Baked Stuffed Artichokes

Don’t let stuffed artichokes intimidate you! Transform globe artichokes into an impressive appetizer or side dish with Parmesan breadcrumbs, olive oil, and lemon. Say hello to your new favorite artichoke recipe.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated May 08, 2022
Elise Bauer
Baked Stuffed Artichokes
Elise Bauer

Hello fellow artichoke lovers. Have you ever had stuffed artichokes? If you are making artichokes for company and want to make an impression, try stuffing and baking them.

Seriously the best way to eat artichokes ever. I don't say this lightly. Stuffed artichokes are really, truly good.

What Are the Ingredients in Baked Stuffed Artichokes?

It's somewhat obvious why when you look at the ingredients. Artichokes are a wonder food in and of themselves. Pull back the leaves (petals actually) and stuff them with herby, garlicky Parmesan breadcrumbs, and drizzle with olive oil? Wow.

Baked Stuffed Artichokes
Elise Bauer

How To Prepare Baked Stuffed Artichokes

There is no pre-steaming of the artichokes in this recipe. You just trim the leaves, slice off the top, scoop out and discard the choke, and then stuff the leaves with the breadcrumb mixture. Put them into a pot with water, lemon, and garlic, then cover and bake until you can easily pull the leaves off.

Covering the dish while baking essentially steams the artichoke with the stuffing in it!

How To Serve Baked Stuffed Artichokes

No need for a dip. The stuffing sticks to the leaves where a dip would normally go and you eat it the same way.

So good! It's the perfect appetizer for a spring gathering or luxurious meal in itself.

Choosing the Right Artichoke

This recipe works best with medium-to-large, fresh, in-season artichokes. Here's what to look for:

  • Heavy: The artichokes should feel heavy when you hold them. If they're light, that's a sign that they are a little dried out and probably tough.
  • Squeak: When you hold a fresh artichoke, the leaves squeak when you squeeze them.
  • Closed, not flayed open, leaves: If an artichoke has leaves that are wide open, that's a sign that the artichoke may be on the old side and may be tough. If it's still heavy, you're okay, but if not, look for an artichoke where the leaves are more closed with just a little separation.
  • In season: The main season for artichokes is in the spring (March and April). There is a smaller, second season in the fall (October). Buy artichokes when they are in season and you'll have a better chance of getting one that is fresh and not dried out or tough.

Troubleshooting Tips

  • Soggy breadcrumbs? Make sure your pot is the right size so that the artichokes fit snugly and won’t fall over.
  • Dry artichokes? Make sure your pot is covered tightly. If you don’t have a lid, use aluminum foil. Add more water if the pot gets dry.
  • Tough artichokes? If you purchase artichokes out of season, they tend to be tougher and will need a bit longer to cook. For the freshest artichokes, buy them in March or April (the main season) or October (the smaller second season).

More Recipes To Try with Artichokes

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Baked Stuffed Artichokes

Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 60 mins
Total Time 85 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 slices white bread

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • 8 cloves garlic, divided

  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley

  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 large globe artichokes

  • 4 slices lemon, divided

  • 1 bay leaf

  • Koher salt, optional

Special Equipment

  • Food processor

Method

  1. Make the fresh breadcrumbs:

    Cut off the crust from 6 slices of bread. Chop the centers and put into a food processor. Pulse until you have coarse breadcrumbs. You should have about 3 cups.

  2. Make the stuffing:

    In a large bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic (from 6 of the garlic cloves, reserving the remaining 2 cloves), chopped parsley, minced oregano, 1/2 cup olive oil, and black pepper. Set aside.

    baked-stuffed-artichokes-method-3
    Elise Bauer
  3. Prep the artichokes:

    Cut off the stem, leaving 1/2 inch from the bottom row of leaves. Using kitchen scissors, cut off 1/2 inch of the tips of all of the artichoke leaves.

    baked-stuffed-artichokes-method-1
    Elise Bauer
    baked-stuffed-artichokes-method-2
    Elise Bauer

    Cut 1 inch from the top of the artichoke. (It helps to use a serrated knife like a bread knife for this.)

    Take a slice of lemon and rub over the cut edges of the artichokes to keep them from turning brown.

  4. Preheat the oven:

    Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

  5. Stuff the artichokes:

    Use your finger to gently pull open the center leaves of the artichokes. Pull out the inner tender yellow artichoke leaves. Use a small metal spoon to scrape and scoop out all of the inner fuzzy choke.

    baked-stuffed-artichokes-method-4
    Elise Bauer
    baked-stuffed-artichokes-method-5
    Elise Bauer

    Note that removing the choke at this stage isn't entirely necessarily, and it does require some elbow grease. That said, it makes eating the stuffed artichoke a much easier, and more enjoyable experience.

    Place artichokes on a sheet pan (to catch the breadcrumbs) and start stuffing the artichoke with your stuffing mix. Put some stuffing mix between each large leaf and the artichoke, as well as a generous amount in the center.

  6. Bake the artichokes:

    Put about 1 inch of boiling water in the bottom of a Dutch oven that will snugly hold the artichokes. Add 2 slices of lemon, a bay leaf, the 2 remaining garlic cloves, halved, to the water.

    Place the artichokes sitting upright in the water. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

    baked-stuffed-artichokes-method-7
    Elise Bauer

    Cover the pot tightly with a lid. (Remember to cover the dish or this method will not work!)

    Bake for 1 hour at 375°F (190°C), or until a knife easily penetrates the heart of the artichoke or you can easily remove one of the outer petals. (Depending on the size of the artichoke baking time can vary from 50 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or longer.)

    Remove the cover and broil for a minute or so, enough to get some browning on the top of the stuffing.

    Remove artichokes to a serving dish to serve. The Parmesan adds a good amount of saltiness, but if you prefer more salt, add more to taste.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
537 Calories
39g Fat
39g Carbs
11g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 537
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 39g 50%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 514mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 7g 25%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 23mg 116%
Calcium 218mg 17%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 417mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.