Stuffed Artichoke Casserole….easy to make and super delicious...a fitting tribute to the Italian immigrants that contributed so much to the New Orleans and Louisiana culture. Let’s see how to make this no-angst recipe...you’ll love it and want to make it time and time again.
Where it all begins...Stuffed artichokes….unbelievably delicious. One of the many contributions to our culture for which we can thank our Italian immigrant ancestors. There’s a certain ritualistic element in devouring one of these treasures, scraping the filling and some artichoke meat off each artichoke leaf, piling up the eaten leaves. It's fun, messy and very delicious. It's also pretty labor intensive to properly stuff one of these girls, although the distinctive and satisfying flavor is well worth the effort. But, if you don't have the time or patience to tackle that chore, Sweet Daddy D has come up with a simple, no-angst version which captures the unique flavor combination in a casserole.
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Here’s What You Need
Artichokes are at the heart of this dish...do you see what I did there? I couldn't resist. Fresh artichokes are great, but very time consuming to prep. The thing that makes this casserole so simple and no-angst is using a good quality canned artichoke hearts. You can get them anytime of year and keep them in the pantry until you're ready to enjoy this Italian masterpiece. I always use the ones packed in brine and not marinaded, although the marinaded ones would probably work fine since we are also using some good olive oil and Italian herbs. Use the quartered ones-half will be chopped up fine, but the other half will be used whole (well, at least a whole quarter)! Fresh garlic, seasoned breadcrumbs, Romano Cheese and lemons define the flavor of this dish. The Herb and Spice Blend also leans towards Italian flavors-dried oregano, basil and thyme, along with kosher salt and ground black pepper plus a little chopped fresh parsley for some brightness. It’s simple and all ingredients add something important to the flavor profile. Beer adds something important to the chef’s profile.
Here’s What You Do
First...you have a beer. Maybe to spice things up, try an Italian Beer, maybe a Birra Moretti La Rossa-I think that would go really well while you are preparing this. (You should know that if you buy from Saucey, I will make a modest commission). Your Mise En Place practice is simple for this one. Have a beer, read the recipe, make sure you have everything, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, then prep all the ingredients.
Mise en Place
Drain the artichoke hearts, take half and chop them fine. Leave the other draining in a colander. Measure all the Herbs and Spices and place them in a ramekin. I always like to leave the salt out until I taste it later. The lemons really contribute. Zest one lemon, then squeeze the juice in a ramekin. Thinly slice the second lemon and set all that aside. Chop the garlic cloves and the parsley-fine or course, whichever is your preference. Finally, measure out the olive oil, breadcrumbs and Romano Cheese.
Combine all ingredients
Couldn't be simpler. In a large bowl add the chopped artichoke hearts, the breadcrumbs, Romano cheese, Herbs and Spices, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Mix them all together, then add the whole artichoke quarters-it's just makes it slightly easier to mix if you add these last.
Add the olive oil
Once all the dry ingredients and lemon juice are mixed together well, add ¼ cup of olive oil and mix it all in. This will be absorbed by the breadcrumbs and cheese but you want it to be moist and sticking together when you make a little test ball.
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Place it all in a baking dish
Coat an 8 X 12 baking dish lightly with olive oil, then pour everything in and smooth it out so it's all the same thickness. How’s your beer?
Finish it for the oven, cover with aluminum foil
Drizzle a little more olive oil all over the casserole, then sprinkle more Romano Cheese on top. Place the lemon slices on top in a single layer. Cover the whole thing tightly with aluminum foil.
Place in the 400 degree oven
It will bake for a total of 30 to 35 minutes. Leave it covered with foil for the first 25 minutes-this will encourage a little steaming action and will help keep it moist. Take the foil off and stick it back in for 5 to 10 minutes, until its just starting to brown.
There you have it, simple as that. This casserole has such a distinctive flavor-like walking into Central Grocery on Decatur down in the Quarter...unforgettable and feels like home.
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Yeah You Right!
Recipe
Stuffed Artichoke Casserole
Here's What You Need
- ¼ cup olive oil plus some for drizzling on top
- 2 lemons
- lemon zest
- 6 cloves garlic
- 28 ounces artichoke hearts-quartered
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Romano cheese plus some for the top
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
Herb and Spice Blend
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon dry basil
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
Here's What You Do
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Chop half of the artichoke hearts into fine pieces, set aside.
- Zest and juice one lemon; slice the other lemon.
- Chop the garlic and parsley.
- Combine the chopped artichoke, breadcrumbs, garlic, Romano Cheese, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice and the Herb and Spice Blend together in a bowl.
- Add in the whole artichoke quarters, mix well.
- Add in ¼ cup of the olive oil and mix well.
- Place into a greased oven-safe casserole dish.
- Drizzle more olive oil on top-about 2 tablespoons.
- Sprinkle Romano Cheese on the top
- Place the lemon slices on top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes in 400 degree oven.
- Remove the aluminum foil and place back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes
Kim
What is the easiest way to "zest" the lemon? Also do you need to zest the entire lemon? I am definitely making this for Thanksgiving! We just bought a new house and are hosting it for the first time.......yikes lol
Sweet Daddy D
Use a Microplane grater, it works well. You can zest just part of the lemon and then use the rest of the lemon for juice or slices. Good luck with the Thanksgiving gathering-they are so much fun!
Kim
Thank you!!
Sweet Daddy D
No problem. Good luck and thanks for reaching out.
Toni
Can I mix in artichoke bottoms they are so tasty!!
Sweet Daddy D
Absolutely, Toni. Chop them up and put 'em in!
Ted
Definitely going to make this real soon. I usually make a similar green bean and artichoke casserole for the holidays. I've had stuffed artichokes with both shrimp and crabs. The variations are to one's own taste.
Sweet Daddy D
I've had some good casserole with artichoke and french style green beans. This is a great holiday side dish. The fun part is experimenting and making the recipe yours, Thanks for reaching out, Ted.
Janel Barthe
Ted and/or SD, like the idea of the green bean/ artichoke casserole. Can you share your recipe? Happy Thanksgiving !
Sweet Daddy D
Hi, Janel. I like the sound of the green beans also as a variation. I haven't developed a recipe with the green beans, but I would just add 1 or 2 15-ounce cans of French Style Green Beans, drained, to this recipe. When you mix it together add more bread crumbs if you think it needs it. Good luck, I'd love to know how it turns out!
Marie Drago
I love them while or casserole. This stuffing is great. Thanks for posting this delicious recipe! Can’t wait for Thanksgiving to have some.
Sweet Daddy D
Yeah You Right, Marie!
Joanne
Looks delicious but leary of the lemons.
Could I leave that out?
Thanks
Sweet Daddy D
Joanne, sure. Making modifications and substitutions is the fun part. Not sure why you are leery of the lemons, but to me, the lemon is a major flavor driver in this recipe (along with the garlic and romano cheese) so you may want to try and substitute something with an acidic angle. Maybe just a little white vinegar or even lime juice if that works for you, or you could see how it tastes just leaving it out completely. I'd love to hear back with what you do.
Rosanna Burch
I'm thinking some shrimp added would be good. What do you think? If added, I wonder if raw or already boiled shrimp would be best....
Sweet Daddy D
Hey, Rosanna. Adding some shrimp sounds great, I'm sure it would add a great dimension to the casserole. I would saute some raw shrimp in a little butter for only 2 or three minutes (maybe add a little chopped garlic with them), then add all of that to the bowl when you mix in the artichoke hearts and olive oil. Don't saute them too long because they will finish cooking when you bake the casserole. I've given adding some crabmeat a thought but haven't gotten to try that yet. If you try the shrimp, let me know how it turns out. Thanks for reaching out.
Theresa
Just put mine in the oven. Too lazy to chop any of them, gently ripped half of them apart. For lack of some seasonings 1 jar is marinated quarters. About 20 minutes away from dinner.
Sweet Daddy D
Sounds yummy, Theresa. How did it turn out?
Theresa Taylor
Delish, making it again tonight. Adding cooked chicken breast to it to make my meat lovers happy.
Sweet Daddy D
Sounds terrific, Theresa. Let me know how that turns out. Thanks for reaching out!
Gloria
Usually when we stuff artichokes we use Parmesan cheese this calls for ramano cheese. Is it a big difference
Sweet Daddy D
Gloria, not much difference just a very subtle difference in the flavor. Most of the recipes I've seen for stuffed artichokes use romano, but if parmesan cheese gives you the flavor profile you're looking for, go with that. I interchange romano and parmesan cheese on my spaghetti and other kinds of pasta, so go for what you like. Maybe give it a try with romano one of these days, see what you think. Thanks for reaching out, Enjoy!
Carol
Can this be frozen?
Sweet Daddy D
Carol, yes this can be frozen. It's best to freeze it before its baked-make it all ahead and slip it in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge for about 24 hours and bake as directed, maybe an extra 10 minutes if its cold when you put it in the oven. The key is to get an airtight seal on it before hitting the freezer. Good luck, and thanks for reaching out!
Ethel
Hi I am just wondering if there is a low carb version. I think the carbs are definitely from the bread crumbs I have been doing a ketogenic type of eating since May 2019 and have lost 35 pounds and want to make sure the holidays do not set me back. Just wondering what a good substitute for Italian bread crumbs would be. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. Born and raised in greater New Orleans!
Sweet Daddy D
Hey, Ethel...Congratulations on the diet, way to go!
It looks like there are a few low-carb options that would be keto-friendly. Panko Breadcrumbs, which may be a great option, Pork Rinds, which may be the most interesting options (I like those because they are ZERO carbs), Almond Meal and Coconut flour. I have not substituted any of these ingredients so it's hard to say what the quantity difference would be if any. I'd think Panko would be 1:1 replacement but you should experiment before the holidays! I'm going to email you a link to an article that goes into more detail on these options. Thanks for the question! Experiment a little and let us know.
Emilie
I have made something very similar. I can only imagine how good this would be with the addition of fresh crabmeat!
Sweet Daddy D
That sounds delicious, Emilie. I'd love to hear back if you try that.
Walter A Barbier
Just tried this recipe today. You nailed it. As flavorful as I could want it to be.
Sweet Daddy D
Fantastic...thanks Walter!
Beatrice Daspit
The stuffing part is exactly like the stuffing I make my actual stuffed artichokes with with one tiny exception. Have you ever tried adding about two small anchovy filets ("melt" them first over a low fire in a small pan with the olive oil and garlic), don't fry, just smash and melt). It does something wonderful to the dish, and you cannot tell it has anchovies in it. Sam's has the best artichoke hearts in a big jar of brine, much better than the canned brands.
Sweet Daddy D
Beatrice, that sounds so good! I have a sauce I am developing that uses anchovies and I am amazed how they just melt into the dish, imparting a nice briny undertone...I agree, you can't tell the anchovies are even there. I love Sams! Sometimes I find some artichoke hearts in the grocery that have been vacuum packed and they are just like fresh. Thanks so much for reaching out!
Angela
Great idea!!
Sweet Daddy D
Thanks, Angela!
Carol
Love Sams jar artichokes and my Grandma put anchovies like that in her stuffed ons
Juanita Williams
I will definitely be making this for Thanksgiving. I know it will be delicious! I bet this recipe would be good with Artichoke & Green beans combined!
Sweet Daddy D
Great, Juanita! This does make a great side dish for Thanksgiving. I still think french-cut green beans would be the style to use if you want to try something different. Can't wait to hear how it turns out! Thanks for the comment!
Terri Shepherd
I loved it! I also make something called poor man artichoke casserole! I use canned green beans blended up in a food processor in place of the artichokes. Use exactly the same ingredients and it tastes like artichoke hearts.
Sweet Daddy D
Thanks, Terri. I'm honored you tried it and loved it! That's a great idea for "Poor Man's Artichoke Casserole", I bet that is good. Maybe french-cut green beans would be good to use for that. Thanks again!
Heather
Love this poor man's artichoke idea! ¥ftentimes i crave something and purely just dont even wanna go to the store so what a great idea. Thanka
Sweet Daddy D
Thanks, Heather. It is delicious but so simple!
Nichol
I just made this today...so delicious. Only thing I didn't have was the parsley. But it was delicious!
Sweet Daddy D
Thank you for trying this recipe. Parsley is certainly something you can leave out without any major impact.
Linda
This was a hit! Delicious and easy to make. Nothing was left in the dish which tells you a lot!
Sweet Daddy D
Fantastic, Linda. So glad you tried this and loved it. Yeah You Right!
Nichol Renee
One of my favorites!
Sweet Daddy D
Hey, Nichol! Thanks for reaching out.
Nichol Renee
I made this today....yummy.
Sweet Daddy D
Yummy is good! Thanks again.
Diane
Positively will try this looks delicious.
Sweet Daddy D
Hey, Diane. It is delicious and I hope you do try it. Thanks for the comment!
Curtis McElroy
My family has been making this same recipe since 1960
Sweet Daddy D
Thanks, Curtis. It sure is delicious!
Patty
Have made this for many years! Delicious!
Sweet Daddy D
Thanks, Patty. There is something about the aroma and flavor of a stuffed artichoke, and I believe this recipe nails it with a lot less fuss! Thank you for touching base.