Stuffed Tomatoes with Golden Crumb Topping Recipe

Stuffed Tomatoes with Golden Crumb Topping Recipe

  • 4 ounces 90%-lean ground beef or 93%-lean ground turkey
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 4 large ripe but firm tomatoes (about 8 ounces each)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup petite green peas (cooked, if fresh; thawed, but not cooked, if frozen)
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
  • 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs made from day-old whole-wheat bread (see Tip)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Cook ground beef or turkey in a small skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling with a spoon, until brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Add cooked rice to the bowl with the meat.
  4. Meanwhile, slice enough off the top of each tomato to remove the core (1/2 to 1 inch). Scoop out the tomato pulp using a teaspoon or melon baller. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the pulp and add to the bowl with the rice and meat. (Reserve the remaining pulp for another use; see Kitchen Tips.) Season the inside of the tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
  5. Add peas, onion, 1/4 cup cheese, parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to the rice mixture. Stir to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the tomatoes and place the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, breadcrumbs, oil and garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the tomatoes.
  6. Bake the tomatoes until the crumbs are golden and the tomatoes are soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.