut artichoke in half lengthwise and rinse well.
- Place 1 tbsp olive oil plus ⅓ cup water in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, whisking to combine. Place artichoke halves, cut side up, in dish.
- Drizzle lemon juice over artichokes followed by remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Season very liberally with garlic powder (or use minced fresh), salt, and pepper. Flip so they're cut side down in baking dish. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, drain cashews. Add to a high speed blender or food processor (I used my Nutribullet) along with the ½ cup water and remaining ingredients. Blend until super smooth and creamy.
- Serve artichokes hot or at room temperature with aioli for dipping.
Hillary says
This is perfect! I’ve been craving artichokes. I grew up dipping boiled artichokes in mayonnaise. I’m vegan now and looking for something with a little more depth. I can’t wait to try this!
Sheila says
The aioli looks really good. As a side dish, I am thinking on what to pair with it. So, will try to check out more ideas.
By the way, I never knew it will turn into a blue flower. Thank you for sharing.
Stephanie says
These look AH-mazing! Can't wait to try!!
Caras Kitchen says
your photos are so beautiful
Gail says
Have eaten artichokes for many years, but always boiled and served with a mayo based dip. Will definitely be giving this recipe a try. I love recipes that use cashews for creaminess.
Laurel says
I have always been intimidated with artichokes too! I mean, the choke, the prickly leaves... I always maneuvered my cart around them in the grocery store with a wiiiiiiiide birth, but after this post, I am inspired to face my fears! Next time I am at the store, I am marching my cart right up to these beauties and buying a whole bagful so I can make this beautiful recipe over and over again!
emily vardy says
I've never had (or I think even seen) artichokes before, but this actually looks really good!