Stuffed Artichokes with Quinoa Tabbouleh

An artichoke on a plate stuffed with tabbouleh that's made with quinoa instead of bulgar.

5 from 6 votes

Stuffed Artichokes with Quinoa Tabbouleh

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

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Brunch, Side Dish, vegan main or side dish, Vegetarian entree

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keyword: artichokes, stuffed artichokes, tabbouleh

Servings: serving

Calories: 510.3kcal

Author: Susan Pridmore

Equipment

Chef's knife
Kitchen scissors
Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot
medium pot
Vegetable peeler
Whisk
Melon baller

Ingredients

Artichokes

4 cups water
1 ½ 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 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons 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, holding 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