Stuffed with seasoned breadcrumbs and cheese, this authentic Italian artichoke recipe is passed down for generations. 

You can certainly find artichokes all year long, but March through May is when they are in season. Growing up, it just wasn’t springtime without my Gram making her family-famous and delicious stuffed artichokes. My memories of Easter always include her stuffed artichokes. 

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It’s sort of funny looking back, I was an extremely finicky eater as a kid, and yet I never missed a chance to enjoy this odd vegetable. I guess when you grow up around artichokes, eating something that looks like a succulent plant is no biggie.

How To Make Stuffed Artichokes

Artichokes can be tricky to prepare if you are unfamiliar with them. It’s worth a try to learn though, since they are a great source of fiber, along with vitamins C and K, and are packed with antioxidants. Oh, and they taste heavenly.

Ingredients:

4 large artichokes
2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp. finely chopped parsley
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon, cut in quarters
salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Due to the tough exterior, you’ll want to use a serrated knife to cut the top and stems off the artichokes, and a sharp pair of kitchen shears to trim the leaves.

Rub one-quarter of a lemon over the top, sides, and bottom of each artichoke which will prevent the leaves from browning now that they have been trimmed.

In a medium-size bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Open up the artichokes by gently pulling and spreading the leaves away from the center. Stuff the artichokes with the breadcrumb mixture. Be sure to get the breadcrumb mixture in between all the leaves and over the top.

Place the stuffed artichokes in a small baking dish so that they are tightly nestled together. Important: the artichokes must be upright. Place enough water in the bottom of the dish so that it fills about half an inch, but make sure the water does not touch the stuffing.

Drizzle olive oil over the tops of artichokes, if desired. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for one hour and ten minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10 minutes, until the breading reaches a golden brown.

Serve as an appetizer or a side dish to your meal. 

What To Know About Artichokes

How to choose an artichoke

Look for artichokes that feel heavy for their size, with firm, tightly packed leaves. It’s perfectly fine if they have purple undertones. You should avoid artichokes with leaves that are spongy, loose, dry, split, or browning.

How to store artichokes

Don’t rinse or cut the artichokes. Instead, sprinkle the stem with water, place it in a plastic storage bag, and refrigerate. They will hold up very well for 3 – 5 days until ready to use.

How to eat a stuffed artichoke

Do you know how to eat a stuffed artichoke? When I make these for people that have never had them before, I always get asked how to go about eating them. You’ll want to tear off a leaf and then pull it through your bottom teeth, scraping the “meat” off the leaf as you go. When the leaves get very tender closer to the center, you may want to eat the whole thing. At the center, use a fork to scrape out the middle “prickly” part. Under that is the artichoke heart. It’s sort of like a buried treasure…it’s my very favorite part of the entire artichoke!

ETA: I have received several emails and comments about eating the “meat” off an artichoke leaf. Here is a video tutorial that shows you exactly how to enjoy it.

For more great artichoke recipes, check out:
Roasted Artichoke Salad

Artichoke Pesto Spaghetti 

Artichoke Tomato Pasta

This recipe for stuffed artichokes has been in my family for decades and I know it will be a timeless classic in your family now, too.

Give these stuffed artichokes a try and let me know how you like them in the comments below or post a photo of them and tag @coolbeanliving on Instagram. I’d love to see!