Italian Stuffed Artichokes Recipe - Evolving Table (2024)

Add this Stuffed Artichokes recipe to your menu for dinner parties, holidays, or special occasions! Artichokes are filled with breadcrumbs, Italian seasonings, and Parmesan cheese, then baked in oven until the hearts are tender and the crumbs are crispy. Serve this dish as a vegetarian appetizer or as a side dish along with steak, chicken, or seafood!

Sure, you can boil plain artichokes. But why not elevate the flavor with this Stuffed Artichokes Recipe?!

Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese create the perfect savory and salty filling that complements the artichoke beautifully.

This impressive dish will be the star of the show at any dinner party…

It’ll be the first appetizer to disappear at holiday gatherings…

And it can brighten your day when enjoyed as an afternoon snack!

Ingredients

The simple ingredients you need to make this stuffed artichoke recipe include:

• Artichokes. Select 3-4 medium-sized artichokes, which is the equivalent of about 2 to 2 ½-pounds. You want all of them to be similar in size so they cook at the same rate.
• Breadcrumbs. Either regular or Panko-style will work. You can use Italian breadcrumbs to save an extra step, or add your own Italian Seasoning to plain breadcrumbs.
• Parmesan. Grated is preferred, but shredded is another option.
• Oil. Avocado or olive oil helps the mixture to stick together while also turning it a beautiful golden brown color.
• Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves are best. However garlic powder may be substituted.
• Lemon. You will need both the juice from lemon slices and the zest from the peel. Be sure to get the lemon zest before cutting into the fruit for the juice.

How to Make Stuffed Artichokes

The basic steps for making stuffed artichokes are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.

Preparing the Artichokes

Trim the Ends

With a sharp knife slice off the end of the stem so that only ½ of an inch or less is left.

Cut open the artichoke by slicing the pokey leaves at least 1-inch from the top of the artichoke. The leaves are pretty tough, so use a serrated knife to easily cut through.

Remove the Choke

Use both hands to hold the artichoke and pry apart the leaves so you can see the choke.

Find the feathery pieces with purple-tinted edges and pull them out.

A spoon with a sharp edge will help you scrape out all of the fuzzy choke. Remove and discard.

Prepare the Leaves

Create flat tips on each outer leaf by trimming the pointed end with kitchen scissors.

To keep the cut edges of the artichoke from browning you can brush them with lemon juice. Slice the previously zested lemon into quarters and rub the lemon wedges and their juice all over the leaves.

Repeat with all of the artichokes.

Mix and Stuff

Stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oil, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Pull apart the leaves and fill each artichoke with equal amounts of the stuffing. Do this over a cutting board so you can reuse any that falls out in the process.

Bake in Oven

Arrange the stuffed artichokes in a large Dutch oven, pot, or baking dish. Fill the pot up with water until it reaches the level of the first leaves. Use either a lid or a sheet of aluminum foil to cover the artichokes.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the artichokes are tender.

Serving

To eat the artichoke, peel off one leaf at a time and use your teeth to scrape off the meat. The closer you get to the middle the thicker the meat will get.

Once all of the leaves are gone you can even cut up and eat the heart!

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already vegetarian as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

• Vegan and Dairy-Free – Select a dairy-free Parmesan cheese.
• Low-Carb – Find low-carb breadcrumbs.
• Gluten-Free – Choose gluten-free breadcrumbs.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Trim with the right tool. A serrated knife will make removing the pokey ends much easier.
• Wait to juice. It is much easier to zest a whole lemon than one that has been cut.
• Uniform is key. By choosing artichokes that are similar in size they will bake at the same rate.
• Pull it apart. Make sure to get filling in-between all of the larger leaves.
• Cut straight. By removing the stem and creating a flat bottom the artichokes can sit up on their own.

More Artichoke Recipes

While artichokes are great as a snack or appetizer, they’re also amazing in the following dishes:

Crustless Spinach Quiche Recipe

Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken

Spaghetti Squash Boats with Spinach, Artichoke, and Chicken

Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Continue to “stuff” yourself with these Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms (or splurge on a little seafood with these Crab Stuffed Mushrooms!)