Stuffing vegetables is an easy to way to make a meatless main dish centerpiece eye-catching and special. Recipes like stuffed zucchini, or acorn squash, draw diners to these vegetables like no other recipes can.
Tomatoes are perfect for stuffing because of their big, round, silhouettes. Even more enticing is the that tomatoes need not be cooked for as long as other “stuffing” vegetables.
Stuffed Tomato Variations
For a side dish or first course dish, cook the fillings as directed but do not cook the tomatoes themselves. Serve diners a small tomato each on a bed of lettuce.
As a main dish, stuffed tomatoes are healthy and filling. Allow 2 large or 3 small tomatoes/halves per person.
Stuffed Tomato Recipes
Stuffed tomatoes are perfect for summer dinners when tomatoes are abundant undergo minimal transportation from farm to table. Round out the meal with other seasonal sides like corn on the cob, potato salad, or hearty avocado-bean salsa. The stuffing recipes below are:
- Lime Black Bean and Rice Salad (vegan)
- Sun-dried Tomato Couscous (lacto-vegetarian)
Preparing Tomatoes for Stuffing
Ingredients:
- Fresh, round, ripe tomatoes (quantity as needed for recipe)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF / 190ºC.
- Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally. Gently scoop out pulp and set aside; reserve for stuffing tomatoes or save for another use.
- Invert tomato shells on paper towel or dish towel to drain.
- Scoop filling into empty tomato cavities (tops and bottoms), packing it gently and firmly.
- Bake in a large (11” x 7”) shallow oiled baking dish, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Tomatoes should still be firm and hold their shape and the filling should be heated through.
Variation: Instead of cutting tomatoes in half and filling both halves, try cutting the tomato about ¼ of the way down, leaving a larger “shell” and a smaller “cap”. Fill the tomatoes as above. Place the cap back on top before baking.
Lime Black Bean and Rice Salad Stuffed Tomato Recipe
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 8 large tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp (5 ml) grated lime rind
- 3 Tbsp. (45 ml) fresh lime juice
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (may substitute a milder pepper if desired)
- 1 (540 ml, 19 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro or parsley (optional)
Directions:
- Prepare 8 large tomatoes for stuffing as per instructions, above. Reserve pulp for this recipe.
- Bring vegetable stock to a boil.
- Add rice and cook 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
- To make dressing, whisk together oil, lime rind, lime juice, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and minced garlic. Blend in reserved tomato pulp and hot pepper.
- Toss the dressing with hot rice. Stir in the beans, green onions and cilantro/parsley.
- Bake as described above.
Sun-dried Tomato Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 large, round tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (dried, not the kind packed in oil)
- 1 cup uncooked couscous
- ¼ cup shredded cheese (try parmesan or mozzarella)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh mint leaves
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Directions:
- Prepare tomatoes according to directions, above.
- In a small saucepan, bring vegetable broth and sun-dried tomatoes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
- Stir in cheese, basil, mint and pepper. Gently add reserved tomato pulp.
- Bake 15-20 minutes, as described above.
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