How to Make Stuffed Artichokes

Sometimes the hardest part of a recipe is getting started. That’s definitely the case for these stuffed artichokes! Prepping them is pretty annoying… not going to lie! But, once you have these artichokes prepped and stuffed with the delicious filling, then you can sit back and relax and enjoy something very delicious.

Stuffed artichokes are a classic Italian appetizer and while the method I use is pretty standard, I do mix up the filling a bit. You’ll find lots of filling variations below though so you can pick one you like!

Artichokes are hands down one of my favorite veggies even with all their annoying prep work. I was skeptical that stuffing the artichokes would be better than just steaming the guys and eating them with butter, but I think I’m a convert.

I mean come on. Just look at these things.

As an appetizer, you could easily split one of these with another person. I’ll admit though that when I made these I had two of them in one sitting which probably bordered on approximately 4,000,000 calories. It’s cool though. I had a lite beer to counteract the effects of the calories.

How to clean and prepare artichokes for stuffing

To prep these artichokes for stuffing we need to do four things:

1) Cut the stems off. Yes there is some good artichoke meat in the stems but they have to go if you want your artichoke to sit up nice and tall while it is cooking. And trust me, you do. Otherwise your stuffing will just fall out. 

2) Cut about the top inch or so off the artichoke. I hope you have a decent knife or scissors (kitchen shears) because the outer leaves are pretty tough. (Photo at 12 o’ clock.)

3) Get your fingers in the middle of the artichoke and pry it open. Don’t worry about being gentle. This thing is stronger than you. It’s ok if a few of the leaves split also. Really work to pry the leaves open though because we are going to stuff deliciousness between all the individual leaves. Eventually, you will expose the pinkish spiky center leaves.

4) Now you need to cut out the center which is not an easy task. Not only are the leaves tough, but there are a lot of them and about a million little thistle things way down inside. I’ll just say this: Whoever first figured out you could eat these things was really hungry. (Bottom artichoke picture)

Ok. I’m exaggerating. It isn’t that bad. If you have a grapefruit spoon (or maybe a Spork?) you can make pretty quick work of the job. Or if you have a good paring knife just cut around the inside in a circle and then scoop out all the insides with a spoon. Again, don’t worry about being gentle.

I would say it probably took me 5 minutes for the first artichoke, but I got pretty fast at it after that. It’s a pretty quick learning curve once you realize the goal. Also, on the thistle thing, there will be a bunch. Don’t worry about getting every single one. They will basically dissolve when it cooks. Get as many as you can though.

Making the artichoke stuffing

I made my artichoke stuffing first which basically just involves chopping up the sun-dried tomatoes and the basil, feta cheese, and garlic and mixing everything together.

Be sure to take your time on the tomatoes. You don’t want any enormous chunks in the final product. Combine the basil, tomatoes, bread crumbs, cheese, and one clove of crushed garlic in a large pan. Season well with salt and pepper. I probably used about 1/2 teaspoon of each.

Mix it all up!

Now that your artichoke is ready and your stuffing is ready, you know what to do! Basically, start at the center, fill the big hole, and work your way out. You shouldn’t really have any leftover stuffing if you are using four artichokes. Make sure to pull apart the leaves and get the stuffing down in between each leaf. There is no better tool than your hands to get this job done.

How to bake stuffed artichokes in the oven

There are two ways you can cook these stuffed artichokes in the oven. Either way you need to start by preheating your oven to 375.

Cast Iron Method – If you have a 7 quart cast iron Dutch Oven or large cast iron skillet then you are in luck as it can go from stovetop to oven. Start by sauteeing 1 clove of chopped garlic in a Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over high heat for a minute or two and then add 3 cups of water, 1 1/2 Cups of white wine (or beer), fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.

Once this comes to a boil, nestle your four artichokes in the liquid, cover your pan, and stick it in the oven for 50 minutes. Then take off the cover and cook it for another 10 minutes.

Baking Dish Method – If you don’t have a cast-iron pan, prepare the liquid in a normal pan, bringing it to a boil, and then pour it into a normal baking dish and sit your artichokes upright in the dish. Cover the whole thing with foil and cook for 50 minutes. Take off the foil and cook for another 10 minutes.

• Want an easier vegetable to stuff? Try these Stuffed Shishito Peppers!

Can you make these on the stovetop?

You can and should start these stuffed artichokes on the stove, but I think they cook best in the oven. 

That said, if for some reason you don’t want to bake them, you could just cover the Dutch Oven and turn your stove heat down to medium heat or low heat and continue to steam the artichokes until they are cooked through. You will probably need to steam them for 20-30 minutes and check your liquid occasionally to make sure the pot isn’t dry.  You will get more evaporation this way and may need to add more liquid.

How to eat stuffed artichokes?

Once you pull these out of the oven and let them cool briefly, you can dive into these delicious stuffed artichokes. You’ll have to be gentle because literally, the leaves just fall off. So tender and delicious.

It’s really fun to eat because you get to use each leaf as a spoon for the filling and then just scrape out the artichoke meat on the leaf with your teeth. While these were some work, I think they were 100% worth it. One of the best appetizers I’ve made I think.

Storing and reheating stuffed artichokes

These are best right away and I would encourage you to serve and eat them right out of the oven. If you have leftovers though, they will keep fine in the fridge for a few days and you should reheat them in a 350˚F oven until they are warmed through.

I suppose you could freeze these but they are kind of an awkward shape and would take up a lot of freezer space and it would be difficult to protect them from freezer burn since they are so oddly shaped. 

Stuffed Artichoke Variations

The hard part of this recipe is preparing the artichokes, but the filling can be very flexible and you can make it your own. Here are a few ideas!

• Classic Italian stuffing. Add some parmesan cheese to the bread crumb mixture along with lemon zest, fresh parsley, and minced garlic. 
• Aioli serving. Instead of serving the leaves with melted butter, serve the stuffed artichoke with some garlic aioli or my homemade donkey sauce!
• Try this New Orleans Style Stuffed Artichoke from Emeril.

Stuffed Artichokes

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Author: Nick Evans

Servings: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

If you love artichokes, you’re going to love this artichoke stuffed with delicious ingredients like feta and sun-dried tomatoes.

Equipment

• 1 cast iron skillet

Ingredients 

• 4 medium to large artichokes
• 2 ½ Cups bread crumbs, I prefer Panko
• 1 Cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• ½ Cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 Cup Feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 ½ Cup white wine, or beer
• 1 lemon
• olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Chop up the tomatoes and the basil. Combine the basil, tomatoes, bread crumbs, cheese, and one clove of crushed garlic in a large pan. Season with salt and pepper. Mix it all up!
• Prep the artichokes Cut the stems off. Cut about the top inch or so off the artichoke.
• Get your fingers in the middle of the artichoke and pry it open until you expose the pinkish spiky center leaves.
• Cut out the center (a paring knife, a grapefruit spoon or spork would work).
• Stuff the artichoke! Start at the center, filling the big hole, and work your way out. Make sure to pull apart the leaves and get the stuffing down in between each leaf.
• Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
• Cast Iron Method – Start by sautéing 1 clove of chopped garlic in a Tablespoon of oil over high heat for a minute or two and then add 3 cups of water, 1 1/2 Cups of white wine, the juice of a lemon, and a pinch of salt.
• Once this comes to a boil, nestle the four artichokes in the liquid, cover the pan, and stick it in the oven for 50 minutes. Then take off the cover and cook it for another 10 minutes.
• Baking Dish Method – If you don’t have a cast iron pan, prepare the liquid in a normal pan, bringing it to a boil, and then pour it into a normal baking dish and sit the artichokes upright in the dish. Cover the whole thing with foil and cook for 50 minutes. Take off the foil and cook for another 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1artichoke | Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 987mg | Potassium: 1636mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 421IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 231mg | Iron: 8mg

Course: Appetizers, Side Dishes

Cuisine: Italian

Here are some other great recipes to try!

• Spinach Artichoke Risotto
• Stuffed and Grilled Mushrooms
• Easy Bean and cheese dip
• Whipped Feta Dip
• Whipped Cream Cheese Dip with Grilled Pineapple
• Cheddar Stuffed Corn Muffins