Italian Stuffed Artichokes Recipe – Evolving Table

If you’re looking to impress your holiday guests with a show-stopping appetizer, these Italian Stuffed Artichokes are it! Tender artichoke leaves filled with savory, cheesy breadcrumbs, baked to golden perfection—they’ll be the first dish to disappear at any gathering. And the best part? They’re surprisingly easy to make, yet taste like they came straight from a fancy restaurant!

London’s Tips to Make It a Winner: Be sure to completely remove the fuzzy choke with a spoon, as any leftover fuzz can add an unpleasant bitterness. And don’t rush the filling process—stuff every leaf thoroughly so each bite is bursting with that savory, cheesy goodness!

I still remember the first time I tried a stuffed artichoke at a fancy restaurant—I couldn’t stop eating them! The tender leaves paired with the crispy, buttery breadcrumb filling were unforgettable. For years, I thought this dish was too complex to make at home, but once I tried, I discovered just how simple it really is.

These Italian Stuffed Artichokes are filled with seasoned breadcrumbs, herbs, and Parmesan, then baked until perfectly crispy. They’re a guaranteed hit at any dinner party or holiday spread and make an excellent side for steak, chicken, or seafood!

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.

• 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 (this is what I do!), 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 Italian Stuffed Artichokes

Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.

• Trim the ends of the artichokes. With a sharp knife slice off the end of the stem so that only ½ 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, 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.

• Make the filling. In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oil, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
• Stuff the artichokes. 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. Note: Make sure to get filling in-between all of the larger leaves.

• Bake in the 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. 
• Serve. 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!

FAQs

More Artichoke Recipes

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

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