Stuffed Tomatoes

These Stuffed Tomatoes are a fun and easy baked tomato recipe that require simple ingredients and are perfect for those cozy dinner trays! In summer and early fall and honestly anytime tomatoes look bright and juicy and ready to use and all I want to do is cook.

I can not get enough tomato salads and baked tomatoes and fresh appetizers and little savory bites and all of it. But sometimes we just do not have as much time as we want and with all of the weeknight errands and school pickups and grocery runs and family plans.

If you love tomato recipes then try our Tomato Fritters for another simple way to use fresh tomatoes. So these Stuffed Tomatoes are one of our favorite easy baked recipes to make!

Ingredients

Here is what I use for this recipe and you can adjust nuts or spices based on preference:

• Large ripe tomatoes: They become the juicy edible cups and soften around the savory filling.
• Cooked rice: It gives the filling body and absorbs tomato juices as the tomatoes bake.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese: It melts through the rice and creates soft creamy pockets inside each tomato.
• Grated Parmesan cheese: It adds salty depth and helps the tops brown lightly in the oven.
• Small yellow onion: It adds sweetness and a soft savory base to the filling.
• Garlic cloves: They bring warm flavor that spreads through the rice mixture.
• Olive oil: It softens the onion and helps the filling stay moist.
• Fresh parsley: It adds fresh color and a clean herbal finish to the filling.
• Dried oregano: It gives the tomatoes a classic savory herb flavor.
• Salt: It balances the tomato sweetness and seasons the rice filling.
• Black pepper: It adds gentle warmth and keeps the filling from tasting flat.
• Tomato pulp: It adds moisture and keeps the filling connected to the tomato flavor.

Tools You’ll Need

• Sharp knife: Used to slice the tomato tops cleanly and trim the centers.
• Spoon: Used to scoop the tomato pulp while keeping the tomato shells intact.
• Cutting board: Provides a steady surface for chopping onion and garlic and parsley.
• Cast iron skillet: Used to soften the onion and tomato pulp before mixing the filling.
• Mixing bowl: Holds the rice and cheese filling while the ingredients are folded together.
• Ceramic baking dish: Keeps the filled tomatoes upright as they bake and soften.
• White plate: Used for serving one finished tomato as a single portion.

Instructions

Step 1: Hollow the tomatoes

Slice the tops from the 4 large tomatoes and scoop out the centers while keeping the tomato walls thick enough to hold the filling. The tomatoes change from whole firm fruit into uneven hollow cups with jagged edges and a small pile of chopped tomato pulp ready for the filling.

Tip: Leave a thick tomato wall so each tomato holds its shape and turns tender without collapsing while it bakes.

Step 2: Soften the onion and tomato pulp

Cook the chopped onion and garlic with olive oil and chopped tomato pulp until the mixture looks glossy and soft. The sharp raw pieces turn into a moist savory base with translucent onion bits and tomato juices spreading through the pan.

Tip: Cook the onion until glossy and soft so the filling tastes sweet and tender instead of sharp and crunchy.

Step 3: Fold the rice and cheese filling

Fold the cooked rice into the softened tomato mixture with mozzarella and Parmesan and parsley and oregano and salt and pepper. The filling changes from separate parts into a thick speckled mixture with white cheese streaks and green herbs showing between the rice grains.

Tip: Fold gently so the rice stays fluffy and the cheese remains in visible pockets instead of turning into a paste.

Step 4: Fill the tomato cups

Spoon the rice filling into the 4 hollowed tomatoes and let some of the filling mound above the rims. The hollow tomato cups become structured and full with uneven domes of rice and cheese sitting higher in some tomatoes than others.

Tip: Mound the filling slightly above the rims because it settles as the tomatoes soften and the cheese melts.

Step 5: Bake until soft and browned

Bake the filled tomatoes until the skins wrinkle and the cheese melts into the rice and the tops turn lightly golden in uneven spots. The tomatoes change from firm filled cups into tender baked tomatoes with softened sides and browned cheese edges.

Tip: Bake until the tomato skins wrinkle and the tops brown in spots for the best tender texture and savory flavor.

Step 6: Serve one tomato cut open

Transfer one baked tomato to a plate and cut it open so the tender rice filling and melted cheese show inside. The final portion looks homemade and juicy with soft tomato walls and uneven browned top pieces and filling spilling slightly onto the plate.

Tip: Let the tomatoes rest briefly before cutting so the filling stays moist while still showing the tender inside.

Pro Tips

• Choose tomatoes that feel heavy and firm so they hold the rice filling while still baking into juicy tender cups.
• Use day old cooked rice when possible because it holds its shape better and keeps the filling fluffy.
• Do not overfill the dish with extra liquid because the tomatoes release juices as they bake and soften.
• Add the cheese in small handfuls while folding so it melts into uneven pockets instead of clumping together.

Storage Instructions

Store leftover Stuffed Tomatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let the tomatoes cool before covering so steam does not make the filling watery. Reheat them in a covered baking dish until warmed through and the cheese softens again. For meal prep and make ahead cooking and assemble the tomatoes one day early and bake them fresh before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

See You in the Kitchen

I hope you try these Stuffed Tomatoes soon!

It is a simple recipe that looks beautiful and tastes incredible and makes every occasion a little more special alongside Caprese Skewers or Grilled Zucchini Chickpea Salad.

Don’t forget to share your results or save this recipe for later it is one worth keeping.

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