Rice Stuffed Tomatoes
Last Updated on April 15, 2021 by Betty Davies
Simple to make and impressive to serve, these wild rice stuffed tomatoes are one delicious side dish. Rice is seasoned with parmesan and herbs before being stuffed into fresh tomatoes and topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs.
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Simple to make, but impressive to serve, these rice stuffed tomatoes are perfect for an occasion dinner.
Bursting with fresh flavor and texture, these stuffed tomatoes are simple to make, and their vibrant colors are so attractive when paired with your favorite mains. The rice is perfectly seasoned and mixed with parmesan for a rich and tasty bite.
This simple vegetable side dish is sure to impress!
Be sure to try my Roasted Potato Salad and Greek Salsa too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Make ahead: These rice stuffed tomatoes can be prepped and made ahead of time. Perfect if you are planning to serve them as part of a big feast.
- Easy to prep: Simply cook the rice, stuff the tomatoes and bake. I promise you, this is one easy recipe!
- Dietary info: This side dish is vegetarian.
Ingredients
- Rice: I used a wild rice blend to stuff the tomatoes. It has a delicious nutty flavor to it and it is also more nutrient dense than white rice.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor. It adds a nice zing of freshness.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, dried oregano and black pepper.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated rather than pre-grated if you can. Pre-grated can have a slightly grainy texture and the flavor isn’t as bold.
- Tomatoes: Use the freshest and ripest tomatoes you can for the sweetest flavor. Cut the tops off and scoop out the seeds with a spoon to hollow them out.
- Breadcrumbs: These rice stuffed tomatoes are topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs for extra texture.
How to make rice stuffed tomatoes
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Mix the cooked rice with the parmesan and seasonings (photo 1).
- Hollow out the tomatoes, fill with the rice and top with parmesan and breadcrumbs (photo 2).
- Bake!
Recipe Variations
These rice stuffed tomatoes are pretty delicious as they are, but you can easily make them your own.
- Make them gluten-free by using GF breadcrumbs.
- I like to top them with panko breadcrumbs for a nice crunch, but plain breadcrumbs will work well too.
- Use a different herb in the rice mix. Parsley and cilantro both work great, or try dill if you are serving them with fish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This is a great make ahead side. You can make the rice filling a day or two ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to stuff and bake. You can also stuff the tomatoes a day before and just pop them in the oven when you are ready to bake them.
If you have leftover rice stuffed tomatoes, keep them covered in the fridge and reheat them at 350F / 180c for 10 minutes to warm them through.
I used a wild rice blend for the filling of these tomatoes. It’s got a slightly chewy texture that works so well with the soft baked tomatoes and is slightly nutty in flavor. Brown rice will also work well and white rice will do the job, though it is much softer in texture.
Roma tomatoes are best to use in this recipe. They have a nice oval shape to them so they are great to stuff, and they have less seeds and thicker walls of flesh compared to other varieties. Generally, they are more flavorful too.
Serving Suggestions
These rice stuffed tomatoes are a great side to serve with chicken, seafood and steaks. They work great with anything grilled or roasted. Try them with:
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Carefully cut a thin slice off of the bottom of each tomato so that they stand up straight. Take care not to cut too high up or the filling will start to fall out when you remove it from the baking sheet.
- If you prefer, you can also cut the tomatoes lengthways and stuff the halves. Both ways work.
I love the way these rice stuffed tomatoes look on the plate! They are super flavorful, yet not overpowering, so they are perfect to serve with so many main dishes. Enjoy!
More Easy Side Dishes
- Cilantro Cucumber Salad
- Garlic Butter Croutons
- Sweet Potato Cakes
- Apple Cider Vinegar and Mustard Dressing
If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!
Wild Rice Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup uncooked wild rice blend or other rice
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan plus more for topping
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 roma tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to the package directions and drain.
- Preheat the oven to 390F / 200c.
- Mix the cooked rice with the lemon juice, garlic powder, oregano, parmesan and black pepper.
- Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds to hollow them out. Slice a small piece off of the bottom of each tomato so that they stand up tall.
- Spoon the rice mixture into each tomato. Press it down so that it is tightly packed. Top with panko breadcrumbs and a little grated parmesan.
- Place on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until the tomatoes have softened.
- Place under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown the tops to serve.
Notes
- Carefully cut a thin slice off of the bottom of each tomato so that they stand up straight. Take care not to cut too high up or the filling will start to fall out when you remove it from the baking sheet.
- If you prefer, you can also cut the tomatoes lengthways and stuff the halves. Both ways work.
