These early days of March find me searching for signs of spring. Maybe that’s why the shamrocks and kelly green of St. Patrick’s celebrations appeal to me. Friends have invited us to a St. Patrick’s Day party and asked that we bring a finger food to share. I dug up this recipe for Artichoke Squares from my trusty old recipe box. Artichokes are classic springtime vegetables, and the golden color of the finished squares may remind me of treasure from a leprechaun.
My friend Lynne shared this recipe with me years ago. And I’ve continued to make the artichoke squares ever since. We love their taste and texture. They carry the enticing tangy flavor of the marinade and have a great consistency. They are light yet substantial. Plus, many of the ingredients are things I usually have in my pantry.
I’ve adapted the recipe over time, switching out panko crumbs and additional dried herbs for the seasoned breadcrumbs in the original. I doubled the garlic I also made a slight tweak to the cooking method. I sauté the chopped onion to a soft stage before adding the minced garlic to the skillet.
When Lynne first wrote out the directions for the squares, marinated artichoke heart quarters typically came in 6-ounce jars. I could scoop 3 bottles off a grocery shelf and not have to think further. These days I find various sizes of marinated artichoke heart quarters in the stores. I just measure out the equivalent of the 18 combined ounces and go from there.
Easy Preparation Steps
The initial step of sautéing chopped onion in a bit of the artichoke marinating liquid is so smart. I like the frugality of this method. Plus, it adds the herby and slightly vinegar-tinged flavor of the marinade to the cooking onions and garlic.
Once the onion and garlic are soft and have been set aside, the easy assembly of the rest of the ingredients commences. 
After beating eggs with seasonings, you simply add the breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, cheese, and artichokes to a mixing bowl. The last step is adding the cooked onions and garlic. Then mixture is ready to transfer to a greased baking pan to transform in the oven.
Adapting Size and Yield
Lynne added a note to my recipe card that the original recipe had called for baking the squares in a 9 X 9 inch pan. But she used a 15 X 10 inch pan for thinner squares. She liked how the recipe went further this way. I decided on a size between these two options, a 13 X 9 inch baking pan. 
You can fiddle with thicker, thinner, more, or fewer squares in a pan that suits your tastes. The recipe is very flexible that way.
I like that this recipe also works well to make ahead. After the baked artichoke mixture cools, you can cut it into bars, transfer the squares to a covered container and refrigerate them for a day or two. 
Lynne and I prefer the bars at cool room temperature, but you can also briefly reheat them in a 325 degree F oven, if you want to serve them warm. She suggests garnishing the serving platter with fresh parsley sprigs. That extra touch of green works well any season of the year.
At the end of the recipe that Lynne shared, she wrote, “Good luck!” And I’ve had great luck with these artichoke squares for a long time. I hope you do, too.
Artichoke Squares
Sunnyside Cook
Ingredients
- 3 6-ounce bottles of marinated artichoke heart quarters in oil chopped in ½-inch pieces *
- 3 tablespoons of marinating liquid from artichoke jar
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ½ pound sharp cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- *Remember to keep 3 tablespoons of the marinating liquid for the recipe. If the marinated artichokes are in a larger jar, measure out 18 ounces with liquid, or 14 ounces (about 3 cups), drained.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Spray the insides of a 9 X 13 pan with nonstick spray, such as Pam.
- Measure out 3 tablespoons of the marinating liquid from the artichoke jar and put in the bottom of a medium skillet. Drain the remaining artichokes, then chop into ½ inch pieces. If you run across especially tough artichoke leaves while doing so, discard them.
- Heat the skillet with the marinating liquid in it over medium heat, add the chopped onion, and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes, stirring every now and then. Add the minced garlic to the onions and cook an additional 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the stove and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until they are foamy. Add the oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and Tabasco and whisk until well incorporated. Blend in the breadcrumbs. Next add the parsley, then the grated cheese, stirring with a fork to make sure everything is distributed evenly. Add the chopped artichokes to the egg mixture and stir gently. Add the cooked onions and garlic to the bowl and blend in well.
- Spread the artichoke mixture into the greased 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, until a light golden color around the edges.
- Cool for 1 hour. Cut into squares the size that you like. If making ahead of time, store refrigerated in a covered container.
This is very similar to my Sicilian family recipe but mine calls for 1 cup mixture of Parmesan and mozzarella. Delicious!!!
I was just in Sicily where artichokes were the seasonal vegetable. So not just Irish but also Italian.
I remember these fondly! I’ll have to give them a try.