Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto

These roasted tomatoes with pesto are a simple Italian-inspired appetizer or side dish. Ripe tomatoes are stuffed with basil pesto, topped with parmesan, and baked until bubbly. You only need a few fresh ingredients to make them, and they’re ready in just 35 minutes!

These roasted tomatoes with pesto are a quick, flavor-packed snack or appetizer inspired by summertime in Italy. The truly magical combination of juicy ripe tomatoes and aromatic basil pesto makes this versatile dish come alive with freshness.

Make these pesto-roasted tomatoes once, and you’ll have the recipe memorized. It’s seriously that simple. I make it as a side dish when company is coming and I have a bounty of fresh tomatoes and basil growing wild in the garden.

The recipe calls for a quick homemade pesto, but store-bought pesto works if you’re crunched for time. You could easily prepare these a day ahead of time and pop them in the oven when you’re ready to eat them.

Storage and leftovers

• Storage: Store any leftover stuffed tomatoes in your refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
• Make ahead: If you want to make these ahead, you can easily prepare them up to a day ahead. Store them in the fridge, then follow the recipe instructions for baking.

Tap stars to rate!

5 stars (17 ratings)

Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Rate Recipe Print

• Pin

SaveSaved!

Add us as a preferred source

Pesto Stuffed Roasted Tomatoes are a must make side dish/appetizer. The hollowed out tomato halves are stuffed with an easy-to-make, garlicky pesto then roasted until the cheese melts and the tomatoes are soft. They're delicious!

4

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 tomatoes (cut in half from the side)
• ▢ ⅔ cup basil leaves
• ▢ ½ cup freshly grated parmesan (divided)
• ▢ ¼ cup pine nuts
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Hollow out each tomato half and nestle them into an ovenproof baking dish or cast iron pan.
  4 tomatoes
• Place the basil, ¼ cup of the parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, and sea salt into a small food processor and blend until a chunky pesto forms.
  ⅔ cup basil leaves, ¼ cup pine nuts, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Stuff the tomato halves with the pesto (about 1 tablespoon per tomato half) then top with the remaining ¼ cup of parmesan cheese.
• Roast the pesto stuffed tomatoes for 20-25 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and the cheese has melted.

Notes

What’s the best type of tomato to use? I use large beefsteak tomatoes in this recipe, but the larger heirloom varieties also work. You want the tomatoes to be ripe, but not overly soft, so they don’t fall apart when you hollow them out.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 stuffed tomato halves, Calories: 199kcal (10%), Carbohydrates: 7g (2%), Protein: 7g (14%), Fat: 17g (26%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 11mg (4%), Sodium: 489mg (21%), Potassium: 378mg (11%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 4g (4%), Vitamin A: 1346IU (27%), Vitamin C: 18mg (22%), Calcium: 164mg (16%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

More summer vegetable sides

15 minutes mins

Grilled Mini Peppers with Minty Tzatziki

20 minutes mins

Grilled Summer Corn and Tomato Salad with Feta and Herbs

10 minutes mins

Summer Peach Salsa

30 minutes mins

Roasted Corn and Avocado Salad with Chipotle Mint Dressing

All side dish recipes