This post is sponsored by Ocean Mist Farms. All opinions are my own and I only share products I personally love. Thanks for supporting the brands that make this site possible! Have you had whole artichokes before? If you’ve hesitated to try cooking artichokes whole before, have no fear. I’m going to walk you through how to make stuffed artichokes in the oven (with step-by-step pictures!) and I’ll even explain how to eat them. This baked Italian stuffed artichokes recipe makes a beautiful, keto friendly meal, or a unique appetizer for a dinner party. The beautiful, large artichokes I used for this stuffed artichoke recipe are by Ocean Mist Farms, the largest grower of fresh artichokes in the United States. These came from Coachella Valley, California, and they make the most delicious baked stuffed artichokes. Fortunately, you don’t have to be in California to get them – they are available at grocery stores all over the country! Check out where to buy Ocean Mist Farms Artichokes to find out where to get them near you.
What Are Italian Stuffed Artichokes?
Traditionally, Italian style stuffed artichokes are made with olive oil, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, and sometimes parmesan cheese. They are not gluten-free or keto friendly, due to the breadcrumbs. My version of Italian stuffed artichokes is made with Italian sausage instead! Swapping the wheat with meat makes them low carb, perfect for a keto lifestyle, and the added protein turns them into a full meal. The method is similar to my roasted artichokes, but adds satisfying meat for a one-pan meal.
How To Trim Stuffed Artichokes
Before I show you how to cook stuffed artichokes, the first steps are to trim them. Don’t let this step intimidate you! It’s super simple – all you need is a sharp knife and some kitchen shears.
Trim the artichokes. Cut an inch off the tops (pointy part) of the artichokes and trim the stem so that the bottom is flat.
TIP: Artichokes brown quickly after slicing them open – rubbing them with a lemon wedge right away helps slow down this process. (Thanks to Ocean Mist Farms for that tip!) It also helps to remove bitterness, too. For best results, though, you’ll still want to do trim them right before cooking.
Trim sharp tips. Using a kitchen shears, trim any sharp tips off of the leaves.
How To Cook Stuffed Artichokes
After trimming, the next steps are to boil and prep the artichokes for stuffing.
Boil the artichokes. Add them to boiling water and keep them submerged in the water while they cook. Drain upside down and cool.
TIP: They will tend to float on top of the water, so you’ll need something to push them down. I used glass jars over the artichokes to keep them submerged.
Prep artichokes for stuffing. When they are cool enough to handle, dry them with paper towels. Gently pry open the center leaves and use a spoon with a twisting motion to scoop out the fuzzy choke inside.
Pry leaves open. Gently pry leaves and artichoke open a bit so that there is room for the stuffing. Place the artichokes facing up in a baking dish and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil.
How To Make Stuffed Artichokes In The Oven
The last steps are to make the filling, stuff the artichokes with it, and bake…
Make Italian stuffed artichokes filling. Mix together Italian sausage, garlic, Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese.
TIP: Don’t over mix the meat. This can make it more tough.
TIP: You don’t need salt or pepper for this recipe as most ground sausage is pre-seasoned, but add both if yours doesn’t have them.
Stuff the Italian stuffed artichokes with meat mixture. Get some of the sausage mixture in between all of the leaves and in the center. Sprinkle more parmesan cheese over the top.
Bake the Italian stuffed artichoke recipe. Cover with foil, and bake until the sausage is cooked through and the outer leaves are easy to remove. Broil the artichokes. Set the oven to broil and place baked stuffed artichokes with Italian filling under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the cheese.
How Long Do You Bake Stuffed Artichokes?
This recipe for stuffed artichokes is baked for 40-50 minutes at 375 degrees F. This is how long it takes for the Italian sausage to cook through and the artichokes to become soft. We boil the artichokes first so that the sausage and artichokes are done at the same time. If you didn’t boil them, they would need longer in the oven and by then the sausage could become too dry.
How To Eat A Stuffed Artichoke
Now that you know how to make stuffed artichokes, and you know how to bake stuffed artichokes, it’s time to learn the most important aspect… how to EAT stuffed artichokes! When the stuffed artichokes in the oven are done, serve them on a plate or bowl for even easier eating! Then:
Pull off the leaves. Hold them sausage side up, so that the filling doesn’t fall off. Dip into marinara sauce. Optional, but so good! Scrape the artichoke leaf against your teeth to get the softer edible portion on top of each leaf (not just the sausage, but the soft part of the artichoke leaf). You can discard the rest. The closer you get to the middle, the more edible leaf there is.
Stuffed Artichokes Nutrition
This low carb stuffed artichoke recipe has 604 calories and 12 grams net carbs. It’s a generous size for a filling, protein- and veggie-packed meal! If you’re watching calories or the carb count is a bit high for you, you can easily cut the serving size in half. (I had a hard time finishing a whole artichoke with the sausage filling.) For an appetizer serving, 1/4 or even 1/8 of the artichoke may be sufficient. Besides having a great macro profile for a keto lifestyle, artichokes also have loads of nutrition benefits. According to Ocean Mist Farms, they have anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties, contain prebiotics and probiotics, balance blood sugar, and more. Read more about artichoke nutrition here.
Can You Make Stuffed Artichokes Ahead?
Yes, you can definitely make this easy stuffed artichoke recipe ahead of time. You can make the baked stuffed artichokes completely, except don’t bake! Once you stuff them, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to a day. The day you serve them, bake as directed.
Can You Freeze Stuffed Artichokes?
Yes, you can freeze this stuffed artichoke recipe with sausage. For best results, freeze after you stuff them, before baking! Then bake as directed, until sausage is cooked through and it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. If you bake them right from the freezer, they will take longer to bake.
More Low Carb Dinner Recipes
If you love this stuffed artichoke recipe, you might also like some of these other easy keto dinner recipes. Here are a few of my favorites for you to try:
Mexican Cheese & Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers – If you and your family love Mexican flavors (who doesn’t!), you’ll love this stuffed peppers recipe. It’s creamy, with a bit of kick, and plenty of cheesy flavor. Italian Sausage Stuffed Zucchini – I know you’ll love this one, because making a meal out of stuffing vegetables with flavorful Italian sausage? It just makes sense! Add in some tomatoes and cheese and it’s got pizza vibes. Lasagna Stuffed Peppers – This satisfying meal is a family favorite around here! Classic lasagna flavors, without the hassle (and carbs!) of traditional lasagna. Korean Ground Beef Bowl – This quick dinner recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes, full of flavor, and served over a bed of cauliflower rice (I love making it with Ocean Mist Farms cauliflower!). Talk about an easy weeknight meal!
Grapefruit Spoon – A slightly sharp grapefruit spoon helps to scoop out the fuzzy choke, the first step in prepping these stuffed artichokes in the oven! White Oval Baking Dish – This two piece set goes from oven to table – it’s that gorgeous! And don’t worry, stuffed artichokes in the oven can splatter a bit, but these dishes clean up easily. Instant Read Thermometer– This thermometer reads the temperature instantly (hence the name!) and will ensure that you never over-cook your meat again!
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too - I’d love to see it! *Nutrition info is intended for a full, filling meal. If you are watching carbs or calories, half a stuffed artichoke would still be plenty for a serving. Serving size could be 1/8 or 1/4 of the stuffed artichoke as an appetizer.
