You all know I love food. Today I LOVE food and I love these Caprese Stuffed Tomatoes – definitely my favorite meal of the day.
I picked up these gorgeous tomatoes from Costco yesterday, because my garden tomatoes are not ripening at any sort of pace that I would deem acceptable for the end of summer. I wanted tomatoes, so here I sit with like 12 tomatoes in a house full of people who don’t care for tomatoes.
Why Stuffed Tomatoes?
In my last cookbook, I wrote a recipe for stuffed tomatoes with ground beef, spinach, feta, and spices and it’s delish. This time I wanted a vegetarian version that highlights more tomato taste and one that was a little lighter. Keeping the cheese was a must.
Tomatoes are so versatile and I think they are overlooked. Sure, we use them in sauce and ketchup, but they are so much more than a garnish – I just love everything about them.
Years ago, I started writing a cookbook with just tomato recipes. Then life happened and I never finished it. Maybe one day I will.
Tomatoes are the perfect stuffing vegetable. I’m loving stuffed zucchini as well, but I love how quickly they soften and almost melt when you cut into them.
Stuffed Tomato Variations
Let’s say you don’t want this as a side dish, but as a main dish. Here are some ways to change it up.
- Add small bits of pepperoni to the mix to make it a pizza stuffed tomato.
- Add cooked sausage and finely chopped green bell pepper instead of the basil.
- Add ground beef, cooked down baby spinach, and swap out the mozzarella for feta for a Greek twist.
Anyway you cook it up, it’s going to taste amazing. If you try Caprese Stuffed Tomatoes and you like them, add a comment below and let me know!
Print
Caprese Stuffed Tomatoes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
4, medium sized round tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup diced yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon extra Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cubed fresh mozzarella (can use fresh or whole milk)
2 tablespoons fresh basil, shredded into thin strips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F
Prepare Tomatoes: Cut the top of the tomato off, just about 1/4″ off the top and scoop out the insides of the tomatoes with a spoon, careful not to break the outside skin. Save the pulp, but you can toss any extra liquid that remains. Chop the pulp and tops of the tomatoes and set to the side.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and the onions. Saute just until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato pulp and the garlic and let it simmer for4-5 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates and the tomato mixture becomes thicker.
Remove from heat and add to a mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, seasoning, salt, mozzarella, and basil and gently stir together. Divide the filling into 4 even portions and fill the tomatoes.
Place the tomatoes into a small baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the tomato is very soft.
Serve warm.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes