Time to get your Veg On, readers! I must admit, the end of summer bums me out a little. While I confess that Autumn is my favorite season, there’s definitely a downside…and that downside is the death of summer tomatoes. I’m donning my black and bringing out the tissues, because months of tasteless tomatoes are coming down the pike.
This dish is sort of a consolation prize; turns out, if you hollow out craptacular tomatoes and fill them with veggie/cheesy/herb love, and add a little kiss from the oven, you’ve got something that isn’t tasteless at all.
These stuffed tomatoes are hearty enough to make a lovely lunch, accompanied by a crusty baguette and a nice wedge of cheese. And if you have any sense at all, you’ll pour a nice glass of wine to seal the deal.
This dish also makes an impressive side for grilled steaks or roasted chicken, if you just can’t bear a meal without meat.
You can also vary the kinds of vegetables you use in the filling; if you’re a green pepper hater, you can substitute mushrooms, or carrot, or corn, or anything, really. You can even get racy and add jalapenos to the mix. I love a forgiving recipe.
So grab a few zucchini and jump in! You know you have zucchini hanging out in your kitchen this time of year–don’t deny it!
Zucchini-Stuffed Tomatoes
serves 6
6 medium tomatoes, seeded, juiced and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 lb. zucchini, finely chopped or grated
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (use the good stuff!)
salt and pepper to taste
Core the tomatoes, remove seeds and flesh. Turn upside down and let excess moisture drain out onto paper towels, about 20 minutes.
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and green pepper; cook until softened. Add zucchini, garlic and oregano and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Remove from heat. Stir in basil, eggs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture evenly into tomatoes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake in a buttered baking dish at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.
{ 51 comments… read them below or add one }
That Far Side is hilarious!! This sounds like a great way to use up the end of the summer glory…although, I’m pretty sure mine’s finally done for…32 degrees last night :(…and only 34 now. Ick. The picture makes me happy, though ;)
I did not get enough zucchini this year. Bummer. I need to plant some! This looks so good.
Haha, I love how you called the dish a consolation prize!
But I know what you mean. Flavourless tomatoes do kinda suck. I still have a few really good ones right now so maybe I’ll save this recipe for winter when the hot-house tomatoes taste like water.
Sounds great! I love stuffed vegies. Got any recipes for stuffed green peppers?
What a great recipe! I have a freezer full of grated zucchini and can see this rescuing the worst of the winter tomatoes!
This reminds me of a recipe that my Greek family cook called: Domates Yemista
It is a common dish this time of year and uses rice as well. You could also do it with a green pepper. I like your version. I think I will try it out tomorrow night.
Yum, yum, yum. And I love the Larson cartoons, by the way. =)
Losing summer tomatoes always, always makes me cry. The stuff we get in the winter…are they even real? I can’t even imagine eating a salad with tomatoes once the summer is over – they just go into a pot or pan of whatever I’m making. No more juicysweetaliciousness. Waaaa……..
That looks so good, TKW. Wish I had one baking in the over right about now…
I am sad to say the tomatoes here in Florida this year have been shitty to say the least!
But this looks DEEEE-LISH
Kitch, I bet doing this with cherry tomatoes would make spectacular little appetizers.
I, too, lament the end of summer tomatoes. I grew up on a farm in my early years and we had a huge 1-acre garden. I ate all things vegetable. Then we moved – and went into my picky years. Turns out I just had a discerning palate even at the age of 10. Anything grown out of season and provided by the grocery store simply is not tasty.
Good to know there’s hope for tasteless tomatoes….now if I can figure out how to get my kids to eat them. BTW – I think serving with fish might be divine.
Love these recipes. My family loves zucchini and tomatoes – so I am going to try it! Thanks KW. I am so glad I found you.
this looks like the perfect combo of my two favorite veggies- I have seen tomatoes stuffed with bread crumbs and such but never zucchini! I cant wait to try this with a roasted chicken or something!
great blog!
My son and I have been mourning our last siting of a summer tomato for about a week now. It’s so sad in this house. Thanks for the nudge to try to make a “craptacular” tomato (what an amazing word! You really should publish your own dictionary!) more bearable.
Bummer this sounds so yummy, but I am the only one in my family that loves zucchini.
: (
These scream “lunch” to me. If you halved the recipe, you could eat one fresh the first night and save the second two for lunch from the nuker. . . ? : )
This sounds delicious. And we actually have some decent tomatoes holding on for dear life so I better get on it while there’s still time! (Love the cartoon, as always!)
Yummy! I love everything about this recipe. I need to pick up some zucchini next week.
I love the racy jalepenos!
I am with you, I love my fall vegetables and the way they warm me up and my house. I miss the summer produce though.
this recipe sounds yummy though, Do I really have to use the good stuff with parmesan cheese? (kidding)
Love it! We went veghead last night and had tofu pad thai.. deeelish!
Perfect for fall: stuffed veggies, browned cheese, and kicky jalapenos.
what’s not to like???
Yes, the end of Summer is death to the flavorful, ripe garden tomato. In it’s place will be Florida grown tomatoes that uses slave labor to harvest and will provide the U.S. over 80% of the tomatoes you purchase from December-May.
With my politics aside, your stuffed tomatoes look fabulous. This makes a great light autumn meal-Nothing extra needed to be satisfying.
I am so ready for cooler temps. Florida was sweltering this year. I am ready for a sweater and throwing open the windows. :-)
I too will miss the summer produce, but I’m looking forward to having more excuses to make rib-sticking ragus and whatnot. I like that this is transitional: warm and comforting, but veggie-fantastic too–the best of summer and autumn.
Mmmm, what a great combo, and a great way to say farewell to summer. I agree, summertime tomatoes are the best. I love zucchini as well as I am sure you may have noticed, so this is a winner to me!
Yum!!!! I too am sad…we ate our last garden tomato tonight. (sob..)
Looks too good, too good, too good. (Oh how I wish I had a vegetable garden in my back yard.)
Mmmmm. Now this I can do. And yea, sigh, the end of summer is finally here. We’ve had our first fire and are bundling extra blankies at the foot of the bed. Oh and also, those annoying little kid colds have started up once again. Ick!
You know just what this girl likes…and I promise to use the good parmesan cheese!
Ok. I have stuffed zucchini with tomato but never the other way around. These look awesome.
You had me at glass of wine! This looks fabulous – even for a tomato skeptic like me!
I am not a zucchini fan but I will take the glass of wine :-) But knowing your amazing ways in the kitchen I am sure I would also end up eating and loving the tomatoes too.
Yes. This looks gorgeous. Tomatoes and Corn are the best things on earth. No butternut squash can compare, I am sorry to say.
Yep – time to break out the tomato improvement techniques. And I needed one that moved beyond a little sugar. On Saturday we picked the last good cherry tomatoes in my father’s garden. No more peaches, either, nor watermelon (not your favorite, if I remember?). Guess I’ll have to nurse my end-of-season sadness with a pumpkin pie!
I would like these to be cooking in my oven right now- I am starving!!
Summer is just starting so I’ve filed this one away, thanks!
Yep, I’m sad to see the good tomatoes about gone too. Actually, the fake tomatoes may be better for this recipe since they would hold their shape better. Great idea.
This is right up my alley b/c I’m vegetarian…and I don’t love tomatoes—so it’s good that you scoop out all the innards w/ this recipe. YUM! Cannot wait to try!
I love everything about that – except the tomato shell – do you think I could sub a red or green pepper?
Fall is my favorite time of year too – we just had our first partial frost last night – it got down to 34!
Flipping over the tomatoes to let them drain…that’s brilliant! I’ve made these before, but I bet that trick keeps them firmer.
Yes, I will miss tomatoes, but I welcome chili and soups! Love Autumn!
I think the tomato, in all it’s delicious forms, is what I miss the most about summer. I’m already counting the days (there are a lot of them) until they once again appear in the market. I have a LOT of zucchini right now and may dedicate a few of the last tomatoes to this dish. Sob!!!!!
Best,
Bonnie
Love a good recipe even though no matter how much I try, I’m not much of a Martha – however, this one is great, because I always seem to have these over ripe tomatoes that I never know what to do with them. Thanks for the great idea! Enjoy the fall – best season of the year.
How interesting! I will have to try this!
oooo sounds good…though it mixes egg and tomato together which doesn’t always agree with me…shall test it out tho! xxx
Sounds heavenly! I can’t wait to try this one.
It is so sad when we no longer have those yummy tomatoes. There is nothing like a tomato freshly picked from the backyard… except maybe green beans. I’m mourning the loss of those as well. The supermarket green beans are nothing like farm fresh.
Sorry, I am done done done with Zucchini. All my friends and all my friends friends have given us Zucchini this year. I used my last Zucchini on a recipe you posted–I don’t remember which one….we enjoyed it and called Zucchini officially over. Its pumpkin season. I will save this for next year and I’m sure enjoy every bite!!
In another couple months yummy tomatoes are once again available in South Florida. We are backwards!
I’m so out of it. I’ve spent all summer stuffing my zucchini with tomatoes, lentils, and parmesan. Now you tell me how much smarter it would have been to stuff my tomatoes with zucchini, lentils, and parmesan.
Mmmm. okay.
rDUuRP I am so grateful for your article.Much thanks again. Awesome.
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