Italian Artichoke Casserole

Italian artichokes, hold the hassle.

This roasted Italian roasted artichoke casserole recipe has all the satisfaction of traditional roasted breadcrumb-stuffed artichokes, but with none of the hassle or work. 

Why Italian breadcrumb-stuffed roasted artichokes taste so good.

Roasted Italian stuffed artichokes are one of life’s most perfect foods. Earthy, lemony artichokes are steamed until tender, then stuffed and baked with a perfect combination of well-seasoned, cheesy breadcrumbs.

But whole, raw artichokes can be time consuming and unwieldy to work with. Raw artichokes require tearing the hard outer leaves off, followed by trimming the remaining leaves, cooking, then surgically slicing around the choke. Not to mention all the cooking time.

Not this recipe. This baked Italian roasted artichoke casserole recipe has all the satisfaction of traditional Italian roasted, breadcrumb-stuffed artichokes, but with none of the hassle or work, thanks to simple frozen artichokes and a simple preparation method. I think this is one of the best Italian artichoke recipes out there, winning both flavor and ease.

Are roasted artichokes an Italian food?

Though artichokes are widely cooked throughout Mediterranean cuisine and beyond, yes, artichokes are a very traditional food in Italy. Called carciofi, different Italian regions and people of have different favorite preparations.

Two of the most famous Italian artichoke dishes are:

1. Soft, braised carciofi alla Romana — or Roman-style artichokes, and
2. Carciofi alla giudia, made by deep-frying whole, trimmed artichokes until crispy.

Making This Roasted Italian Artichoke Casserole Recipe

I developed this artichoke casserole recipe as a way to have all the delicious satisfaction of a traditional Italian stuffed artichoke, with way, way less work.

Accomplishing this mainly required two simple things: 1) frozen artichoke hearts, and 2) homemade, well-seasoned Italian breadcrumbs. Layering thawed, gently-boiled artichoke hearts in the bottom of a casserole pan and topping with breadcrumbs before baking allowed for the same flavor, with very little effort.

Italian Roasted Artichoke Casserole Recipe Steps

This artichoke casserole recipe is very straightforward, and takes about an hour start to finish — maybe a little less.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Bring salted water to a boil with a few slices of lemon. Add the frozen artichoke hearts and cook for two minutes. Drain well.
3. Nestle the artichokes in a single layer in a small casserole pan. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil.
4. Top with your seasoned breadcrumbs, cover, and bake.
5. Uncover the casserole and cook for about 10 minutes more at 425 degrees, then serve.

What can you serve with this roasted artichoke casserole?

Any lemony chicken dish would make a great main to accompany this Italian stuffed artichoke casserole. Lemon and artichoke go very well together, and are natural flavor complements.

Italian Artichoke Casserole Wine Pairings

Need a good wine pairing with this dish?

Artichokes taste best with something dry and crisp, with no oak. Sauvignon bland would be a very nice choice. New Zealand sauvignon blanc has extra citrus notes. (See ya later, buttery Napa chardonnay!)

Check out these other tasty recipes:

• How to Make Homemade Breadcrumbs
• Roasted Green Beans With Breadcrumbs
• Sticky Bun-Style French Toast Casserole

Italian Artichoke Casserole Recipe

This easy Italian artichoke casserole recipe riffs on traditional Italian breadcrumb-stuffed whole artichokes, but saves the hassle. A great vegetarian side dish, this casserole has no creamy sauce, just artichokes and toppings, baked until perfect.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Course: dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keywords:: artichoke casserole, italian artichoke casserole recipe, side dish, spring, stuffed artichoke casserole, vegetarian side dish recipe

Servings: 1 8x8" casserole

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Ingredients 

1x2x

• 12 ounces or so fresh frozen artichoke hearts
• 1 lemon, zested and cut in half
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• Pinch dried oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons grated pecorino-Romano cheese + more to finish
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal) + more to taste
• 12 turns fresh-cracked black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

For the Artichokes

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil with the juice of half a lemon. Add the frozen artichokes. Return to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain well.

For the Breadcrumbs and to Finish

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8 x 8" casserole with half the olive oil.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon zest, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, garlic, two grated cheeses, salt, pepper, and remaining olive oil. Taste for seasoning.
• Nestle the artichoke hearts in a single layer in the casserole and drizzle with the remaining lemon juice. Add enough water to create a thin layer at the base of the casserole (about 1/3 cup).

  TIP: This water will help steam the artichokes and "cook" the breadcrumbs so they are not dry when baked. It will absorb into the dish.
• Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture all over the top of the artichokes.
• Bake, tightly covered with a lid or aluminum foil, for 30 minutes.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes or so, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Sprinkle with a little more grated cheese, and serve warm.

Notes

Like all good, homestyle Italian recipes, quantities can be adjusted based on what you have. Out of Parmigiano-Reggiano? Just use double the pecorino-Romano and dial the salt back a pinch. Your bag of frozen artichokes come as 16 ounces instead of 12? No problem. Just bake that instead and increase the baking time and breadcrumb topping a bit. 

The main point of this Italian artichoke casserole recipe is to be easy, flexible, seasonal, and good.