Rice Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

5 from 10 votes

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Rice Stuffed Tomatoes is a hearty side dish that goes well with Sunday roast or any holiday meal. In fact, this also makes a light lunch when teamed with crusty bread. Naturally dairy free, this recipe is easily made vegetarian.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 7

Total Time1 27

Servings: servings

Author: Marcellina

Ingredients

3 potatoes
8 ripe tomatoes
½ cup arborio rice
2 anchovy fillets (finely chopped (see below for vegetarian version))
2 teaspoons capers
2 tablespoons basil leaves (finely shredded)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided )
2 teaspoons salt (divided)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C
Peel potatoes and cut into large cubes.
Pour 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into a small baking pan that will fit the 8 tomatoes plus a bit of room to spare.
Toss cubed potato in the oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt.
Bake for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, fill a medium saucepan with water and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to boil. Add rice and cook for 8 minutes. Drain when ready. Allow to cool.
While the rice is cooking, cut tops off tomatoes and reserve. Scoop out the tomato pulp and seeds. Discard excess seeds. Chop and reserve the pulp and any juices.
In a medium bowl mix cooked cooled rice, reserved tomato flesh, anchovy fillets, capers, basil, garlic and 2 tablespoons oil. Season with ½ teaspoon salt.
By this time the potatoes should have been in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and give the potatoes a stir. Scrape up any that might be stuck.
Fill tomatoes with rice mixture. Nestle the filled tomatoes into a baking tray of potatoes and replace reserved tops.
Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the tomatoes are just beginning to split and wrinkle and the rice is completely cooked..
Serve barely warm or these are also good at room temperature.

Notes

Adapted from a recipe by the late Antonio Carluccio.

Variations

Make it vegetarian by omitting the anchovies and adding a 1/4 cup of grated vegan Parmesan cheese instead.
Swap out the basil for chopped fresh parsley.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano.
If you like spicy food, add some dried hot chilli flakes.

Nutrition