Savor the vibrant flavors of spring with this nutrient-rich, vegetable-stuffed tomato recipe. It's crunchy, healthy, and delicious—perfect for the season!
Spring is the ideal time to add fresh fruits and veggies into your diet, and what better way to do so than with a dish that is both bursting with flavor and healthy? Our vegetable-stuffed tomato recipe is a tasty mix of savory, crunchy, and good-for-you ingredients.
This recipe is a perfect side dish for a weekday dinner or a healthy alternative to other stuffed dishes at your next gathering. Even better? It is packed with nutrients.
Key ingredients and their benefits
The first ingredient in this recipe is brown rice. Brown rice is a great choice because it’s rich in complex carbs and is a good source of fiber. Fiber not only helps aid in digestion but can also help you maintain a healthy weight. Brown rice also has magnesium, phosphorus, and B-vitamins, which are key for your energy and health.
Next up are sauteed onions, garlic, and mushrooms. These aromatic veggies aren’t just flavorful; they’re nutritious, too. Onions are packed with antioxidants and can help reduce inflammation. Garlic is known for its immune support, while mushrooms provide crucial nutrients like selenium in a low-calorie form.
Spinach is another key ingredient and a nutritional powerhouse. This nutrient-dense leafy green veggie is high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and iron. These nutrients are vital for healthy vision, skin, and bones, as well as helping support the immune system.
In this recipe, hearty beefsteak or vine-ripened tomatoes serve as the “bowl” and add juicy flavor. Rich in vitamins C and K and potassium, tomatoes are also a good source of lycopene, an antioxidant that may lower the risk of heart disease.
Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese add a creamy texture to the dish and are a good source of calcium and protein. Calcium is essential for strong bones, while protein is vital for muscle repair and growth.
Top it all off with savory toasted pine nuts. Pine nuts provide healthy fats, protein, and fiber. They contain vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc. These nutrients support heart health, immune function, and skin health.
Get creative and customize
Feel free to adapt the recipe to suit your taste. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños to the stuffing for a spicier kick. For a vegan option, substitute the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese with vegan cheese alternatives or use nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
Get creative and use the scraps from this vegetable-stuffed tomato recipe for other meals. Mushroom stems and spinach leftovers can be used in soup. Extra brown rice can be turned into a hearty grain salad. Even the insides of the tomatoes can be blended into fresh tomato sauce or salsa. The options are endless.
Savor these fresh-tasting, veggie-stuffed tomatoes and boost your nutrient intake, too. With so many flavor combinations, you can enjoy this recipe again and again.
Vegetable-Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup brown rice
- Olive oil cooking spray
- ¼ cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ cup fresh mushrooms, diced
- 1 cup fresh spinach, washed and drained well
- 4 fresh beefsteak or large vine-ripened tomatoes
- ½ cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ¼ cup pine nuts, chopped (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While the oven warms up, bring ⅔ cup of water to a boil. Once boiling, stir in rice, cover the pot, and simmer until the water is fully absorbed and the rice is tender. This should take about 40 minutes. When ready, remove from heat and set it aside.
Next, grab a small skillet and coat lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Place it over medium-high heat and sauté the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté until the onions have turned a light brown, releasing their rich, savory aroma.
As the veggies cook, remove the stems from the spinach and discard them. Pat the leaves dry to remove excess moisture, then chop them finely. Next, it's time to prepare the tomatoes. Cut the tops off each one and scoop the pulp into a measuring cup to make a hollow “bowl.” Finely chop the pulp from two of the tomatoes—about half of the tomato pulp—and set aside in a colander to drain excess liquid.
Combine the sautéed onion mixture in a small saucepan with the chopped spinach and reserved tomato pulp. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously until spinach wilts. Add the cooked rice, mozzarella cheese, and breadcrumbs to the saucepan, stirring until well mixed. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
Lightly spray a baking dish with olive oil spray and arrange the tomato bowls inside. Fill each bowl generously with the vegetable and rice mixture. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and optional chopped pine nuts.
Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. For a finishing touch, broil the tomatoes for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, creating a deliciously golden crust.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: 2
| Nutrition Facts |
| Calories 235 |
| Fat calories 94 |
| Total fat 10.4g |
| Saturated fat 2.4g |
| Cholesterol 9.1mg |
| Sodium 206.9mg |
| Total carbohydrate 23.7g |
| Dietary fiber 3.3g |
| Sugars 4.3g |
| Protein 13.3g |
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This information is not intended to take the place of regular medical care or advice. Please check with your doctor before using this information or beginning any self-care program. Images used for this article do not depict any members of the Silver&Fit program.
References
Cleveland Clinic. (2021, June 11). Brown rice or white rice: Which is your healthier option? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/brown-rice-or-white-rice-which-is-your-healthier-option
Cleveland Clinic. (2023, January 4). Is cheese good for you? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-cheese-good-for-you
Cleveland Clinic. (2021, September 2). Is parmesan cheese healthy? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/parmesan-cheese-benefits
Cleveland Clinic. (2023, May 30). Stop the tears: Why onions are good for you. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-onions-good-for-you
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, March 2). The health benefits of garlic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/6-surprising-ways-garlic-boosts-your-health
Cleveland Clinic. (2023, July 26). What are the health benefits of tomatoes? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-tomatoes
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, December 23). 7 impressive reasons to eat mushrooms. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-mushrooms
Cleveland Clinic. (2024, February 16). 7 reasons you should eat more spinach. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-spinach
Consumer Reports. (2024, July 24). Are tomatoes good for you? https://www.consumerreports.org/health/healthy-eating/are-tomatoes-good-for-you-a6980732100/
Nut Health. (n.d.). Pine nuts. https://nuthealth.org/nut-facts/pine-nuts/
UCLA Health. (2022, January 24). 7 health benefits of mushrooms. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/7-health-benefits-of-mushrooms
United States Department of Agriculture. (2019, April 1). Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170457/nutrients
Whole Grains Council. (n.d.). Health benefits of rice. https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whole-grains-101-orphan-pages-found/health-benefits-rice
This article was written by Stephanie Ruiz, edited by Jason Nielsen, and clinically reviewed by Elizabeth Thompson, MPH, RDN, on December 27, 2024.
