My Mediterranean-style Stuffed Artichokes (Enginar Dolması) recipe is simple, delicious, and made with everyday ingredients and clear steps. They are perfect for summer gatherings, as part of a meze selection, or a flavorful side dish.
Artichokes are filled with tender vegetables and gently cooked in olive oil and lemon juice for a fresh, light flavour. They keep well in the fridge and can be made ahead, which makes them very handy when you want something ready to serve.
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What Are Stuffed Artichokes?
Stuffed artichokes are made by filling whole artichokes with a mixture of vegetables and herbs, then cooking them slowly in olive oil until tender.
This version is known as Enginar Dolması, a traditional Turkish dish. It belongs to a group of recipes cooked in olive oil and usually served at room temperature. These dishes are especially popular during spring and are often prepared in advance.
Some of my favorite zeytinyağlı Turkish dishes are Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant), Kuru Patlican Dolmasi - Stuffed Dried Eggplant, and Mediterranean Green Beans (Zeytinyagli Taze Fasulye).
Why This Recipe Works?
- It's a delicious meal that's perfect for any occasion, from a family dinner to a special occasion.
- The vegetable filling gives a mix of soft texture and natural sweetness.
- Cooking slowly allows the artichokes to absorb all the flavour from the liquid.
- You can make Zeytinyagli Enginar ahead of time, it's a great dish for entertaining.
- This recipe works as a main dish, side, or part of a meze spread.
- The leftovers would keep for up to 5 days when refrigerated in an airtight container.
Buying the Right Artichokes
The star ingredient in Zeytinyagli Enginar Dolmasi is the artichoke, a versatile and nutritious vegetable that's rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.
Look for artichokes that feel heavy for their size with tightly closed leaves. The leaves should be firm and fresh, not dry or soft. A bright green colour usually means they are fresh. Avoid artichokes with brown spots, dry edges, or leaves that are opening up.
Small to medium artichokes are best for stuffed artichokes because they are more tender and easier to prepare. Larger ones can still be used, but they often need more trimming and can be slightly tougher.
Spring is the best time to find high-quality artichokes.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Artichokes - This recipe works best with small and medium-sized artichokes. If you have large artichokes, I suggest you remove all the outer leaves and just use the heart (or bottom).
- Vegetables - I use carrots, potatoes, and peas (frozen or fresh) to fill the artichokes as they add color as well as flavor, and nutrition to the Stuffed Artichoke dish.
- Olive oil - A key ingredient that gives flavour to stuffed artichokes.
- Lemon - For this dish, I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice to enhance the flavors. You'll need the juice of a whole lemon to add brightness to stuffed artichokes, and an additional half lemon's worth of juice to prepare the water mixture for the prepped artichokes.
- Spring onions - If you don't have spring onions, you can use regular onions as a substitute.
How to Make Stuffed Artichokes
Prepare the Stuffing
Peel and dice the carrots to a size of 1 cm (½ inch), place them in a saucepan filled with cold water, and bring them to a boil over medium heat.
Let the carrots cook for 10 minutes while preparing the potatoes. Peel and dice the potatoes to the same size as the carrots, and then add them to the pan with the partially cooked carrots.
Continue cooking the potatoes and carrots together for an additional 10 minutes before adding the frozen peas. Cook them together for a few more minutes.
If using fresh peas, add them at the same time as the potatoes. You can check the doneness of the vegetables with a small knife. Drain the vegetables, place them in a colander, and let them cool down while preparing the artichokes.
Prepare the Artichokes
Fill a large bowl with water, flour, and lemon juice, and then set the bowl aside. Keep the lemons after juicing them as we will need them to rub on the artichokes. Remove the stem from the base of the artichoke under the leaves. You can use the artichoke stems as they taste delicious.
Simply cut away the tough outer parts with a knife, leaving only the soft center. You can enjoy them raw or cook them along with the stuffed artichokes. To prevent browning, rub the cut areas with the leftover lemon. Next, using a sharp knife, trim about 4-5 cm (2 inches) off the top of the artichoke. Remove any tough outer leaves and then discard them.
Gently pull the leaves away from the center of the artichoke, being careful not to damage them, until only the inner yellow leaves remain and you can see the choke.
Using a spoon, gently scrape away the fuzzy choke from the center of the artichoke until you reveal the clean, heart-shaped base. Discard the fuzzy choke and any other tough or inedible parts.
After cleaning the artichokes, transfer them to a bowl with lemon juice right away to prevent them from oxidizing and turning dark as you continue working.
Stuff and Cook the Artichokes
To finish the stuffing, add the chopped dill and spring onions to the cooled vegetables. Give them a stir.
To prepare the cooking liquid, mix together the juice of one freshly squeezed lemon, olive oil, ½ cup water, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
Remove the artichokes from the water and stuff the centers generously with the filling. Place the artichokes in a saucepan and then add the water, lemon, and olive oil mixture.
Bring the pan to a boil over medium heat, lower the heat, and then gently simmer for 30-35 minutes or until they become tender. After cooking, transfer the artichokes to a plate and let them cool completely. Drizzle the artichokes with olive oil and garnish with fresh dill.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- A good quality olive oil is necessary as it highlights the flavor of zeytinyağlı dishes and it will make a huge difference in flavor.
- Do not overcook the vegetables before stuffing. They should be slightly firm, so they finish cooking inside the artichokes.
- Look for artichokes that are fresh, firm, and heavy for their size. Avoid artichokes with brown spots or dry leaves, as these may indicate that they are past their prime.
- Prepare the artichokes properly - Trim the top of the artichoke and remove the stem and tough outer leaves. Use a spoon to scoop out the choke and then prepare the artichoke for stuffing.
- Soak the artichokes in water with added lemon juice and flour to prevent them from turning brown. Also, rub the cut surfaces of the artichokes with lemon and cook the artichokes in water with lemon juice to preserve their color.
- Use low heat after boiling. A gentle simmer keeps the artichokes soft without breaking them.
- Stuffed artichokes are best when served at room temperature or slightly warm. Garnish with fresh herbs or lemon wedges for a pop of color and flavor.
What to Serve with Stuffed Artichokes
You can serve Zeytinyagli Enginar Dolmasi (Stuffed Artichokes) as a main course along with some freshly baked Italian Cheese and Herb Bread or toasted Sourdough Bread and a bowl of Persian Shirazi Salad.
Alternatively, you can serve it as a part of a meze selection along with Cerkez Tavugu - Circassian Chicken, Arnavut Cigeri, and Fasulye Piyaz (Turkish Bean Salad). Zeytinyagli Enginar Dolmasi also pairs well with a side of rice, such as Turkish Rice Pilaf or Yellow Rice.
Storage and Make-Ahead
Store stuffed artichokes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They are best served at room temperature, so take them out of the fridge about 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Stuffed artichokes are ideal for making ahead. The flavour improves after a few hours and gets even better the next day.
Recipe FAQs
The leaves of an artichoke should be a vibrant green color and tightly packed together. If the leaves are wilted, discolored, or beginning to open up, it may not be fresh.
Also the leaves should feel firm and tightly packed together. If they feel soft or mushy, the artichoke may be past its prime.
For the Enginar Dolmasi recipe, it is best to use small to medium-sized globe artichokes.
These are the most common variety of artichokes, and they have a tender heart and meaty leaves that are ideal for stuffing.
Keep them in water with lemon juice while preparing. Rubbing the cut surfaces with lemon also helps prevent browning.
Related Recipes
For more delicious olive oil based "Zeytinyagli" Turkish dishes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this Turkish-style Stuffed Artichokes recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Stuffed Artichokes
Ingredients
- 4 small artichokes
- 1 small potato
- 1 small carrot
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 3 spring onions (thinly sliced)
- ⅓ cup fresh dill (finely chopped)
- 1 lemon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup water
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 5 cups water mixed with a tablespoon of flour and ½ lemon juice
Instructions
Preparing the Stuffing
- Peel and dice the carrots to a size of 1 cm (½ inch), place them in a saucepan filled with cold water, and bring them to a boil over medium heat.
- Let the carrots cook for 10 minutes while preparing the potatoes.
- Peel and dice the potatoes to the same size as the carrots, and then add them to the pan with the partially cooked carrots.
- Continue cooking the potatoes and carrots together for an additional 10 minutes before adding the frozen peas. Cook them together for a few more minutes.
- If using fresh peas, add them at the same time as the potatoes. You can check the doneness of the vegetables with a small knife.
- Drain the vegetables, place them in a colander, and let them cool down while preparing the artichokes.
Preparing the Artichokes
- Fill a large bowl with water, flour, and lemon juice and set the bowl aside. Keep the lemons after juicing them as we will need them to rub on the artichokes.
- Using a sharp knife, trim about 4-5 cm (2 inches) off the top of the artichoke.
- Next, remove the stem from the base of the artichoke under the leaves. To prevent browning, rub the cut areas with the leftover lemon.
- Remove any tough outer leaves and discard them.
- Gently pull the leaves away from the center of the artichoke, being careful not to damage them, until only the inner yellow leaves remain and you can see the choke.
- Using a spoon, gently scrape away the fuzzy choke from the center of the artichoke until you reveal the clean, heart-shaped base. Discard the fuzzy choke and any other tough or inedible parts.
- After cleaning the artichokes, transfer them to a bowl with lemon juice right away to prevent them from oxidizing and turning dark as you continue working.
Stuffing and Cooking the Artichokes
- To finish the stuffing, add the chopped dill and spring onions to the cooled vegetables. Give them a stir.
- To prepare the cooking liquid, mix together the juice of one freshly squeezed lemon, olive oil, ½ cup water, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- Remove the artichokes from the water and stuff the centers generously with the filling.
- Place the artichokes in a saucepan and add the water, lemon, and olive oil mixture.
- Bring the pan to a boil over medium heat, lower the heat, and then gently simmer for 30-35 minutes or until they become tender.
- After cooking, transfer the artichokes to a plate and let them cool completely. Drizzle the artichokes with olive oil and garnish with fresh dill.
Notes
- A good quality olive oil is necessary as it highlights the flavor of zeytinyağlı dishes, and it will make a huge difference in flavor.
- Do not overcook the vegetables before stuffing. They should be slightly firm, so they finish cooking inside the artichokes.
- Look for artichokes that are fresh, firm, and heavy for their size. Avoid artichokes with brown spots or dry leaves, as these may indicate that they are past their prime.
- Prepare the artichokes properly - Trim the top of the artichoke and remove the stem and tough outer leaves. Use a spoon to scoop out the choke and then prepare the artichoke for stuffing.
- Soak the artichokes in water with added lemon juice and flour to prevent them from turning brown. Also, rub the cut surfaces of the artichokes with lemon and cook the artichokes in water with lemon juice to preserve their color.
- Use low heat after boiling. A gentle simmer keeps the artichokes soft without breaking them.
- Stuffed artichokes are best when served at room temperature or slightly warm. Garnish with fresh herbs or lemon wedges for a pop of color and flavor.
Nutrition
Dareen says
They look and sound delicious! I will definitely try as soon as I find some artichokes!