Italian Stuffed Artichokes
on May 25, 2023, Updated Jul 25, 2024
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Baked Italian stuffed artichokes are an Italian staple. They make for the perfect appetizer as each leaf is individually removed and enjoyed. Artichokes are a bit of work, but the flavor and eating experience makes it so worth it. There’s not an Italian household that doesn’t make or love artichokes. Italians enjoy their artichokes a thousand different ways and it’s a very beloved vegetable all throughout Italy.
Table of Contents
Truth is, the majority of people have no idea how to cut, clean, prep, or eat artichokes and I understand why it can be confusing. I am going to show you the absolute best and foolproof method. You won’t ever need another artichoke recipe after you try this one.
Here, artichokes are cleaned and then stuffed with a delicious breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture that will have you licking your fingers and asking for more. You can also dip each leaf into some melted butter and gently scrape the bottom of the leaf with the top of your teeth.
The only part of the artichoke that is not edible is the hairy “choke” inside, which we scoop out completely before baking, and the sharp, fibrous outer portion of the leaves. You will need to discard the ‘choke’, toughest outer leaves, and the stiff tips of the leaves prior to cooking. But the bases of the leaves are meaty and tender, and the innermost leaves can be edible in their entirety. The HEART of the artichoke is always the best part of this vegetable. The heart is also called artichoke bottom and it’s the central part of the plant from which all the leaves are attached.
Italian Stuffed Artichokes
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 3 large artichokes, trimmed and cleaned (see notes below)
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs, I use my homemade Italian Breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil for the breadcrumbs, plus more for baking
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup white wine, I used Pinot Grigio
- salt, to taste
- melted butter, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Prepare a bowl of lemon water to prevent the artichokes from oxidizing. Squeeze the lemon into a large bowl of water.
- Cut the stem off of the base of the artichoke so the choke sits flat. You can also remove the bottom outer leaves as they can be extremely tough. You can save the stems as we can peel them and bake them as well.
- Now cut 1/3 from the top of the artichoke and lay it flat. Take kitchen scissors and cut the tips off all around the artichoke as well. The tips can be very sharp so we cut them all around. Discard all these trimmed pieces.
- Carefully pull back or spread out the artichoke leaves with your hands. This process will give you more movement and room to add the stuffing between the leaves.
- Take a small spoon and scoop out the middle of the artichokes completely. This part is called the “choke”. As you scoop, you are going to see a lot of “fuzz” so make sure you remove that completely. You will see the heart of the artichoke under the fuzz which is all white.
- Place the cleaned artichoke upside down into the lemon water and proceed to clean the other artichokes the same way. While the artichokes sit in the lemon water we = mix our stuffing.
- In a separate bowl add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, and parsley, and mix well.
- When the breadcrumb mixture is done, take the artichokes out of the lemon water and leave them to drain on a kitchen towel or paper towel for 1 to 2 minutes to drain out any excess water.
- Place the artichokes in a baking dish (stem side down) and, with a small spoon, nestle the breadcrumbs in between the leaves. You can pull the leaves back with your fingers to add in the filling.
- I like to add stuffing in the middle and all throughout the leaves. When you finish adding the stuffing, pour the water and white wine in the base of the baking dish (on the side, not on top of, the artichokes).
- Season the artichokes on top with salt and add a drizzle each one with olive oil. Cover the baking dish with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil, and bake uncovered for another 30, or until golden. You should be able to easily insert a knife into the leaves without any resistance.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and serve with melted butter. You can take each leaf and dip it into the butter and squeeze the bottom of the leaf out with the top of your teeth. Some leaves will be more tender than others but the best part will always be the artichoke heart, which is at at the bottom where all the leaves are attached.
- Served immediately or refrigerate for up to four days, as artichokes can be reheated in the oven. Enjoy!
This recipe was GREAT!! Finally, after many attempts at this…I found a recipe that works. GRAZIE
Prego, Mary Ellen!! So glad these worked well for you! ❤️
So easy to follow and I apricate how the serving size can be adjusted.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Abigail!
I wish I had read these comments before I made this recipe because (even using small artichokes) the timing was so so off. I followed the cook times exactly and they are currently in the oven, covered again, and I am going to leave them til the liquid is gone because they were THAT undone. The stuffing is nice though. I think they must need to be boiled first if you’re to follow these times.
Hi Jennifer, so sorry to hear (mine were soooo soft) so I always go by how long mine take but like I always say, bake time will depend.
Very nice recipe. I love the bread crumb recipe. My recipe is very close but I add a tin of anchovies and minced garlic to the oil and cook it until the anchovies disappear . Just enough for a richer Briney flavor but not a fishy flavor. I steam before cutting the choke out I don’t have to fight it as much, then stuff and cook them like you do until tender . They have already been steamed so the 2nd cook will be about 30-45 min just heat through. Steam time for me about 30-45 min. Love your bread crumb recipe, I will be stealing it!
So glad you enjoyed the bread crumb recipe, Lynne! Thank you for sharing your additions of anchovies and minced garlic!
While the stuffing is delicious, the cook time is not accurate. Artichokes take forever to cook and you can never overcook them as the leaves are not edible – it’s only the “meat” on the inside of the leaves and the heart is what you enjoy. Furthermore, you’ll know when the artichokes are done when you can pull off the leaves with ease – they should essentially just fall off. If you have to tug them off, they’re not ready. Using fairly large artichokes, total cook time took 2 hours. Another good technical tip is to drizzle EVOO into every crevasse – this makes the breadcrumb mixture very soft and tender.
Hi Jason, the cook time was perfect for me and for my size artichokes. As always, cook time will depend on the oven and how big/small the artichokes are. Sometimes depending on the batch and how “fresh” they are, some can cook faster than others. The cook time is out of my control with any recipe and should be monitored always 🙂
Thanks for the great recipe. Your bread crumbs are delicious! I made these almost exactly as is. The only thing I did differently was par cook the artichokes. I find it easier to get the crumbs in this way. The artichokes were excellent. I know my adult kids will be asking me to make these again. Deliziosa!
So happy you loved this, Cindy!
I just made this and my artichokes are totally burned! Not sure what happened but I am so disappointed. I followed the timing exactly.
So sorry to hear that Diana! The model and year of your oven will effect the intensity and pace of the cooking. I suggest checking for doneness every 5 minutes or so, once the artichokes are halfway through the cooking time.
The same thing happened to me after 30 minutes “, very weird.
Sorry to hear this! If recipes typically get over or under cooked in your oven, I would recommend investing in an oven thermometer to measure the oven’s true temp.
It was good however I wish I would of boiled them a little because after a hour they still are not done
Aw probably depends on the oven hun
I’ve eaten many a stuffed artichoke in my lifetime. I’ve always wanted to try making them. When I saw your recipe I knew it sounded like those I ate.
I made it today & WOW Nonna this is awesome. Came our just like yours looked. Tasted wonderful and my husband is still licking his fingers!
Thanks!
Ronnie
Omg soooo happy thank you for letting me know and leaving me a review
This is straight from Italy—Pretty rare to see a recipe for this and mine is super similar! I like to lay thinly sliced lemons atop my artichokes and add squeezed lemon as well. I’ve also always steamed mine. Thanks for sharing with the masses, they are truly delicious.
Means a lot Julie, so sweet of you to share.