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Meat, Classics and bistro fare

Stuffed tomatoes with rice

Stuffed tomatoes with rice is a complete dinner for 4, ready in 70 minutes, rated easy, at about €2.70 per serving. The trick is baking the stuffed tomatoes right on top of raw rice, which soaks up all their juice as it cooks. The pork and beef filling, seasoned with herbs, stays moist thanks to a bit of tomato pulp mixed in.

Tonight, big tomatoes stuffed with a herb-scented filling, baked on a bed of rice that soaks up all the juice.

Stuffed tomatoes with rice
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.70
Calories per person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Big hollowed out tomatoes get packed with a pork and beef filling seasoned with parsley and garlic, then baked until the skins soften and the filling turns juicy. The rice underneath cooks quietly in the juices that drip down, so you don't need to watch a separate pot. The result is a one dish dinner that comes together in a single baking pan.

This is the kind of recipe to make on a lazy Sunday, when you have a bit of time to hollow out the tomatoes and shape the filling, though none of it is technically hard. Kids usually like the sweet, stuffed tomato version, especially if you go light on the thyme. Mon Chou suggests this dish for an easy family dinner that you can prep ahead and finish in the oven while you do something else.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Large tomatoes 8
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Parsley 1 bunch

Butcher

  • Ground pork 300 g
  • Ground beef 300 g

Dairy

  • Egg 1

Pantry

  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Thymeoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut a top off each tomato and hollow it out, keeping the flesh.

    Turn the hollowed tomatoes upside down on paper towels for 10 minutes.

  2. Mix the ground meats with the chopped onion and garlic, parsley, egg, breadcrumbs, thyme, salt, and pepper.

    Add a bit of the chopped tomato flesh, it keeps the filling moist.

  3. Pour the raw rice into a large baking dish with a glass of water and the crushed tomato flesh.

    The rice cooks in the tomato juice, there's nothing else to watch over.

  4. Fill the tomatoes with the meat mixture, put the tops back on, and arrange them over the rice, drizzle with olive oil.

    Pack them close together so they stay upright.

  5. Bake, adding a splash of hot water if the rice looks too dry. 50 min

    If the tops brown too fast, cover with foil.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm tomatoes that aren't too ripe, they'll hold their shape better in the oven instead of collapsing.
  • Drain the scooped out tomato pulp a bit before adding it to the rice or filling, otherwise the mix turns watery.
  • If your tomatoes are small, cut the baking time by 10 minutes so the filling doesn't dry out.

The variations

  • Swap the pork and beef for ground veal for a milder filling.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with a mix of cooked rice, chopped mushrooms, and grated cheese.
  • For a quicker, kid friendly version, use smaller tomatoes, they cook faster and are easier to eat in one bite.

What to serve it with

  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • Fresh bread for mopping up juices
  • Cold lemon water

Storage

Stuffed tomatoes keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. They freeze well once cooked and cooled, for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven or microwave with a splash of water so the rice doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you prepare stuffed tomatoes ahead of time?

Yes, you can stuff them and set them on the raw rice several hours ahead, then keep everything in the fridge. Bake them right before serving so they come out fresh.

Can you swap the ground meat for something else?

You can use all beef or all pork if you prefer, it still works well. Sausage meat is also a good substitute for the filling.

Why keep the tomato tops?

The tops protect the filling while it bakes and keep it from drying out. You can remove them near the end of cooking if you want the tops to brown a little.

Does the rice really cook without extra water?

The rice cooks mainly from the tomato juice and the one glass of water added at the start. You may need to add a bit of hot water partway through if it looks too dry.

How long does it take to make stuffed tomatoes baked on a bed of rice?

Count 1 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in stuffed tomatoes baked on a bed of rice?

About 620 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does stuffed tomatoes baked on a bed of rice cost?

About €2.70 per serving, or €10.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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