These orzo stuffed tomatoes are not only super pretty to look at, but they taste amazing as well! The Italian-inspired flavors go so well together and make this dish irresistible. Each stuffed tomato is super filling, but you may enjoy it so much that you go back for a second! This dish is vegetarian, and can very easily be made vegan by replacing the butter and parmesan with vegan alternatives, or by simply adding more breadcrumbs and some oil in place of those ingredients.
I have never had a stuffed tomato before these, but I love stuffed peppers and wanted to do a sort of play on that, but with a tomato! It was so worth it and I strongly recommend that you try this recipe.
Stuffed Tomato Recipe
Serves 4-8
Ingredients:
- 1 box orzo pasta
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 4 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 bag baby spinach
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 8 large tomatoes
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 4 tbsp parmesan cheese
- balsamic glaze, to taste (optional)
Steps:
1. Cook and drain orzo according to package instructions.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Add lemon juice, olive oil, spinach, and 3 tbsp basil and stir to combine and wilt spinach.
4. Taste, then add salt and pepper as needed.
5. Cut the top off each tomato as well as a small piece of the bottom to create a stable base.
6. Scoop out the inside of each tomato, being careful not to create holes in the sides/bottom.
7. Place the tomatoes on a lined baking sheet.
8. Add about 1/2 cup of orzo mixture to each tomato.
9. Combine breadcrumbs, butter, and parmesan in a small bowl.
10. Top each tomato with 1/8 of the breadcrumb mixture.
11. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and crispy.
12. Top with remaining basil and balsamic glaze (optional).
*Tip: You could also make the orzo mixture as a pasta salad on its own, and just add diced tomatoes to it.
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