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These Creamy Crab Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms with lemon, green onions, cheese, and a crispy breadcrumb topping make an irresistible spring and holiday appetizer. And after all the love you showed my sausage stuffed version, I knew you’d want another!
This is a people’s choice recipe! You all love my Sausage Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms recipe so much and asked for another version. . . and I answered!
I don’t blame you. Artichoke appetizers are always a hit anytime I serve them. In fact, these Baked Artichoke Hearts Oreganata is one of the most popular recipes here at Mangia with Michele.
Plus, they’re a great alternative to stuffed mushrooms for those that are allergic or not into the earthy veggie (even though I can’t imagine not loving mushrooms…but, I digress).
So, I created this creamy and cheesy, crabmeat stuffed version with green onions, lemon and a buttery, Old Bay breadcrumb topping for an easy baked appetizer that always impresses.
Oh, and these stuffed artichoke bottoms are baked in a white wine-infused cream sauce. The sauce is optional and the artichokes are just as great without it. But OMG the dipping opportunities it provides!
In fact, by roasting the stuffed artichoke bottoms in a (built-in)sauce, it becomes more of a main dish that can either be enjoyed as a hearty, hot starter or an entrée in its own right in a larger portion. And, they’re perfect as part of a hotantipasto buffet or a light lunch.
Table of Contents
Inspired by the flavors of my Baked Crab Spinach Dip (minus the spinach), this recipe comes together pretty quickly and can actually be prepped in advance and then baked when you’re ready to feast. Ideal for the holidays or anytime there’s a lot going on in the kitchen!
And, while crab stuffed artichoke bottoms are, most definitely a spring-inspired appetizer, this recipe works year-round with canned artichoke bottoms, one of my pantry staples. While I really love fresh artichokes, their short season and labor-intensive prep makes the canned version more practical for regular use.
This recipe will impress even your pickiest guests. An innovative twist on classic ingredients, flavors and textures. Meaty, creamy, hot, lemony, crunchy and hearty, crab stuffed artichoke bottoms are the real deal.
Serve them a crisp glass of prosecco, dry white wine or an Aperol spritz. Mangia bene!
More Recipes with Artichokes: Artichoke Sausage Pasta with Lemon and Basil, Crispy Fried Artichoke Hearts, Linguine with Clams and Artichokes, Pesto Tortellini Salad, Hot Artichoke Dip (without mayo) and Tortellini Antipasto Salad.
How to Make Crab Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms
- Prep Ingredients: Chop green onions; shred cheese; rinse, drain and pat both sides of the artichoke bottoms dry.
- Make Topping: Melt butter, then combine with breadcrumbs and spices.
- Make Sauce: Whisk cream, wine, salt and pepper together.
- Make Filling: Mash softened cream cheese with a fork or spoon.
- Fold in green onions, shredded cheese, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and spices.
- Next gently stir in crabmeat.
- Pour sauce on bottom of baking dish.
- Stuff artichoke bottoms with generous mound of the stuffing. Then carefully place each piece in baking dish on top of the sauce.
- Sprinkle stuffed artichokes with buttery breadcrumbs. Be generous.
- Bake at 375˚F until tops are lightly golden and the cream sauce is bubbly.
More Antipasti Favorites
If you like this canned artichoke bottoms recipe, check out these other great appetizers:
Why You’ll Love Crab Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms
- Easy to make year-round with canned artichoke bottoms
- Creamy crab filling with lemon and cheese
- Perfect holiday appetizer
- Can be prepped ahead in full or in part and then baked just before serving
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find artichoke bottoms in the canned vegetable section of the supermarket, right next to the hearts, or buy them online. Sometimes, Trader Joe’s or specialty market will carry frozen artichoke bottoms, which is also a great option.
Be sure to buy plain (not marinated) artichoke bottoms in a water brine.
Artichoke hearts are great, but do not have a large enough cavity to hold all of the stuffing in this recipe. So, they will not work here.
But, if your craving artichoke hearts and something creamy, check out my Baked Artichoke Dip–and feel free to add some crab to it!
These two are almost the same thing, but in a different presentation.
The artichoke bottom is the underside of the artichoke heart that is connected to the stem. It’s larger and meatier than the heart but without the leaves to deal with and with a little cavity that’s perfect for stuffing. They’re also great for cutting down into smaller pieces due to their larger size. Like all meaty, edible parts of the artichoke, the bottoms have a delicious flavor and a tender texture.
Yes, you definitely can. They will need to be 100% thawed out and also patted as dry as possible.
Yes. The filling mixture can be made in advance and held, covered, in the refrigerator for one day until you’re ready to use it. Similarly, the artichoke bottoms can be stuffed and held, unbaked, in the refrigerator for up to one day before baking.
TOP TIPS for Crab Stuffed Artichokes
- Artichokes: Every now and then, you may get an artichoke bottom that still has the choke in it and has not been scooped out. If this happens, just use a small spoon and gently scoop the center out.
- Be sure to buy plain (not marinated) artichoke bottoms in a water brine. Frozen can also be used.
- Crab: There’s no need to use the more expensive lump or jumbo lump crab meat in this recipe, unless you really want to. Their signature chunky texture will get lost once mixed with the other ingredients.
- Backfin, claw or “special” crab meat are great options.
- Sauce Optional: I love this recipe with the creamy wine sauce, but you can omit it and still have a wonderful dish. Just rub some butter or olive oil on the bottom of the baking dish (or line with parchment) before placing the stuffed bottoms in it.
- Yield and Serving Size: Two (14.1-ounce) cans of artichoke bottoms in brine yields anywhere from 14-18 or so artichoke bottoms in varying sizes.
- I figured about three per person for a serving, but this can be more or less based on what else is being served, if they are an appetizer or part of a main course, etc. Plan accordingly.
- Leftovers: To store leftovers, cool the stuffed artichoke bottoms completely, then refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them in a freezer container for up to 3 months.
- Serving Suggestions: Enjoy this holiday appetizer recipe at hot or at room temperature. It’s perfect as a hot antipasto/starter and can also be more of a main course in a larger portion. Serve with bread to sop up the delicious pan sauce.
Creamy Crab Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms
Equipment
- Cheese grater (optional)
- Stem Thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 (14-ounces) cans artichoke bottoms, drained and patted dry (7 to 9 bottoms per can)
For the Topping:
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Pinch Old Bay Seasoning or paprika
- Pinch salt and black pepper
For the Sauce: (optional, see Notes.)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- Pinch salt and black (or white) pepper
For the Filling:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- ⅔ cup chopped green onions , (both white and green parts)
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese , (about 3 ounces)
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp Old Bay seafood seasoning
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Pinch crushed red pepper, (optional)
- 4 ounces crabmeat, (See Notes.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F and arrange a rack in the center of the oven. (Use the convection setting if you have it.) Then, prep all ingredients according to specifications above. Rinse, drain and pat the tops and bottom of the artichoke bottoms dry with a paper towel.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)2 (14-ounces) cans artichoke bottoms
- Make Topping: Melt butter, then pour it into small bowl with breadcrumbs. Add spices and mix. Set aside.¼ cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp melted butter, Pinch Old Bay Seasoning or paprika , Pinch salt and black pepper
- Make Sauce: Whisk heavy cream, wine, salt and pepper together in a small bowl and set aside.¼ cup heavy cream, dry white wine, Pinch salt and black (or white) pepper
- Make Filling: Place softened cream cheese in a bowl and mash it with a fork or spoon. Then add the green onions, shredded cheese, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and spices and mix well. Next fold in the crab and stir gently until all ingredients are well-combined. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the ingredients to meld together before stuffing the bottoms.4 ounces cream cheese, ⅔ cup chopped green onions , ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese , ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs , 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp Old Bay seafood seasoning , ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp black pepper, Pinch crushed red pepper, 4 ounces crabmeat
- Pour the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish that is large enough to hold all the artichoke bottoms. Or use more than one baking dish.
- If you haven’t already, drain and pat the tops and bottoms of the artichoke bottoms dry. Then, use a small spoon to stuff the artichokes with a generous mound of the stuffing. (See photo above.) As each bottom is stuffed, carefully place it in the baking dish on top of the sauce.NOTE: The artichokes can touch each other and, since the bottoms are not really flat, it may help to have them lean on each other so that they do not fall over. Try to use a baking dish in which the artichokes fit closely together without much or any space next to each other.
- Once the stuffed artichokes are nestled in the baking dish, sprinkle the buttery breadcrumb topping over each one. Be generous.
- Then, transfer the baking dish to the 375˚F preheated oven and roast for 35-40 minutes or so, uncovered, until the breadcrumb tops are lightly golden and the cream sauce is bubbly.
- Let the roasted stuffed artichoke bottoms rest for 5-10 minutes to set. Then either serve them in the baking dish (easier) or transfer them to a serving platter. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Two (14.1-ounce) cans of artichoke bottoms in brine yields anywhere from 14-18 or so artichoke bottoms in varying sizes.
- I figured about three per person for a serving, but this can be more or less based on what else is being served, if they are an appetizer or part of a main course, etc. Plan accordingly.
- Every now and then, you may get an artichoke bottom that still has the choke in it and has not been scooped out. If this happens, just use a small spoon and gently scoop the center out.
- The artichokes are rinsed in order to remove some of the salt from the brine.
- And, it’s important that the artichokes be as dry as possible before being stuffed, so don’t forget to pat them dry well with paper towels.
- There’s no need to use the more expensive lump or jumbo lump crab meat in this recipe, unless you really want to. Their signature chunky texture will get lost once mixed with the other ingredients.
- Backfin, claw or “special” crab meat are great options.
- “Special” crab is made up of small pieces of crab meat from the body of blue crabs and is perfect for this.
- The filling mixture can be made in advance and held, covered, in the refrigerator for one day until you’re ready to use it.
- Similarly, the artichoke bottoms can be stuffed and held, unbaked, in the refrigerator for up to one day before baking.
- While you technically can freeze the unbaked artichoke bottom, I do not recommend it as it will compromise the quality and texture of the dish. (It may become very soggy.)
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In your ingredient list you show 1/4 cup Panko for the crumb topping. In the directions, it says to add Panko to the crab stuffing, however it does not show add’l Panko in you ingredient list. Do we add part of the Panko crumb topping to the stuffing mix and if not, how much should be added?
Thank you.
Hi Kristine, Yes, you need ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs for the filling. It is listed as the 4th ingredient under “FOR THE FILLING”. Enjoy the recipe!
Creamy and delicious–everyone always asks for the recipe!