Crispy Artichoke Pasta

By Andy Baraghani

Updated March 12, 2025

  • Emma Fishman for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
35 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(2,742)
Comments
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Fast enough for a Tuesday night mad dash to dinner, this pantry pasta tastes more like a restaurant dish — and no one has to deal with trimming and pruning a spiky artichoke. Instead, canned artichokes are brought to the peak of their crispy potential. The key is to remove as much water from the artichokes as possible by pressing them gently with paper towels (as you would tofu). Some of the artichokes are fried in olive oil until shatteringly crisp, then the rest cook gently in more oil, along with garlic and chile flakes, to soften. They’re all mixed with pasta and Parmesan into a stunning weeknight meal. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings 

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 1 pound short cut pasta, such as rigatoni or gemelli

  • Two (14-ounce) cans whole or quartered artichoke hearts

  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 

  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

  • ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley 

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

108 grams carbs; 36 milligrams cholesterol; 912 calories; 24 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 42 grams fat; 15 grams fiber; 878 milligrams sodium; 28 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then season generously with salt. Cook the pasta until a bit firmer than al dente, about 2 minutes less than listed on the package. (It’ll finish cooking in the sauce.) Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, then drain.

  2. Step 2

    While the water comes to a boil, drain the artichokes and place on a clean kitchen towel (or paper towels). Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels), and gently press down to remove the excess water. Give the artichokes a rough chop.

  3. Step 3

    Line a plate with paper towels. Set another large pot over medium-high heat, and pour in ¼ cup oil. When the oil is hot, after 1 to 2 minutes, add one-third of the artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply brown and crisp in most spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the artichokes, transfer to the lined plate and season with salt.

  4. Step 4

    Adjust heat to medium, add the remaining ¼ cup oil and the remaining artichokes to the pot, along with the garlic and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to soften and everything smells very good, 2 to 3 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Add the drained pasta and 1 ½ cups of the pasta water and bring to a simmer, still over medium heat. (This may seem like a lot of liquid, but it will thicken when the remaining ingredients are added.) Add the butter and sprinkle in the Parmesan and continue to cook, tossing vigorously, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and clings to the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. If the sauce looks too thick, add more pasta water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  6. Step 6

    Divide among bowls or plates. Sprinkle the reserved crispy artichokes and more Parmesan on top before serving.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,742 user ratings
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Comments

Cat S.

Fantastic recipe. We used frozen artichokes: make sure to blot the water. Hate to be one of those people who alter the recipe but adding leeks (1) and bacon (8 oz) made this complete.

Cali Jane

I’m going to make this with frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained. They taste better than canned.

Tim

I'd happily eat this, but ... Needs more pancetta or guanciale (or bacon in a pinch). Could also cut back on the oil a bit and fatten it up with a bit of heavy cream or creme fraiche. Lemon zest would also be welcome.

Mo

I used Trader Joe's organic lemon oil torchietti pasta, and found the lemon flavored pasta was great with the artichoke sauce made as directed.

Chuckee

The parmesan turned into big glops and the sauce didn't thicken. I added a couple handfuls of arugula instead of parsley, and forgot the lemon and herbs entirely. It was still delicious.

Steve

This would probably taste much better if using anything other than canned artichokes. Also, the fried artichokes look like crickets atop the pasta 💀

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