Stuffed Tomatoes
A Pesto Stuffed Tomato Recipe With All the Flavors of Summer
Tomatoes are cored and hollowed, then stuffed with pesto, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in this elegant, yet easy, stuffed tomato recipe.
This stuffed tomato recipe is best in the summer when good-quality fresh tomatoes are plentiful. If you don't have your own garden, shop at local fruit stands and farmer's markets for the best tomatoes. Or ask your friends with gardens to share their harvest. Once the tomatoes start coming, many gardeners are only too happy to share their crop.
Use any large, juice tomatoes you can find for these Italian stuffed tomatoes, such as beefsteak, heirloom, yellow, etc. Do not use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes for this recipe, as they will be too small.
This recipe calls for Panko (Japanese bread crumbs), because they are large and airy, making them an excellent bread crumb for absorbing the other flavors in this recipe and providing a good contrasting crunch. However, if you can't find Panko in your local grocery store, feel free to use any variety of Italian bread crumbs you can find.
Homemade basil or spinach pesto will give these stuffed tomatoes the best flavor. But if you're in a rush, any brand of jarred pesto will work fine in this recipe.
Serve these stuffed baked tomatoes with chicken marsala or Italian chicken saltimbocca and fresh green beans with sea salt for a fresh and flavorful summer dinner that can't be beat.
Stuffed Tomatoes
- 4 large tomatoes, any variety
- 1/4 cup pesto (homemade or your favorite jarred pesto)
- 1/4 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Core the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds and inner flesh. Mix the pesto, Panko, parsley, garlic and olive oil in a small mixing bowl. Divide the mixture evenly among the tomatoes. Bake for 20 minutes. Top each tomato with one tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. Bake another 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving (using homemade spinach pesto): 320 calories, 23 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 14 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 15 g protein, 186% vitamin A, 123% vitamin C, 38% calcium, 25% iron
You may also be interested in these healthy side dish recipes: Green Beans and Tomatoes, Rustic Tomato Pie with Kale Pesto, Mini Tomato Tarts, Summer Vegetable Tart, Savory Zucchini Tart, Grilled Vegetables, Tomato Soup with Red Peppers, Tomato Salsa Recipe, Oven Fried Zucchini and , Un-Fried Zucchini and Prosciutto Bites.
