11 Artichoke Heart Recipes We Heart

As much as we love scraping the meat off artichoke leaves with our teeth (it makes us feel very primal), it's the heart of the artichoke that we really love. Here, are 11 great ways to cook with them.

Big Heart Artichoke and Parmesan Soup

This simple soup from chef David Myers has an intensely earthy artichoke flavor. It's also a great way to use a leftover Parmesan rind: Myers tosses one into the soup while it simmers, then discards it before pureeing.

Artichoke Salad with Saffron Vinaigrette

As a child in Castroville, California — known as the artichoke capital of the world — chef Galen Zamarra fell in love with this thorny vegetable. By using artichoke hearts in his salad, Zamarra would allow his date to share his passion while sparing her the fuss of plucking one leaf at a time.

Warm Spinach-Artichoke Dip

This upgraded take on the classic creamy dip is filled with four kinds of cheese, plenty of tender artichoke hearts, and covered with a crisp, golden top.

Artichoke Bread Pudding

If cooks were asked to name the vegetables they find most intimidating and time-consuming to prepare, artichokes would surely top the list. Marinated artichoke hearts solve the problem: No trimming, cooking, or choke removal is required.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Marinated Artichokes

For maximum flavor, Naomi Pomeroy doesn't just roast chicken thighs. Instead, she crisps the skin, then braises the pieces in a supertasty mix of marinated artichokes, olives, sherry, garlic, lemon and thyme.

Grilled Fish with Artichoke Caponata

To top meaty mahi-mahi, chef Michael White makes a vinegary caponata (a Sicilian relish) with artichoke hearts instead of the traditional tomatoes and eggplant.

Artichoke & Fontina Pizzas

Cookbook author Eugenia Bone marinates frozen artichokes overnight in olive oil with garlic, herbs, and lemon juice before scattering them on these pizzas.

Kale-Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Boursin cheese and cannellini beans add hearty creaminess to the artichoke-spinach dip-inspired filling for these stuffed shells. Calabrian chiles and fennel seeds amp up the jarred marinara sauce with a little heat and earthy sweetness.

Chicken Tagine with Artichoke Hearts and Peas

A spiced broth adds layers of flavor in this tagine recipe from chef Joël Robuchon. Artichoke hearts bring a lovely spring element to the dish.

Lemony Smoked Salmon–and–Artichoke Heart Whole-Wheat Pasta

This smoked salmon pasta has lots of bright lemon flavor that lightens the whole-wheat pasta.

Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta with Artichoke Hearts and Spinach

Salty, smoky, thick-cut bacon adds depth while artichoke hearts and spinach help to lighten this creamy, savory chicken pasta dish.