Name: Stuffed Tomatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 6 large tomatoes; 1 1/2 cups cooked rice; 1/4 cup bread crumbs (gluten-free if desired, plus more for topping); 1/8 cup pine nuts (toasted); 1 lemon (zested and juiced); 2 small shallots (minced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 cup minced herbs ((I used basil, parsley, cilantro, mint & lemon thyme)); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided); salt and pepper to taste; 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

These stuffed tomatoes are fresh, light, and make the perfect vegetarian main meal or side dish. They’re loaded with rice, sautéed shallots and garlic, zesty lemon, bread crumbs, toasted pine nuts and an abundance of fresh herbs!

Three halved tomatoes stuffed with rice and topped with herbs and breadcrumbs on a beige ceramic plate.

I first made and posted this stuffed tomato recipe in May of 2011. It was one of the very first recipes on this site (this wheat berry salad I made for Mother’s Day that year is actually the first). The pictures were horrendous (which is why it’s getting a revamp), but the recipe itself is the perfect reflection of everything I set out to create when pushing this website out to the internet.

It focuses heavily on fresh, seasonal ingredients and creates a healthy, delicious dish that’s uncomplicated yet fun to eat. Sometimes it’s easy to get swept up in trends, specialty diets or any of the other distracting food ideas out there and I’ve definitely meandered down those paths in these 13+ years of blogging, but these are the types of recipes I love coming back to and sharing with all of you.

Baked stuffed tomatoes on tray topped with fresh herbs.

Stuffing vegetables is a creative way to use fresh seasonal produce that I never seem to get bored of, as these roasted stuffed heirloom tomatoes (cheese lovers rejoice!) and these vegan stuffed tomatoes so perfectly illustrate.

In this recipe, bright and ripe summer tomatoes are hollowed out to make room for a healthy and delicious rice stuffing mixture that can easily be adapted to suit your preferences. The large size of the tomatoes used makes them ideal as a light vegetarian main meal, although I typically serve them as a side to an array of main meals in the summer season.

Why This Recipe Is a Favorite

Whether you grow your own tomatoes in the garden or just want to take advantage of as many as you can while they’re in season and irresistible, these stuffed tomatoes are a great way to use up juicy and plump summer tomatoes.
This recipe is quick and easy, requiring simple ingredients and minimal prep or cooking time.
Serve stuffed tomatoes for brunch, as a light and refreshing lunch, or for a vegetarian dinner. They also make a superb side dish to grilled steak, chicken, and so much more!

Ingredients in small bowls to make stuffed tomatoes.

Ingredients For This Stuffed Tomato Recipe

Tomatoes – Large tomatoes are ideal for holding sufficient stuffing. They should be ripe but not mushy so they hold their shape when hollowed out.
Rice – Cook the rice ahead of time or set enough time aside to cook it from scratch when you make these stuffed tomatoes. Microwave rice is an easy cheat to make this dish even quicker.
Bread crumbs – You can use Panko breadcrumbs or make your own using slightly stale bread that’s been cubed and toasted in the oven. Make the stuffed tomatoes gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Pine nuts – Toasting the pine nuts intensifies the delicious flavor. Adding pine nuts to this recipe is completely optional and can be left out depending on your allergy and dietary needs but I love the added depth of flavor a bit of crunch.
Lemon – Zest and juice an entire lemon. It adds a fresh and bright flavor to these stuffed tomatoes that screams summer time!
Shallots – Mince the shallots to avoid larger chunks in the stuffing. I prefer the more subtle sweet flavor of shallots to onions in the stuffing, but either can be used.
Garlic – Unless I’m making a skillet stir fry, I always use freshly minced garlic cloves though pre-minced jarred garlic can be used in a pinch.
Minced herbs – Basil, parsley, cilantro, mint and lemon thyme are a great combination, but feel free to change things up and experiment with your own mix of minced herbs. Anything fresh you have on hand will work.
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper – To taste. Adjust as needed.

A few scattered pine nuts are toasting in a large gray frying pan with a pink handle, placed on a beige surface.

Six hollowed-out ripe tomatoes are placed in two rows on a rectangular white tray.

How To Make Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 450°F and prepare the tomatoes by slicing the tops off and scooping out the insides, leaving only the shell.

Arrange the tomato shells in a lightly oiled glass pan or baking sheet and season the insides with salt and pepper.

Toast the pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, stirring them around occasionally to ensure an even toast on all sides.

My Pro Tip

Recipe Tip

Never take your eye off a pan of nuts while toasting. They can go from raw to burnt in as much as a minute!

Use the same pan to then lightly sauté the minced shallots and garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

While the shallots and garlic are sauteing, add the cooked rice, bread crumbs, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest and juice, minced herbs and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a mixing bowl.

Season the mixture with salt and pepper and mix to incorporate well. Taste and adjust if necessary.

Stuff the tomato shells with the rice mixture and top with additional breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

Bake the stuffed tomatoes for about 15 minutes and then switch to broil for the last 1-2 minutes for a golden brown appearance and to give the topping a bit of crunch.

Six stuffed tomatoes filled with a mixture of rice, herbs, and topped with grated cheese, arranged in a baking tray.

My Pro Tips

Recipe Tips

Always select plump and firm tomatoes that have a bright red color and are free from dark spots and blemishes. Round tomatoes, such as sandwich tomatoes, are much easier to stuff than oblong tomatoes.
Don’t discard the tops of the tomatoes when preparing them in case you’d like to add them back on for baking as cute little “hats”.
To get rid of any excess liquid from the hollowed tomatoes, add salt to the cavities and then place them upside down in a colander in the sink for the juice to run out.
Avoid over baking the stuffed tomatoes as they will soften too much. While the tomatoes need to soften, they still need to be slightly firm to hold shape.
If you have leftover pine nuts, store them in the freezer as a way to extend their shelf life. Since they are quite an oily type of nut, they can turn rancid quickly when stored at room temperature.
You can use a melon baller or a grapefruit spoon to gut the insides of the tomatoes, but be careful not to tear a hole through the bottom.

What Type of Tomato To Use

I’ve used a variety of different tomatoes to make this recipe. The only piece of advice I’d give you here is that heirloom varieties tend to be too watery. You can’t go wrong with a nice ripe Beefsteak tomato or any other round variety. As mentioned above, avoid oblong shaped tomatoes like Roma when stuffing. They won’t stand up in the pan as easily.

If you want to make an appetizer out of this recipe and end up with smaller bite-sized stuffed tomatoes, look for Campari tomatoes.

The most important consideration is that the tomato is ripe, sweet and juicy but not overly so.

Two stuffed tomatoes filled with a mixture of rice and herbs are on a plate. A small bowl of finely chopped herbs is beside the plate.

Variations

Extra veggies: For an extra dose of veggies, consider including sautéed spinach or shredded zucchini to the stuffing mixture.
Carbs: Try stuffing these tomatoes with quinoa or couscous instead of rice. Other gluten-free grains that would work well include millet and amaranth.
Non-vegetarian: Add cooked shredded chicken, turkey or sausage. Ground chicken, pork or beef would also make tasty meaty additions to the stuffing mixture and turn this dish into a main meal.
Tomato size: Large tomatoes are ideal if you choose to serve these stuffed tomatoes as a vegetarian main or hearty side dish. You could use medium-sized tomatoes instead when serving these as party appetizers or one of many side dishes to a main meal.

Storage

Store leftover stuffed tomatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat the stuffed tomatoes in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, keeping a watch that they don’t burn.

Freezing leftover baked stuffed tomatoes is not recommended as the tomatoes can become mushy.

Four stuffed tomatoes with a rice and herb mixture, baked to a golden-brown color, served on a baking sheet.

More Mouth-Watering Stuffed Veggies To Try

These sausage stuffed peppers make a hearty and balanced meal, consisting of a stuffing mixture of ground sweet Italian sausage, spinach, rice, creamy ricotta cheese, herbs and spices. They’re topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese for that extra “wow-factor”!

Looking for creative ways to use up that last bit of couscous in your pantry? These Mexican stuffed onions offer a cheesy and spicy dinner option with a fresh bite of cilantro.

Lentil stuffed eggplant is another meatless meal, perfect for vegetarians or when you need a break from the heaviness of meat in your meal rotation. These pretty lentil stuffed eggplants are incredibly healthy and can easily be made vegan-friendly by omitting the goat cheese topping.

Gina Matsoukas

Founder and Writer at Running to the Kitchen | About

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.

Stuffed Tomatoes