• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Wimpy Vegetarian
  • Home
  • About
    • About Susan
    • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Recipe Index
  • Essential Pantry
    • 5 Tips for Perfect Cooked Dried Chickpeas
    • Reduced Balsamic Vinegar
  • Work With Me
    • Partnership Opportunities
    • Media Kit
  • Contact Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Meal Plans
  • Vegetarian 101
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Meal Plans
    • Vegetarian 101
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » VEGETABLES » Artichokes

    Stuffed Artichokes with Tabbouleh

    April 30, 2022 5 Comments

    Stuffed artichoke on a plate. The stuffing is a tabbouleh made with quinoa instead of bulgar.

    These vegan, gluten-free stuffed artichokes are filled with tabbouleh made with quinoa, parsley, mint, and cucumber tossed in a simple lemon vinaigrette.

    The tabbouleh can be made and dressed the day before, or made while the artichokes cook. And these stuffed artichokes can be served warm or at room temperature.

    Updated April 29, 2022

    Artichoke stuffed with tabbouleh that's made with quinoa instead of bulgar, served on a white plate.

    Stuffed artichokes are a great lunch, brunch or dinner side dish. And they're relatively easy to make.

    There are Italian stuffed artichokes made with breadcrumbs, artichokes stuffed with citrus-raisin couscous, and this one, stuffed with tabbouleh.

    There's a bit of prep on the artichokes, I won't lie. But the hardest part, scooping out the fibrous, fuzzy choke, is very easy if you wait until the artichokes are cooked.

    More about that below.

    Jump to:
    • Are Artichokes Healthy?
    • What is Tabbouleh?
    • Artichoke Ingredients
    • Tabbouleh Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Recommended Equipment
    • Stuffed Artichokes with Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe

    Are Artichokes Healthy?

    A member of the thistle family, the artichoke plant has been grown for centuries for its potential nutritional benefits. Artichokes are low in fat, high in fiber, and boast 3.5 grams of protein when cooked. They are also a rich source of antioxidants.

    If you're interested, hit this link for more nutritional information on artichokes.

    But are artichokes keto-friendly. The surprising answer is yes. They're high in total carbs, 14.3 grams for a medium artichoke, cooked. But that's because of all the fiber. When you calculate the net carbs, that same artichoke has almost HALF the carbs at 7.5 grams.

    What is Tabbouleh?

    Tabbouleh is a Lebanese salad that looks like a relish. It’s typically made with bulgur wheat grain, tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, mint, and onion, and simply dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

    Variations abound using couscous in place of bulgur or adding other vegetables, but its trademark is copious amounts of mint and parsley.

    I’ve made this salad with diced zucchini and tomatoes, and sometimes I toss in slivers of preserved lemon. In this version, I used quinoa in place of the bulgur for a gluten-free dish.

    Tabbouleh made with cucumbers, red onion, parsley, mint and quinoa instead of bulgar.

    Artichoke Ingredients

    I like to simmer my artichokes in water, wine and lemon juice to infuse the hearts with flavor.

    • White wine - any dry white wine is fine.
    • Lemon Juice
    • Garlic
    • Kosher salt
    • Artichokes

    Tabbouleh Ingredients

    • Cucumber
    • Red onion -white onion can be substituted
    • Fresh mint
    • Fresh parsley - Italian or curly
    • Cooked quinoa
    • Lemon juice
    • Extra-virgin olive oil
    • Kosher salt

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.

    Process shots on how to prepare stuffed artichokes.

    Instructions

    Step 1 (1 minute)

    Prep artichoke bottoms. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice off the bottom stems so that the artichokes can sit flat on a plate.

    Step 2 (10 minutes)

    Prep artichoke tops. Using a sharp chef's knife or serrated knife, slice off the top of the artichokes. You don't eat this part, and it makes it easier to get to the choke when it's time to scoop it out. Using kitchen scissors, snip off the thorny ends of the leaves to make them easier to handle.

    Step 3 (45 - 60 minutes)

    Cook the artichokes. Combine the water, wine, lemon juice, garlic, salt and artichokes in a heavy-bottomed pot large enough to accommodate the artichokes when covered. Simmer until leaves can be easily removed.

    Step 4 (15 minutes)

    Make the tabbouleh. While the artichokes cook, make the tabbouleh and dress it with the lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette - but hold back a little for a final drizzle.

    Let it sit on the counter until the artichokes are ready to be stuffed.

    Step 5 (5 minutes)

    Stuff the artichokes. Cool the artichokes until cool enough to handle. Spread the leaves apart, and pull out a few of the center leaves.

    Using a melon scooper, reach into the middle if the artichoke, and scoop out the center small leaves and choke. The choke is the fibrous, fuzzy part of the artichoke that sits on top of the edible base.

    Only remove enough leaves to fill the cavity with stuffing. Gentle spread all of the remaining leaves to allow the tabbouleh to slip inside. Spoon the tabbouleh into the middle, and over the tops of the leaves. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.

    Artichokes stuffed with tabbouleh that's made with quinoq instead of bulgar.

    Hint: The artichokes, tabbouleh, and dressing can be made up to one day ahead and assembled just before serving. Make the dressing at least 30 minutes before serving to allow time for the flavors to marry.

    Recommended Equipment

    Heavy bottomed pot
    Sharp chef's knife
    Kitchen scissors
    Melon Baller Scoop

    Want more vegetarian and vegan dish ideas? I can help you. I have three newsletters for different topics: 1) Vegetarian Recipes, 2) Vegetarian Meal Plans, and 3) Vegetarian Tips for helping you to move to a more vegetarian diet. Choose which newsletters are most relevant to your lifestyle and you'll also get my 5 SECRETS TO FUSS-FREE VEGETARIAN DINNERS.


    Artichoke on a plate stuffed with a tabbouleh salad made with quinoa instead of the more typical bulgar wheat grain.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 6 votes

    Stuffed Artichokes with Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe

    Artichokes stuffed with tabbouleh that's made with quinoa instead of bulgar. Tabbouleh is a parsley and mint salad with cucumbers, dressed in a lemon vinaigrette. The artichokes are simmered in aciduated water to give them a great flavor even on their own.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Brunch, Side Dish, vegan main or side dish, Vegetarian entree
    Cuisine: Middle Eastern
    Keyword: artichokes, stuffed artichokes, tabbouleh
    Servings: 2 serving
    Calories: 510.3kcal
    Author: The Wimpy Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Artichokes

    • 4 cups water
    • 1½ cups white wine
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 large artichokes or 4 small - medium sized

    Tabbouleh

    • 1 cup finely diced cucumber
    • ¼ cup finely diced red onion
    • ½ cup finely chopped fresh mint
    • ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley Italian or curly
    • ½ cup cooked quinoa

    Lemon Vinaigrette

    • 3 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • Pinch of kosher salt

    Instructions

    • Slice off the stems of the artichokes, so that the artichokes can sit flat on a plate.
    • Using a sharp chef's knife or serrated knife, slice off the top of the artichokes. You don't eat this part, and it makes it easier to get to the choke when it's time to scoop it out. Using kitchen scissors, snip off the thorny ends of the leaves to make them easier to handle.
    • Combine the water, wine, lemon, garlic, and salt in a heavy-bottomed pot (see notes) set over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Carefully place the artichokes into the pan, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 45 minutes, until the leaves can be easily removed. Large artichokes may take as long as an hour.
    • While the artichokes simmer, make the quinoa. Prep the cucumber, onion, mint and parsley, and toss with the cooked quinoa in a large bowl.
    • Prep Tip: To prep the cucumbers, first peel them using a potato peeler, and slice in half lengthwise. Next, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and finely chop. If you don't remove the seeds, the tabbouleh can be watery.
    • Whisk the lemon juice, oil and salt in a small bowl and pour over the quinoa salad, holdin back just a little for a final drizzle before serving. Toss to completely coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
    • When the artichokes are cool enough to handle, pull out the leaves in the center of each artichoke and discard. Spread out the baby center leaves to see the fibrous, hairy choke that sits on top of the edible base. Using a melon baller, carefully scoop out the choke and tiny leaves to form a bowl-like cavity.
    • Prep Tip: When scooping out the choke, be careful not to scoop too deeply into the edible artichoke base.
    • Gently spread out all the leaves to allow spaces between the rows. Spoon the tabbouleh into the center cavity, and over the top of the artichoke, allowing it to spill inside the leaves. Drizzle the remaining saved vinaigrette over the top.
    • Serve at room temperature.

    Notes

    The artichokes, tabbouleh, and dressing can be made up to one day ahead and assembled just before serving. Make the dressing at least 30 minutes before serving to allow time for the flavors to marry.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 510.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.1g | Protein: 9.3g | Fat: 22.6g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15.6g | Sodium: 1366.4mg | Potassium: 1140.6mg | Fiber: 12.5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1816.6IU | Vitamin C: 67.5mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 5.2mg
    « Texas Trash Dip (Warm Bean Dip)
    Restaurant Style Bread Dipping Oil »

    SIGN UP!

    Want to add more vegetarian dishes to your dinners but need it to be easy? Subscribe here and get my 5 SECRETS TO FUSS-FREE VEGETARIAN DINNERS!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. cheri

      June 10, 2014 at 6:09 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Susan, Congratulations, love your guest post at the Weiser Kitchen. What a great story and recipe!

      Reply
    2. Rosemary Mark

      June 10, 2014 at 9:03 pm

      5 stars
      I have never made or eaten stuffed artichokes. And you have two choices on your blog -- must try 🙂
      Gorgeous photos!!

      Reply
    3. Jo from yummyvege

      June 11, 2014 at 3:57 am

      5 stars
      These look wonderful! A great way to use artichokes.

      Reply
    4. apuginthekitchen

      June 12, 2014 at 6:01 pm

      5 stars
      i Love tabbouleh, never had it in an artichoke. Great idea, artichokes are something I love but rarely make, this is a great idea. Very creative!!

      Reply
    5. sylvie

      February 12, 2015 at 10:25 am

      5 stars
      A real work of art ! Looks gourmet dish !

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I'm a mostly vegetarian married to a mostly carnivore and am on a constant hunt for healthy, delicious recipes we'll both like. Most recipes here are vegetarian with tips for adding meat or fish for the meat-eaters at the table. Whether you're vegetarian, or just wanting to eat less meat, I hope you'll find inspiration here to try something new for your own table, even if you're sharing it with someone with different eating preferences.

    More about me →

    READER FAVORITES

    • Healthy Honey Lemon Ginger Tea (for Immunity!)
    • 10 Beginner's Tips for Going Vegetarian
    • Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes (Only 5 Minutes Prep!)
    • Sgroppino in 3 Ingredients (a Prosecco Slushie)

    Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • RSS Feed
    • Mail

    5 TIPS FOR COOKING DRIED CHICKPEAS

    5 tips on how to cook dried chickpeas

    10 TIPS FOR GOING VEGETARIAN

    Freshly washed apples in a colander with text overlay for Main photo.

    Purchase My Cookbook!!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Recipe Index

    Copyright © 2022 The Wimpy Vegetarian

    65 shares
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Yummly
    • Twitter