Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes
This Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes recipe offers a hearty, warming meal that combines fresh tomatoes with a flavorful filling of cannellini beans, veggies, breadcrumbs, and Italian seasonings. It's a great way to enjoy the richness of summer tomatoes and can be served on its own or over pasta or rice for a filling, budget-friendly dish. Whether you're vegan, dairy-free, or just looking for a wholesome recipe, this is an easy, customizable option.
- 4 large “slicing” tomatoes
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 1 carrot, peeled
- ½ yellow onion
- 2 sticks celery
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 zucchini, diced small
- 1 sprig rosemary**
- ½ Tbsp dried Italian herb blend
- 1 tsp ½ salt
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 can oz tomato sauce
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup shredded Italian cheese blend
- Hollow out 4 large tomatoes, keeping the tops and transferring the juicy seeds and inside flesh to a medium mixing bowl. Reserve everything!
- Dice the carrot, yellow onion, and celery sticks into small pieces to make mirepoix (which is a combination of diced veggies used to flavor a recipe).
- Pour 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil into a saucepan with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, and the diced carrots, onions, and celery.
- Once cooked down, about 5 minutes or until veggies are softened and glossy, add the insides from the tomatoes, diced zucchini, rosemary, garlic, and apple cider vinegar and simmer of on medium heat uncovered until a chunky filling forms and some of the juices cook down, about 10 min.
- Add bread crumbs, white cannellini beans and tomato sauce. Stir until combined. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Turn off heat and fold in shredded Italian cheese blend. Set aside.
- Place hollowed out tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish. Fill each hollowed out tomato with the cheesy white bean filling and put their tomato “lids” on. Fill in around each tomato with any extra filling. Brush remaining olive oil on top of all 4 tomatoes and cover the entire baking dish lightly with tinfoil. Bake for 15 min at 375°F.
- Remove tinfoil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Broil on high for the last 3 minutes to get some color on top of the tomatoes, if needed.
- Serve each tomato over pasta or rice.
*If you want to stretch this recipe further for more than 4 people, you can buy slightly smaller tomatoes on the vine and follow these same instructions, serving the smaller stuffed tomatoes with more pasta or rice to keep your guests happy and full! In my experience, you can find tomatoes for much cheaper (and more flavorful!) when they are in season.**Dried rosemary also works well.*** I chose the shredded Italian cheese blend at my local Kroger, but provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan, and even cheddar cheese work well in this recipe—use whatever you have on hand!
