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:
- Tomato and Onion Salad
- Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Marinated Tomato Salad
- 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
Recipe Measurements:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results.
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 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon 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.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Mary Martikke
I loved the recipe so much that here I am–two days later making it again. I live with my 2 grown daughters who said the recipe was “a keeper”.
Alexandra Cook
Hi Mary,
That is just wonderful to hear – thank you for sharing! I am so happy you all enjoyed it 🙂 Alex xo
Paula
Best stuffed tomato recipe out there. I’ve made this a zillion times and shared it with everyone who has ever tasted them.
Alexandra Cook
Thank you so much, Paula – your comment made my day 🙂 Thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe, and thanks so much for sharing it!