Description
Mediterranean stuffed tomatoes deliver a delightful blend of fresh ingredients from Greece. Mediterranean herbs and feta cheese create a simple, flavorful dish you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 large tomatoes
- 15 oz black beans (canned, rinsed and drained)
- ½ cup basmati rice (rinsed well and drained)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsps avocado oil
- 1 cup vegetable broth (or water)
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice tomato tops, reserving lids, and carefully hollow out interiors, transferring pulp to a mixing bowl.
- Shell Treatment: Sprinkle salt inside tomato shells and drain upside down to remove excess moisture, ensuring a firm structure for stuffing.
- Flavor Base: Heat avocado oil in a skillet, sauté onions, garlic, paprika, cumin, and Italian seasoning until onions turn translucent and release aromatic notes.
- Rice Infusion: Add uncooked rice to the skillet, toast briefly to enhance flavor, then incorporate reserved tomato pulp and vegetable broth. Simmer covered until rice becomes tender and liquid absorbs.
- Filling Enhancement: Integrate black beans and fresh parsley into the rice mixture, creating a robust and colorful stuffing with balanced textures and flavors.
- Assembly: Generously fill each tomato shell with the prepared rice mixture, replace tomato lids, and arrange on a baking sheet.
- Baking Finale: Roast in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes until tomatoes soften and filling reaches optimal temperature, delivering a Mediterranean-inspired culinary experience.
Notes
- Tomato Selection: Choose firm, ripe tomatoes with thick walls for better structural integrity and easier stuffing.
- Moisture Removal: Draining tomato shells prevents soggy filling and ensures a crisp, appetizing texture.
- Spice Balancing: Toast spices briefly to intensify their flavors and create a more complex, aromatic stuffing profile.
- Serving Suggestion: Garnish with extra fresh parsley or crumbled feta cheese for added freshness and Mediterranean flair.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 196
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg