Italian Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Italian Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Be the first to write a review

Rate recipe

Served with crusty French bread, this makes a great summer meal. My husband and our two daughters ask me to fix it for them frequently. Besides cooking, I enjoy antiques, crafts and getting out in the garden. -Michele Shank, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

This recipe is:

Contest Winning

[X]

Rate Italian Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Click on stars to rate

Would you make this recipe again?

Write a review

[X]

Italian Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Prep: 35 min. Bake: 35 min.

Yield: 8 Servings

35 35 70

Ingredients

8 medium tomatoes
1/2 pound bulk Johnsonville® Ground Sausage
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups cooked long grain rice
3/4 cup shredded provolone or part-skim mozzarella cheese
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato. Leaving a 1/2-in. thick shell, scoop out the pulp; chop pulp and set aside. Invert the tomatoes onto paper towels to drain.
Meanwhile, cook sausage, onion and garlic in a skillet until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Add tomato pulp, zucchini, basil, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in rice, provolone, 3 tablespoons Parmesan and parsley; spoon about 2/3 cup into each tomato.
Place in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan on top. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until the tomatoes are heated through. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 each) equals 172 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 22 mg cholesterol, 399 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 9 g protein.

Originally published as Italian Stuffed Tomatoes in Country Woman July/August 1996, p33

Seeding Tomatoes

Summer is the perfect time of year to enjoy fresh juicy tomatoes in all types of recipes. It's usually not necessary to remove the seeds from tomatoes before using. But for some recipes, seeding the tomatoes can improve the dish's appearance or eliminate excess moisture. For example, it's not important to seed tomatoes when preparing a tossed salad. But it's nice to remove the seeds when making creamy tomato soup to ensure a smooth texture. And using seeded tomatoes when assembling a casserole can prevent it from becoming watery. To remove the seeds from a tomato, cut it in half horizontally and remove the stem. Holding a tomato half over a bowl or sink, scrape out seeds with a small spoon or squeeze the tomato to force out the seeds. Then slice or dice as directed in the recipe.