These delicious Baked Parmesan Tomatoes make a great side dish. Flavoursome tomatoes are filled with breadcrumbs, herbs, Parmesan cheese and garlic. Baked until golden, this easy dish is a great addition to many meals.
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Why we love this recipe:
This is a very simple recipe to prepare using easy to find ingredients. Ripe, flavoursome tomatoes are filled with a delicious, seasoned breadcrumb mixture and baked. The tomato is soft and the breadcrumb topping is golden and deliciously crispy. The aroma when they are baking is seriously enticing.
These Baked Parmesan Tomatoes are so delicious as:
- a tasty side-dish to steak, roast chicken or fish;
- an addition to a green salad – ideal for a light lunch;
- part of brunch – serve with a poached egg!
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Tomatoes – look for ripe, but still slightly firm. Very ripe tomatoes will not hold their shape when cooked. Aim for the tomatoes to be a similar size to ensure even cooking. My preference is for vine-ripened tomatoes.
Panko breadcrumbs – a Japanese-style breadcrumb. The method of processing produces flakes rather than crumbs. The flakes are larger than regular crumbs, with a light and airy texture that becomes crispy when cooked. You could use gluten-free breadcrumbs if required.
Parmesan Cheese – I love the flavour of Grana Padano in this dish. For the best flavour, freshly grate your cheese.
Garlic and Dried Oregano – season the breadcrumb filling.
Olive Oil – my choice is for extra virgin olive oil. Use the best quality olive oil that you have.
Fresh Basil – to garnish the finished dish.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper – season the dish to your liking. I use sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper.
Step by Step Instructions:
Start by preheating your oven and prepare your baking tray.
- Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard them.
- On a plate lined with some paper towel, put the tomatoes cut side down to drain excess moisture.
- In a small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except for the fresh basil.
- Place your tomato halves on a baking tray and fill each tomato with the breadcrumb mixture. Baked until golden and garnish with fresh basil when serving.
Tips for Success and FAQs:
For a great presentation, serve the Baked Parmesan Tomatoes on a large, white platter with some basil sprinkled on top.
As a delicious, make-ahead appetiser, fill hollowed-out cherry tomatoes with the flavoursome crumb mixture and bake until golden.
The tomatoes are the star of this dish so it is essential that they be of good quality. Home-grown tomatoes, picked ripe from the vine, would, of course, be ideal. However, most of us will get our tomatoes from a greengrocer or supermarket. My preference is for tomatoes on the vine; they are generally of better quality with superior flavour. The tomatoes need to be perfectly ripe but still firm. Very ripe tomatoes will be too soft and will collapse when baking.
The tomatoes can be baked and reheated prior to serving if required. (Bake for five minutes less and then reheat until warmed through.) Alternatively, you could prepare the tomatoes and breadcrumb mixture up to 8 hours earlier and then assemble and bake as needed.
More delicious recipes for you to try:
Here are some more of our favourite recipes which feature tomatoes:
- Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Marinated Tomato Salad
- Spinach and Feta Galettes
- Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad
- Whipped Ricotta with Tomatoes
- Tomato Puff Pastry Tart
Not only do these crispy Baked Parmesan Tomatoes taste fantastic, but this is also an extremely easy recipe to make. And should there be any leftovers, the tomatoes will reheat perfectly. Please let me know in the comments below if you try the recipe.
Alex xx
This post was originally published in August 2019. It has been updated with new photos and more information. The recipe remains the same.
Baked Parmesan Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 6 medium tomatoes See Note 1
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese See Note 2
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs See Note 3
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil See Note 4
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- fresh basil leaves – to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 Degrees C (350 F).
- Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the seeds and discard them.
- On a plate lined with a paper towel, place the halved tomatoes upside down to drain excess moisture. Set aside whilst you prepare the filling.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix all of the ingredients, except for the fresh basil.
- Fill the tomatoes evenly with the breadcrumb mixture. Using the back of a spoon, push down to ensure the mixture is compacted slightly.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked.
- Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
Notes
- My tomatoes were approximately 6 cm (2.5 inch) in diameter. If your tomatoes are smaller or larger, they may require a slight adjustment to the cooking time.
- If you require the dish to be vegetarian, use a substitute for Parmesan cheese.
- This dish can easily be adapted to gluten-free, using the appropriate breadcrumbs.
- The Australian tablespoon is 20 ml or 4 teaspoons. In many other countries, the tablespoon is 15 ml or 3 teaspoons. If necessary, please adjust your measurements.
- Please note, the nutritional information is based on one whole tomato per person. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Hi Alex,
We just love this recipe. It is so delicious and can be enjoyed all year round. Thank you.
Hi Josie, thank you for letting me know how much you enjoyed the Baked Parmesan Tomatoes. I am delighted to hear that. 🙂
These were great! Such an easy side.
Hello Audrey, I am so pleased that you enjoyed them, thank you for taking the time to let me know. 🙂
These are one of my favorite summer side dishes, but we love them in the winter as well to bring sad tomatoes back to life. Delicious recipe!
Hi Lindsay!
I am so pleased to hear that you have been enjoying the tomatoes throughout the year – thank you so much for taking the time to let me know!
Can’t wait to make these with my homegrown tomatoes! Beautiful flavours and a great recipe!
Thank you so much, Marcellina!
These are delicious!!
Thank you, Kyleigh!
I make these for appetizers for guests who want a little less carby foods and they are always a hit.
Thank you, Kristina! I am glad they are always popular 🙂
Hi Alex!! This has been my go to appetizer for impressing my guests!! It’s so simple and easy to make but the presentation is definitely a show stopper. For anyone reading this, you should definitely make it! The flavors SO GOOD!!
Hello Elle, thank you so much for the lovely comments, I do appreciate them. I am delighted that you enjoyed the Baked Parmesan Tomatoes. 🙂
This crispy baked parmesan tomatoes are so yum. We served with brunch.
Thank you, Swathi! 🙂
Your stuffed tomatoes are fabulous – this recipe is a must try.
Thank you, Catherine!
These are so delicious and very easy to prepare. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Thank you, Adi!