Italian Stuffed Artichokes Recipe with Breadcrumbs 

Italian Stuffed Artichokes with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, is the classic Italian artichoke recipe. Steamed artichokes with a simple bread crumb filling is the best way to serve this vegetable and is perfect for any occasion! 

If you love artichokes, then you need to give this Italian Stuffed Artichoke recipe a try. With just a few simple steps you can have delicious and meaty artichokes at home. Perfect for everyday meals or special occasions. 

You can make this recipe using my easy Homemade Italian Breadcrumbs and serve alongside Italian Chicken Cutlets. You can also serve this alongside my easy Italian Sausage Bread or with this Tomato Quinoa Soup. 

Italian Stuffed Artichokes Recipe

Italian stuffed artichokes feature whole artichokes filled with a flavorful breadcrumb mixture and cooked until tender. 

The Sicilian style stuffing combines seasoned breadcrumbs, garlic, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh herbs like parsley, and olive oil. Many recipes also include chopped anchovies, cured meats, or pine nuts for extra depth of flavor. 

As the artichokes cook, their leaves soften and absorb the rich, savory filling. To eat them, pull off the leaves one by one, scrape off the stuffing and tender flesh with your teeth, and work your way to the soft, flavorful heart at the center. 

This dish makes a delicious Italian appetizer or side, often served with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. 

So, if you love artichokes, give this Italian Stuffed Artichokes recipe a try. You’re going to love it! 

Ingredients

• Artichokes: you can find whole artichokes in the produce section of most grocery stores. Artichokes are in season March to May. 
• Bread Crumbs: I like to use my homemade breadcrumbs for this recipe, but you could use store bought if needed. 
• Cheese: use grated Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan cheese to add flavor and a salty bite. 
• Lemon: lemon juice is used to stop the cut artichokes from browning to quickly as well as flavoring the cooked artichokes. 
• Fresh Parsley: Italian parsley adds delicious flavor to the filling. 
• Garlic: you’ll need one clove of finely minced garlic or add more to taste. 
• Olive Oil: extra virgin olive oil is ideal for flavoring the filling as well as drizzling on the artichokes before steaming. 
• Salt & Pepper: kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. 

How to Clean Artichokes for Cooking 

Cleaning an artichoke properly ensures that you remove tough outer parts while keeping the tender, edible sections intact. While this requires a little bit of prep work, it’s worth the effort. This is the method I use for preparing Italian Stuffed Artichokes: 

1. Rinse and Trim the Stem – Rinse the artichoke under cold water to remove any dirt. Cut off the stem from the base of the artichoke with a sharp knife.
2. Remove Tough Outer Leaves – Pull off the tough, dark green outer leaves near the base until you reach the softer, more tender inner leaves.
3. Trim the Tips of the Leaves – Use kitchen scissors to snip off the sharp, pointed tips of the remaining leaves to make handling easier.
4. Cut Off the Top – Use a sharp serrated knife to slice off about 1 inch from the top of the artichokes, removing the toughest parts of the leaves.
5. Scoop Out the Choke – If you plan to stuff or eat only the heart, use a spoon to scoop out the fuzzy choke in the center, leaving the tender base intact.
6. Rub with Lemon – To prevent browning, rub the cut surfaces with a lemon half or soak the prepared artichoke in a bowl of lemon water until ready to cook.

Italian Stuffed Artichokes Filling and Cooking

The filling for this recipe is simple and takes just minutes to put together. In a large bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Drizzle in two tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine. 

Remove the artichokes from the bowl of water and pat dry. Working over the bowl of filling, push some of the bread crumb mixture into the center of the artichoke and between the leaves, repeating with remaining artichokes. 

Place the artichokes in a pot that’s just wide enough to hold them upright, like a dutch oven. Carefully pour in water to a depth of about ¾ to one inch of water around the artichokes in the bottom of the pot, then drizzle them with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil. 

Cover the pot and place over medium high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. (Add additional water during cooking if needed) Cook, covered, on low heat until the bottom of the artichokes are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork. Cook time may vary, but will be around 45 minutes. Serve warm with lemon wedges.

How to Eat an Artichoke

Eating an artichoke starts with pulling off the outer leaves one by one. Scrape the soft, fleshy part off with your teeth and discard the tough remainder. 

Continue removing leaves, working toward the center, where they become softer and more edible. Some inner leaves may be tender enough to eat whole. 

Once you reach the fuzzy choke in the center, scoop it out with a spoon (if needed) and discard it. Cut the artichoke heart into pieces and enjoy its rich, tender flavor. 

For extra taste, dip the leaves or heart in melted butter or squeeze on fresh lemon juice.

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