Stuffed Artichokes – Family Meal Friday

Stuffed Artichokes are a family favorite as they bring so much flavor and deliciousness to the table! Follow along as we walk you through our traditional family recipe!

In honor of Valentine’s Day right around the corner, we’re making Stuffed Artichoke (hearts)! These are a labor of love but worth every step of the process. So grab someone you love and let’s get cooking!

Artichokes are super healthy (see here for some benefits!) so they can be a great addition or star of any dinner! This recipe fills the hearty artichokes with a delicious blend of flavors and spices. They’re stuffed with breadcrumbs, onions, garlic, parmesan cheese and more!

You can prepare these artichokes in advance or the day of. Whoever you share these with, they’re sure to stand out as a crowd pleaser!

This recipe can be made vegan, just omit the parmesan cheese or use a dairy free option! 

Family Meal Friday Prayer

Try these stuffed artichokes on a Friday night or over the weekend with your family or friends! Gather to share in thanksgiving for the Lord’s provision throughout the week over a home cooked meal with loved ones!

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for always providing so abundantly for us. Though we have all we need in You, You continue to share good gifts with us each day. We thank you that through Jesus, we are continually invited to a personal relationship with you. You are so good! May that inspire our relationships with our family members and friends. May we always remain in you and produce lasting fruit for Your Kingdom. We love you so much and praise you, in Jesus name, Amen!”

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Artichokes: 4 large artichokes were used in this recipe, however if your artichokes are smaller, you may be able to fill 6-8 with the same amount of stuffing. Artichokes are often referred to as a superfood as they provide high levels of antioxidants as well as many other health benefits. They are packed with nutrients, may improve digestive health, improve cholesterol levels, and provide many other benefits. 
• Breadcrumbs: this recipe uses a mixture of seasoned italian breadcrumbs and plain panko. This creates a hearty balance of flavor and texture for the stuffing.  
• Onions: I like to use a yellow/white onion, however purple onions work as well. This adds a sweet and savory flavor to the artichokes.
• Garlic Cloves: I used 4-5 cloves in this recipe, but feel free to use as much as you like. This helps build the flavors in the recipe. Health wise, this is great for building immunity among other benefits.  
• Olive Oil: you could use regular olive oil or extra virgin, but extra virgin will give it a more intense flavor. This provides healthy fats among many other health benefits and helps hold together the breadcrumb mixture. 
• Lemon Juice: this is optional but brings refreshing flavor to the artichokes. Lemons provide many health benefits such as improved digestion.
• Parmesan Cheese: this adds more flavor to the artichoke stuffing and enhances the spices from the seasoned breadcrumbs. I used fresh grated parmesan cheese, but you could use another type of cheese such as mozzarella or pecorino.
• Spices: salt + pepper to taste.

Equipment

• Kitchen shears
• Large glass or porcelain baking dish
• Knife for chopping veggies
• Garlic press
• Spoons
• Large pot for boiling artichokes
• Tongs 
• Stove
• Oven

How to make: step-by-step

Prepare the artichokes: using kitchen shears, cut off the stems of the artichokes. Peel back and remove the bottom/outer layers of leaves. Trim the pointy edges of all the leaves. Make sure to remove any leaves that are particularly tough or have browned.

Place the prepared artichokes in a pot of boiling water and boil for about 30 minutes or until soft. 

Make together the breadcrumb mixture: in a large bowl mix the breadcrumbs, most of the diced onion and garlic, about 4 tbsp of olive oil, juice from ½ of the lemon, grated parmesan cheese, and salt + pepper. 

This mixture does not have to be measured exactly, you could add more or less of any of the ingredients depending on your preferences. For example, if you don’t like as much lemon, use less or omit it from the recipe. To keep this recipe vegan, you can omit the parmesan cheese or use a dairy free option. 

After the artichokes have softened, carefully remove them from the pot and drain all the water from them. Use a pair of tongs to remove them from the pot, and turn them upside down to allow all the water to come out. Place them in a baking dish and allow them to cool completely. 

Once the artichokes have cooled, open them up by pulling the leaves away from the center of the heart. Drizzle the juice from the other ½ of the lemon over the artichokes (optional).

Stuff the artichokes: making sure to stuff each layer, fill each artichoke leaf with about a spoonful of the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure each layer of leaves, as well as the central area near the heart get filled. 

Drizzle the artichokes with a little more olive oil (about 1 tbsp). Fill the pan with potato wedges (optional) and top with the remaining onions and garlic. Bake at 400° for 30-40 minutes, or until the top layer of breadcrumbs and leaves start to get crispy.

Serve and enjoy!

Serving and Storage

Serve for dinner accompanied by another food element. This pairs well with a simple plate of pasta, potatoes, or some chicken cutlets.  

You can prepare the artichokes in advance and refrigerate. Bake at 400°F for about 30-40 minutes when ready to eat.

Any leftover artichokes can be stored in the glass baking dish with a coving or in another container with a cover. Keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. 

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4 ESV