These bright, nutty oven-roasted artichokes with dairy-free cashew aioli make a perfect healthy side or appetizer.
Roasted artichokes are easier than they look and pair beautifully with a creamy cashew aioli for a simple, impressive dish.
I’d never cooked an artichoke until I tried this recipe, and I was pleasantly surprised by how straightforward it is. After watching a few videos and combining methods, I landed on a fuss-free approach: slice, season, roast, and serve.
The artichoke halves roast tender and flavorful, and the dairy-free cashew aioli is velvety, rich, and brightened with lemon and vinegar. Using soaked cashews provides that mayonnaise-like creaminess without dairy, and it comes together in minutes in a blender or food processor.
The combination is bright, nutty, savory, and satisfying — great for entertaining or a cozy night in.
Fun facts: if an artichoke isn’t harvested, it blooms into a striking blue thistle-like flower. Nutritionally, a medium artichoke offers fiber and vitamins: it’s a simple way to add nutrients to a meal.
Eat, dip, and enjoy.
Roasted Artichokes with Creamy Cashew Aioli
- Author: Alexis Joseph | Hummusapien
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These bright and nutty oven-roasted artichokes with dairy-free creamy cashew aioli are vegan, gluten-free, and make an elegant yet easy side or appetizer.
Ingredients
For the artichokes:
- 2 medium artichokes
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Garlic (garlic powder or minced fresh)
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup water
For the aioli:
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (use vegan if desired)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with hot or boiling water to soak while you prepare the artichokes.
- Trim the artichokes: remove any tough outer leaves, slice about 1 inch off the top, trim sharp tips with kitchen scissors, and peel the tough layer from the stem leaving about an inch. Halve each artichoke lengthwise and rinse well.
- In a 9×13-inch baking dish, combine 1 tbsp olive oil and ⅓ cup water. Place artichoke halves cut side up in the dish.
- Drizzle lemon juice and the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over the artichokes. Season generously with garlic powder (or minced garlic), salt, and pepper. Flip the halves so they sit cut side down in the dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender.
- While the artichokes roast, drain the soaked cashews. Add them to a high-speed blender or food processor with ½ cup water, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Dijon, balsamic, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Blend until very smooth and creamy, adding a touch more water if needed to reach a dip-like consistency.
- Serve the roasted artichokes hot or at room temperature with the cashew aioli for dipping.