All the flavors of spring are in these vegan stuffed tomatoes that are packed with protein.
Iamsofrigginreadyforspring.
I’m ready for the one pathetic spot my daffodils came back up this year to bloom (seriously, do they not realize how hard it was to plant their bulbous asses? They couldn’t even give me 2 years in a row?)
I’m ready to stop having to look at sad puppy dog eyes every afternoon because someone is stir crazy from not getting enough exercise over the past 5 months.
I’m ready for some color on my pasty white body that I’m pretty sure blinded people on the bike trail yesterday as I ran in shorts and a tank top.
I’m not ready for the insane allergies that are going to plague me in about 6 weeks though. Be thankful our relationship is behind the computer screen because otherwise you’d be staring at one snotty, watery eyed, throat scratching mess with a tissue shoved up my nose at all times. #hotness
And, I’m ready for fresh herbs from my own pots outside so I can stop paying an arm and a leg for 3 sprigs of basil.
In fact, I deemed this basil purchase the last one. It was a pretty good way to go out though.
Laura posted a recipe for vegan goat cheese stuffed tomatoes last week that caught my eye. I don’t usually make stuff vegan on purpose having no reason to, but I’ll gladly eat that way if it tastes good. We ate these along side a skirt steak though so I’m thinking the vegan-ness got cancelled out. Oops.
In typical fashion, there was a container of tofu about to expire in my fridge so I figured I’d give this whole “cheese” thing a try.
Here’s the deal…
If you had fed this to me blindfolded, I would’ve never known it was tofu. My guess would’ve been some sort of ricotta mixture. Tofu is like a magical blank slate. Load it up with enough flavor and process the heck out of it and somehow weird white coagulated soy milk becomes whatever you want it to be.
In this case, a delicious protein rich filling with all the flavors of spring.
Too bad they do nothing for my pasty legs.
Vegan Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- zest of full lemon
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- salt & pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 6 medium tomatoes, tops sliced off and insides scooped out
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Slice tofu in half and press for at least 30 minutes to drain excess water.
- Combine pressed tofu, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper and salt & pepper in a food processor. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, saute the shallots and garlic with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add sauteed mixture to the food processor.
- Process ingredients until smooth.
- Add in basil and pulse a few times until incorporated but visible pieces still remain.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Stuff gutted tomatoes with tofu mixture, place sliced tops back on and arrange in a sprayed baking dish. It might be necessary to slice a small part of the bottom of the tomato off to get it to stand upright.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
- Roast for 25 minutes.
- While tomatoes are roasting, toast pine nuts on the stove top and reduce balsamic vinegar by cooking it on med-high heat until it becomes thickened and syrupy.
- Garnish tomatoes with pine nuts, balsamic reduction and extra basil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
I can see how satisfying these stuffed tomatoes would be alongside a steak. Like you, I don’t typically make recipes vegan on purpose, but I do like to cut cheese out every once in a while. I’m definitely willing to try tofu as a tomato stuffer when I’m “off cheese” :)
Okay, that is definitely the BEST picture of a tomato I’ve ever seen. Plus it’s vegan and packed with protein? Done and done!!
I paid 3 bucks for some basil the other day… The ones with the roots in the water… It looked so pretty at the store and when I moved it to a different container it wilted in minutes! So sad. Your stuffed tomatoes look so delicious… I will have to wait until we get better ones, the ones at the store are pretty bland right now. I have to salt it thoroughly to make it work. P.S. I ran in shorts yesterday, but couldn’t pull off the tank top. Hypothermia would’ve happened!
Those look great! I love stuffed tomatoes… or anything stuffed for that matter!
Oh Gina, these look exactly like what my brain is craving today!!
It’s finally a tad sunny and warm here, and I can’t help but crave fresh healthy fare, and this looks totally bomb in the flavor department.
Oh my god ME TOO!! This winter has gone on for far too long already!! :/ I tried on a skirt today and honestly my legs are so white they’re transparent! :( Also we have the same problem with our dogs. When it’s freezing Betty gets as far as the door, puts her nose out and then runs straight back to her bed, like ‘NO FRIKKIN WAY!!’ Haha
I hear you on the allergies!! And I need to get some nutritional yeast….
Hey, if you’re running in a tank top, Ginger can come :)
Now that sounds deceptively delicious. I’m not a tofu lover but the more recipes I see that use it, the more willing I am to reconsider!!
That cheeze sounds so good !
As a kid, when my dad’s garden would overflow with tomatoes, my mom used to roast them like this and stuff them with cheese. Not cheeze :) Love this idea!