Penne with Crispy Artichoke Hearts and Garlicky Breadcrumbs isn’t your regular meatless Monday dinner. With parmigiano reggiano, fresh garlic, herbs, sundried tomatoes and more, no one will complain there’s not enough flavor.
You can only put ‘crispy’ in the title so many times (pretty much once) so I’m really leaving out one of the best parts here.
The garlicky, crispy, toasty breadcrumbs that you sprinkle on the finished dish seriously make it.
You can’t skip them. Please. Pretty please. If you won’t listen to me, listen to Chris Farley…
These tasty little crunchies also stay crisp for a few days if you leave them on the counter uncovered on accident. whoops They’re great on all sorts of things like pasta, vegetables, fish, and more.
The beautiful thing about this tasty little meatless Monday gem, is that with all the flavorful ingredients, parmigiano reggiano, garlic, fresh herbs etc, you totally overcome that pesky little problem where artichokes “don’t go with” wine.
Evidently there is a chemical in artichokes (cynarin for us food nerds) which makes wine taste sweeter. Personally I have not experienced this. It certainly doesn’t make a chard taste like a moscato or anything that extreme.
Of course I don’t have trouble putting wine with anything, so there’s that. Perhaps the scientist who decided artichokes don’t go with wine doesn’t have children.
Wine always goes because CHILDREN.
For more delicious pasta recipes, check out:
Pesto Cavatappi
Creamy Fettucine with Veggie Ribbons

Penne with Crispy Artichoke Hearts
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 9-12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts defrosted, and pressed dry with paper towels
- ¼ cup panko
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Zest from ½ a lemon
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper or Aleppo pepper
- ¼ cup parmesan and more for serving
Instructions
- Cook penne in salted water according to package directions.
- While pasta cooks, heat oil in 12” sauté pan over medium high heat.
- Add artichokes in a single layer and let cook until golden flipping once, about three minutes each side.
- While artichokes and pasta cook, in an 8-10 inch pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until shimmering. Add panko and a pinch of salt and stir frequently until golden brown about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic to breadcrumbs and cook for 30 seconds stirring constantly then remove to a small bowl.
- Add sundried tomatoes and garlic to artichokes and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Turn heat off. Add drained pasta, parsley, lemon zest, red pepper and parmesan to artichokes and toss to combine. Taste and add salt to taste.
- Top with garlicky breadcrumbs.
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