These stuffed tomatoes with rice are a simple yet stunning main or side dish. Ripe tomatoes are stuffed with a Mediterranean rice filling, topped with feta cheese, and roasted in the oven. They're healthy yet hearty and they're ready in just an hour!
Ingredients
8mediumtomatoes
1teaspoonolive oil
½mediumonion, minced
3clovesgarlic, minced
½cuptomato pulp, chopped - reserved from hollowing the tomatoes
1cuprice blend, see notes
2 ¾cupsvegetable broth
¼cuppine nuts + 1 teaspoon olive oil
¼cupchopped green olives
¼cupchopped Italian parsley
¼cupfeta cheese, or 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2teaspoonsminced fresh oregano
6finely chopped pitted dates, can sub ¼ cup dried currants or raisins
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Cut the tops off the tomatoes, use a small spoon to scoop out the centers, then place them in a baking dish. Reserve the tops and insides of the tomatoes.
8 medium tomatoes
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it turns translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
1 teaspoon olive oil, ½ medium onion, 3 cloves garlic
Add the chopped tomato pulp, the Floating Leaf rice blend, and the vegetable broth and bring it to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes then reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit while the rice cooks.
½ cup tomato pulp, 1 cup rice blend, 2 ¾ cups vegetable broth
While the rice cooks, toast the pine nuts in 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until they are golden and fragrant. Chop the olives, parsley, and dates. When the rice is soft, add the pine nuts, olives, parsley, feta cheese or nutritional yeast, oregano, and dates and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
¼ cup pine nuts + 1 teaspoon olive oil, ¼ cup chopped green olives, ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley, ¼ cup feta cheese, 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano, 6 finely chopped pitted dates
Stuff the rice into the tomatoes and place the tops on the tomatoes. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and starting to brown on top.