Baked Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Baked stuffed tomatoes is a classic recipe that is often served in the summer when there are plenty of fresh picked, ripe tomatoes around. However, this dish is also popular in the autumn and winter months when comfort foods are extremely popular.

Ripe juicy tomatoes are hollowed out and then filled with a parmesan-bread crumb filling that is seasoned with Italian herbs. Then Mozzarella cheese is added on top and the tomatoes are put in the oven to bake.

Then within 15 minutes, the tomatoes become slightly softened and warmed throughout. The tomatoes can then be served as a vegetarian main course, side dish, or as a delicious appetizer to share with friends.

Best of all they are easy to make and are prepared very similar to Baked Stuffed Peppers. Simply cut the tops off of the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Then, fill the tomatoes with the stuffing mixture.

Place the stuffed tomatoes in a baking dish and top them with cheese. Then place them in a preheated oven and bake until the tomatoes are tender and the stuffing is cooked through.

The tomatoes can be enjoyed on their own or served with a variety of sides, such as rice, pasta, or potatoes. They can also be topped with a sauce, such as tomato sauce, marinara sauce, or pesto to add even more flavor.

Tips For Making Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

Although this recipe is simple and straightforward, there are a few tips for making the tomatoes turn out perfect every time.

1. Choose ripe, firm tomatoes. In order for the tomatoes to hold the filling you must choose just ripe tomatoes that are still firm. This is not the time to use those soft, over ripe tomatoes.

2. Coring the tomatoes. The easiest way to core the tomatoes is to run a small spoon around the inside edge and then scoop out the seeds and flesh. A serrated pairing knife works great to remove firmer pieces.

3. Do not pierce the outer flesh. Be careful not to puncturing through the outer skin. This will cause the juices and/or filling to leak out.

4. Slightly overstuff the tomatoes. As the tomato begins to soften the stuffing will expand inside and fill the hole. Therefore slightly mound the stuffing above the hole as you are filling it.

5. Pack the stuffing mixture tightly. Use a teaspoon to pack the stuffing tightly into the hole.

6. Use the insides of the tomato in the stuffing. After scooping out the center pulp of the tomato, dice it and add it to the stuffing mixture. This not only adds flavor to the filling, but also adds moisture to soften the breadcrumbs.

7. Drizzle the outside with olive oil. Before placing the tomatoes in the oven, drizzle olive oil over the outside of the tomatoes. This will help the tomato cook on the outside as well as on the inside.

What Variety Of Tomatoes To Use

When making baked stuffed tomatoes, you will want to use tomatoes that are medium in size, approximately 2-2 1/2 inches in circumference. Choose tomatoes that have a fairly flat base so that they sit in the baking dish without falling over.

In addition, pick just ripe tomatoes that have firm walls. You do not want to use tomatoes that are soft or have bruising.

If purchasing tomatoes look for tomatoes on the vine. They are sold in a cluster with the tomatoes still attached to the stem.

They are the perfect size tomato for this recipe. Not to mention, they are nice and firm and can be hollowed out easily.

However, if you are looking to serve the tomatoes as an appetizer, it is best to use Campari tomatoes. They are smaller in size, but are firm enough to hold the filling.

Stuffing Ingredients

There are many different ways to make baked stuffed tomatoes. Although this recipe includes a simple cheese and breadcrumb mixture, you can switch up the ingredients to make the dish however you prefer.

Here are some different combinations that are commonly used to stuff tomatoes:

• Bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and herbs
• Rice, ground beef, onions, garlic, and tomato sauce
• Sausage, wilted spinach, and cheese
• Quinoa, black beans, corn, and salsa
• Couscous, feta cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes

Just be sure that if you are using any type of meat in your filling that it is cooked before adding it to the mixture. And the same holds true for the rice, quinoa or pasta.

How To Make Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

1. Clean the tomatoes. Wash and dry the tomatoes, removing any dirt from the outer surface.

2. Cut the center out of the tomatoes. Slice off the top of each tomato and then use a metal teaspoon, scoop out the inner flesh. Be sure to leave about a 1/4-inch on the bottom and inside walls.

3. Separate the seeds from the tomato flesh. Discard the seeds and transfer the flesh to a cutting board. Dice the flesh and place it in a medium size mixing bowl.

4. Make the filling. Add the remaining filling ingredients to the bowl and then mix well to combine.

5. Stuff the tomatoes. Season the inside of the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Then fill the tomatoes with stuffing. Drizzle the outside with olive oil and top with shredded cheese.

6. Bake. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish and then place the dish in a preheated oven. Bake for exactly 12 minutes.

7. Serve. Carefully remove from the oven and then garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Air Fryer Instructions

Instead of using your oven, baked stuffed tomatoes can also be made in an air fryer. The instructions are included below:

Preheat air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 370°F for 4 minutes. Then spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray.

Air fry. Place the tomatoes in the basket being sure to leave space between each one. Air fry until the tomatoes are tender and the filling is heated through. However, depending on the size of your air fryer the cook time can range from 10-14 minutes.

Serve. Use tongs to carefully remove the stuffed tomatoes from the air fryer and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

* Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to read the entire article for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 firm round tomatoes
• ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• ⅓ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• ¼ cup onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, more for drizzling
• 2 tsp fresh basil leaves chopped
• 2 tsp fresh parsley, plus more for garnish (optional)
• 1⁄2 tsp dried oregano
• salt and pepper
• 3 Tbsp mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200°C). Then spray an 8 X 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, add the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon Mozzarella cheese. Then mix to combine.

Cut the tops off and hollow out the tomato by removing the core, then remove the pulp and seeds with a spoon or serrated knife.

Dice the pulp and add it to the bowl with the bread crumb mixture. Gently mix until well combined.

Fill each tomato with stuffing and then place them in prepared baking dish. Drizzle each tomato with olive oil. Then sprinkle the top of each tomato with mozzarella cheese.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes. If you are using smaller tomatoes, decrease the bake time to 10 minutes.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the baked stuffed tomatoes sit for 2 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

ENJOY!

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