If you love eating artichokes you know the Dipping Sauces for Artichokes are a must have! These easy dipping sauce recipes will be new favorites all artichoke season.
Anyone who has tried freshly cooked artichokes will tell you these exotic vegetables are worth the trouble!
Proper preparation and cooking produce soft fleshy leaves with a meaty texture that are delicious.
The well-hidden artichoke heart is the prize of any chef. It’s also not so hard to find and devour!
Maybe you’ve seen artichokes at the store or on a restaurant menu and have no idea how to eat them.
That’s completely understandable.
This tutorial on How to Cook and Eat Artichokes will answer every question about artichokes (how to select them too).
There are lots of photos and graphics to make you an artichoke pro!
Once you have cooked them, you’ll need something to dip the leaves in for the perfect bite.
I’m sharing some personal favorite dipping sauces for artichokes that are easy to make and delicious.
Why Use Dipping Sauces for Artichokes?
Classic dipping sauces for artichokes contain a high amount of fat, usually butter or mayonnaise.
Fat=Flavor.
These dipping sauces add a complementary texture and flavor to the meat of the artichoke leaves.
They also do not overtaking the delicate flavor of the artichoke.
The right dipping sauce can turn the sweet subtle artichoke flavor into something out of this world!
How to Dip Artichoke Leaves (and Eat them)
If you haven’t done it before, eating artichokes can be intimidating.
A ‘look around the table to see how everyone else is doing it’ kind of thing.
Basically, you’ll be scraping the fleshy portion of each lower leaf against your teeth.
Sounds primitive but it’s how it’s done.
The ‘meat’ is on the inside bottom portion of the artichoke leaf. Here’s how to get it:
- Dip the bottom of the leaf into a dipping sauce.
- Place the bottom of the leaf between your teeth. Gently close your teeth around the leaf at about the halfway point of the leaf.
- Pull the leaf out of your teeth leaving the delicious artichoke flesh.
PRO TIP: if you bite down too hard, you’ll rip the leaf, especially the softer inner leaves.
It’s often easier to get more of the flesh by having the inside of the leaf against your bottom teeth. Turn the leaf upside down then you scrape it.
If you’ll be having artichokes on a first date with someone you want to impress; practice at home first!
Artichoke Dipping Sauces
The printable recipe card below has four favorite artichoke dipping sauces:
- Tarragon-Chive Dipping Sauce
- Melted Herb Butter
- Balsamic Mayo Dip
- Melted Lemon Garlic Butter
Each has a different flavor profile and all are fantastic with artichokes.
Try this Chipotle Mayo Dipping Sauce too. I serve with grilled Baby Artichokes (and lots of other things too).
Serving Dipping Sauces
These dipping sauces can be served communal style where everyone shares a dipping bowl.
Alternatively having some small ramekins or even jelly jars work well to give every guest their own portion of dipping sauce.
You can just serve one or serve a selection to choose from.
Some Appetizer Recipes You’ll Love!
- Party Dips
- Creamy Hot Artichoke Dip
- Dill Green Onion Cheese Ball
- Candied Pecans
- Roasted Peppers in Oil with Garlic
Try these Recipes Too!
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Recipe
Artichoke Dipping Sauces
Ingredients
Tarragon-Chive Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons fresh Tarragon Leaves finely diced
- 2 teaspoons fresh Chives finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice preferably freshly squeezed
Melted Herb Butter
- 1/2 cup melted Salted Butter
- 1/4 teaspoon dried Parsley
Balsamic Mayo Dip
- 1/2 cup real Mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
Melted Lemon Garlic Butter
- 1/2 cup melted Butter
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Instructions
Tarragon-Chive Dipping Sauce
- Place all ingredients in the blender. Blend until fully combined (will turn light green in color). Refrigerate until using.
Melted Herb Butter
- Mix together and serve warm. NOTE: for a stronger flavor add the dried parsley to the melted butter. over low heat on the stovetop for 10-15 minutes.
Balsamic Mayo Dip
- Mix to fully combine and serve.
Melted Lemon Garlic Butter
- Mix together and serve. NOTE: For a stronger garlic flavor, add 1-2 diced garlic cloves to the melted butter and allow to infuse for 10-15 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.
Notes
Nutrition
Artichoke Dipping Sauces make a perfect pair with cooked artichokes!
Don Cresswell says
All great recipes Toni! I was born/raised and still live in California so I’ve eaten artichokes my entire life. When I was a young lad I thought I had to properly eat every single leaf. One night I got a little impatient so my Mom & Dad gave me a tip that made the eating an artichoke experience a little less time consuming. Once you get down to the mid section of the layers of leaves (where they are tender) separate the core of remaking leaves from the heart, turn the core upside down and gently scrape out the thorny inner leaves. Dip the core in your favorite sauce and bite into that tender core half way up with small bites and you’re done!
Try it!
Toni Dash says
Hi Don! So do you dip the soft core of leaves into the sauce or just separate them from the choke and eat that? I have done the latter but admit I have never eaten the soft core of leaves the way I think you are describing!
You may know I too spent time living in California and my grandparents had a house on the Monterey Peninsula. I’ve taken many a drive from the northern Bay Area down through those artichoke fields!!
Hope you are well!
Suzy says
We love making artichokes! our favorite sauce was the melted lemon garlic butter!
Eileen M Loya says
These dipping sauces sound so tasty. I will have to make them soon. I am sure they’d be perfect with other dishes too.
Tiffany La Forge-Grau says
This is such a delicious and easy recipe. Think of all the dishes this sauce could pair with!
Carrie Robinson says
Now I want to make some artichokes! These dipping sauces sound perfect. 🙂
Sara Welch says
Such a great way to enjoy artichokes; these sauces are delicious!
Ruth I says
I’ve never tasted artichoke before! This looks delicious with all the dipping sauce!
katerina @ diethood.com says
These dipping sauces look incredibly delicious!!! YUM
Jennifer says
These dips sound amazing. I cannot wait to try them out. I love a good spinach and artichoke dip, but never thought of using the actual artichoke to dip with.