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Published: May 8, 2019. Modified: Apr 8, 2024 by Wafa Shami. This post may contain affiliate links.

Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms

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Enjoy the delightful flavors of these meat stuffed artichoke bottoms infused with a lemony tangy taste that simply melts in your mouth. This artichoke bottoms recipe is a hearty, healthy comforting meal served alongside rice.

This recipe can be a fancy main dish option that you can enjoy with your family at any weekday dinner.

stuffed artichoke bottoms on a baking sheet

For more comforting hearty dishes, check out my peas stew (bazella), green bean stew (fasolia), and asparagus with lamb stew.

Using frozen artichoke bottoms in this recipe is a great shortcut option to using expensive fresh artichokes that also require a lot of preparation.

If you happen to have fresh artichokes and you would like to learn how to prepare them, I included instructions below.

What Are Artichoke Bottoms?

Artichoke bottoms refer to the fleshy, edible portion of the artichoke flower bud, which is typically found at the base of the artichoke. When preparing artichokes for cooking, the tough outer leaves and the top portion of the artichoke are trimmed away, revealing the tender heart and the bottom portion, which is often referred to as the artichoke bottom. 

This bottom part of the artichoke is commonly used in various recipes, either stuffed, grilled, baked, or incorporated into dishes such as salads or dips. Artichoke bottoms have a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a tender texture, making them a versatile ingredient in many culinary preparations.

Just to name a few nutrition facts about artichokes; they are low in fat while rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Particularly high in folate vitamin C and vitamin K, Artichokes also supply important minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron.

Jump to:
  • What Are Artichoke Bottoms?
  • Equipment
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Substitution and Variations
  • Storage and Reheating
  • Expert Tips
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Delicious Recipes
  • Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms

Equipment

This post may contain affiliate links

Baking Dish - For baking artichoke bottoms.

Saucepan - For making the meat broth sauce.

Pot - For cooking the meat.

Ingredients

Ingredients: artichoke bottoms, spices, salt, ground meat, pine nuts, lemon, onion, olive oil, all purpose flour, butter and meat stock.

Frozen Artichoke Bottoms - Can be found in the frozen section at Middle Eastern stores.

Ground Meat - Beef or lamb, or a mixture of both.

Yellow Onion - You can use any other type of onion to mix with the meat.

Allspice - Gives a nice flavor to the meat.

Cinnamon and Nutmeg - Gives a nice flavor to the meat.

Meat or Chicken broth - Prevents the artichokes from getting dry while baking and helps with cooking the dish.

Olive Oil - To use with cooking the onion and the meat, and for brushing the artichoke bottoms before grilling. You can use any other neutral oil.

Butter - Gives a rich flavor to the sauce.

All-purpose Flour - Helps thicken the sauce.

Fresh Lemon Juice - Provides a tangy lemony taste to the entire dish.

Sea Salt

Toasted Pine Nuts - They give a crunchy nutty flavor to this dish, and it's optional.

Instructions

Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Cooking the Meat Stuffing

Sauted onions in a pot

Step 1 | In a small saucepan, over medium heat, heat oil, add chopped onion, and sauté until caramelized.

Ground meat sauted with onions in a pot

Step 2 | Add ground lamb or beef, break meat with the back of a spatula, then add the spices: allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg powder, and salt. Sauté until meat is browned and fully cooked, about 10-15 minutes.

Preparing the Frozen Artichoke Bottoms

Artichoke bottoms brushed with olive oil before grilling

Step 3 | Place the bottoms of artichokes on a baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil.

Artichoke bottoms after grilling

Step 4 | Place under the broiler for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Stuffing Artichoke Bottoms and Baking

stuffed artichokes with meat mixture in a baking dish, and sauce spread over before baking.

Step 5 | With a spoon fill up all the artichoke bottoms with the cooked meat and onion mixture, and place in a baking dish. Pour in half a cup of meat broth at the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes.

Preparing the Meat Broth Sauce

Flour and butter mixture

Step 5 | In a small saucepan, melt butter then add all-purpose flour over melted butter. Whisk well over medium-high heat, for 1-2 minutes until it's more pasty.

Gravy mixture

Step 6 | Pour in 1.5 cups of meat broth over butter and flour paste, and continue to whisk over medium heat until the mixture is similar to a gravy texture. Then add lemon juice and salt.

stuffed artichokes with meat mixture in a baking dish, and sauce spread over after baking.

Step 7 | After 40 minutes of baking, bring the baking dish out of the oven, lift the foil, and pour the meat broth sauce over the stuffed artichoke bottoms, then cover back with foil and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.

How to prepare fresh artichokes?

Prepare the artichokes by removing the tough outer leaves until you reach the tender inner leaves.

Step 1 | Prepare the artichokes by removing the tough outer leaves.

Prepare the artichokes by removing the inside until you reach the tender inner leaves.

Step 2 | Continue to remove the outer leaves until you reach the tender inner leaves. Use a sharp knife to carve the feathery edges until all are cleaned.

Artichoke bottoms cleaned and ready for frying then stuffing

Step 3 | To prevent the artichoke bottoms' color from getting dark, it is critical once all are cleaned to place the cleaned ones immediately in a pot filled with water with sliced lemon.

Frying artichoke bottoms after cleaning all the leaves

Step 4 | Rinse the water and dry them with a paper towel then deep fry.

A few stuffed artichoke bottoms with a side of rice on a plate

Substitution and Variations

  • You can use vegetable stock or chicken stock.
  • You can add black pepper in addition to the other spices to the meat-onion mixture.
  • You can use toasted almond slivers instead of pine nuts or a mixture of both.

Storage and Reheating

  • Stuffed artichoke hearts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
  • You can reheat stuffed artichoke hearts in a small pan on the stovetop or in the microwave, add 1-2 tablespoons of water if it's too thick before heating. Or you can keep some of the meat broth sauce on the side and use it for reheating.

Expert Tips

  • Sauteing butter with all-purpose flour can bring an additional flavor to this dish but instead, you can use cornstarch: mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with ½ cup of cold meat stock (keep in mind that cornstarch won't dissolve if mixed in hot water), add lemon juice and salt whisk well then pour over the stuffed artichoke bottoms during baking per instructions.
  • If using fresh artichokes make sure they are placed in water with lemon to prevent the white color of artichokes from turning dark.
  • Frozen artichoke bottoms do not need to be fully defrosted before preparing, however, to be able to break them apart, you need to take them out of the freezer 1-2 hours before preparing or place them in the fridge the night before.
  • You can prepare the onion and meat mixture the day before, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container, and use it for stuffing the day of.
  • You can prepare this dish the day before, cover and store it in the fridge, and bake the day of.
  • Sprinkle toasted pine nuts over each stuffed artichoke bottom after the dish is baked and before serving.
  • To toast pine nuts: Either place nuts under a broiler for 2-4 minutes, or in a skillet heat neutral or olive oil, and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
  • Don't skip making the lemony meat broth sauce, this addition can bring so much flavor to the dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make this dish vegan?

Yes, you can substitute the meat with portobello or crimini mushrooms, chop them thinly, and saute them with onions as in step 2 in preparing the stuffing and follow the rest of the instructions for this dish. You can use vegetable broth and plant-based butter.

2. Can I skip making the sauce?

Yes you can, but that is the best part of this dish, the lemony tangy taste that comes from the sauce brings so much flavor to this dish.

3. Can I use fresh artichoke bottoms instead of frozen?

Yes, you can. While using the frozen artichoke bottoms saves you a lot of time, but you can still use fresh ones. See the instructions above on how to prepare fresh artichoke bottoms.

4. Can I add the meat broth to the dish and skip making the sauce?

Yes you can, but the extra step of making the sauce will create a rich texture to this dish, by skipping this step the sauce will be too watery.

Close up photo for stuffed artichokes bottoms

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Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Wafa Shami
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 50
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern
  • Diet: Halal
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Description

Enjoy the delightful flavors of these meat stuffed artichoke bottoms infused with a lemony tangy taste that simply melts in your mouth. This recipe, utilizing frozen artichoke bottoms, is a hearty, comforting meal served alongside rice. This artichoke bottoms recipe is a perfect main dish meal that can be enjoyed at any weekday dinner.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound of ground lamb or beef (or a mixture)
  • 20-25 artichoke heads (two frozen bags)
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil for cooking meat and brushing artichokes.
  • 1 sweet onion
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (about a pinch)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon (about a pinch)
  • 1.5-2 cups of broth (chicken, meat or vegetable)
  • 1-2 freshly squeezed lemons (adjust to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (to cook with the meat and to add to the sauce - adjust to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Instructions

  1. Cooking the Meat Stuffing

  2. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, heat oil, add chopped onion, and sauté until caramelized.
  3. Add ground lamb or beef, and break the meat with the back of a spatula.
  4. Add the spices: allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg powder, and salt.
  5. Sauté until meat is browned and fully cooked, about 10-15 minutes.

Preparing the Artichoke Bottoms

  1. Take artichoke bottoms out of the freezer 1-2 hours before using or place in the fridge the night before.
  2. Place the bottoms of artichokes on a baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil.
  3. Place under the broiler for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Stuffing Artichoke Bottoms and Baking

  1. With a spoon fill up all the artichoke bottoms with the cooked meat and onion mixture, and place in a baking dish.
  2. Pour in half a cup of meat broth at the bottom of the dish.
  3. Cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes.

Preparing the Meat Broth Sauce

  1. In a small saucepan, melt butter then add all-purpose flour over melted butter.
  2. Whisk well over medium-high heat, for 1-2 minutes or until it's more pasty.
  3. Pour in 1.5 cups of meat broth over butter and flour paste, and continue to whisk over medium heat until the mixture is more like a gravy texture.
  4. Add lemon juice and salt over the meat broth mixture, and adjust to taste.
  5. After 40 minutes of baking bring the baking dish out of the oven, lift the foil, and pour the meat broth sauce over the stuffed artichokes.
  6. Cover back with foil and return to the oven for another 10 minutes.

How to Prepare Fresh Artichokes

  1. Prepare the artichokes by removing the tough outer leaves.
  2. Continue to remove the outer leaves until you reach the tender inner leaves. You can use a sharp knife to carve the feathery edges until all are cleaned.
  3. To prevent the artichoke bottoms' color from getting dark, it is critical once all are cleaned to place the cleaned ones immediately in a pot filled with water with sliced lemon.
  4. Rinse the water and dry them with a paper towel then deep fry. 

Notes

  • Sauteing butter with all-purpose flour can bring an additional flavor to this dish but you can use cornstarch instead: mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with ½ cup of cold meat stock (keep in mind that cornstarch won't dissolve if mixed in hot water), add lemon juice and salt whisk well then pour over the stuffed artichoke bottoms during baking per instructions.
  • If using fresh artichokes make sure they are placed in water with lemon to prevent the white color of artichokes from turning dark.
  • Artichoke bottoms do not need to be fully defrosted before preparing, however, to be able to break them apart, you need to take them out of the freezer 1-2 hours before preparing or place them in the fridge the night before.
  • You can prepare the onion and meat mixture the day before, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container, and use it for stuffing the day of.
  • You can prepare this dish the day before, cover and store it in the fridge and bake the day of.
  • Sprinkle toasted pine nuts over each stuffed artichoke bottom after the dish is baked and before serving.
  • To toast pine nuts: Either place nuts under a broiler for 2-4 minutes, or in a skillet heat neutral or olive oil, and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
  • Don't skip making the lemony meat broth sauce, this addition can bring so much flavor to the dish.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Najia says

    January 09, 2024 at 11:33 pm

    Salam Wafa and thank you for the recipe! I wonder if the Arabic "دامه" is a typo for "دلمة" as in warak 'anub / stuffed grape leaves? Or else do you know what it translates to? It's not a word I'm familiar with!

    Reply
    • Wafa Shami says

      January 10, 2024 at 8:54 pm

      Salam Najia, you're welcome! The word ادمه in a way means it's cooked in its juice. It's a common word in Palestinian kitchens.

      Reply

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Marhabah and welcome to my site. I’m Wafa founder, creator, and food photographer behind Palestine in a Dish. Here you’ll find authentic-traditional Palestinian recipes and more modern which are inspired by my Palestinian kitchen flavors. My blog is all about my mother's authentic recipes that I grew up eating.

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Last Updated on April 8, 2024 by Wafa Shami