Artichoke hearts are one of those ingredients I keep in my pantry pretty much always, and for a long time I just threw them into pasta or salads without thinking much about it. Then I tried roasting them at high heat — cut side down, enough fat to really coat them — and everything changed. The outer leaves go almost chip-like. The cut face caramelizes. It’s a completely different texture than what comes out of the can.
This version layers on brown butter and garlic, which sounds fancy but takes about four minutes and one small saucepan. A toaster oven baking pan with a little wire rack insert is what makes the bottom edges actually crisp instead of sitting in their own moisture, and I really do think that rack makes a meaningful difference here. Worth digging out of the drawer.
The lemon aioli takes two minutes to stir together and you can make it ahead. It’s lemony and garlicky and does exactly what a dipping sauce is supposed to do — makes you eat more artichokes than you planned to. I’ve served these as a starter before a dinner party and also just eaten the whole pan standing at the counter on a Tuesday, so, you know. Works for every occasion.
You’ll want a toaster oven with convection or a roast setting for the best results — that circulating air is what takes these from good to actually great. But even a basic toaster oven at its highest setting will get you somewhere worth going.
Toaster Oven Crispy Brown Butter Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Aioli
Canned artichoke hearts roasted at high heat in the toaster oven until the edges go golden and crispy, finished with brown butter, garlic, and a shower of Parmesan. Served with a quick lemon aioli for dipping.
Ingredients
Artichokes
Lemon Aioli
Instructions
Get Everything Ready
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Preheat your toaster oven to 425°F on the roast or bake setting. Line the toaster oven baking pan with foil and set a small wire rack on top if you have one — it helps air circulate so the bottoms actually crisp up instead of steaming.
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Drain the artichoke hearts and cut each one in half lengthwise. This part matters: spread them out on a clean kitchen towel or a double layer of paper towels and press down firmly. Give them a full 5 minutes to dry out. Wet artichokes = sad, soggy artichokes.
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Mix the aioli now so the flavors can mellow. Stir together the mayo, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated garlic, and salt. Taste it. If you want more lemon, add it. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
Make the Brown Butter
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Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat on your stovetop. Keep cooking it, swirling the pan every 30 seconds or so, until it smells nutty and the milk solids turn a medium amber — about 3 to 4 minutes. Pull it off the heat immediately and stir in the minced garlic. It'll sizzle. That's what you want. Let it sit for a minute so the garlic softens in the residual heat without burning.
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Add the olive oil to the brown butter mixture and stir to combine. This keeps the butter from going too dark in the oven.
Roast the Artichokes
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Toss the dried artichoke hearts with the brown butter-garlic mixture, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Make sure every piece is coated.
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Arrange the artichokes cut-side down on your prepared pan, leaving a little space between each one. Don't crowd them or they'll steam instead of roast.
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Roast at 425°F for 15 minutes, then flip each piece. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top and roast for another 6 to 7 minutes until the cheese is golden and some of the outer leaves are deeply browned and crunchy at the tips. Your toaster oven may run hot — check at the 5-minute mark after flipping.
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Pull them out, scatter the parsley over everything, and get them on the table fast. They're best when they're still crackling.
Notes
Drying the artichoke hearts is not optional if you actually want crispy edges — skip it and you'll get something closer to braised. I use a salad spinner first and then the towel method.
Parmesan timing: add it too early and it burns before the artichokes are done. The last 6-7 minutes is the sweet spot.
If your toaster oven only has a bake setting (no roast), crank it as high as it goes — 450°F if possible — and add 2 to 3 minutes to the total time.
Leftovers reheat surprisingly well at 400°F for about 5 minutes. They won't be quite as crackling-crispy as fresh but they're still good. Don't microwave them.
Nutrition
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Written by
Emma is a home cook who loves coaxing big flavor out of a toaster oven — from crispy roasted vegetables to easy weeknight dinners and sweet treats. She develops and tests Toastera's recipes for small-appliance kitchens.
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