Stuffed tomatoes make a splendid appetizer, these tomatoes are stuffed with grated cauliflower…
I fancy cooking veggies and meat without altering their shape, that explains my love for cooking whole chicken and making stuffed veggies. Keeping the original shape makes a beautiful presentation and tempts anyone to taste that dish.
During my last grocery shopping, I picked up a bunch of fresh and vibrant tomatoes on the vine. This time I wasn’t perplexed on what to make, I knew exactly what I wanted to make with those tomatoes: Stuffed Tomatoes. So many ingredients lined up in front of me for making the stuffing: ground beef, rice, mixed veggies etc etc. I had a large cauliflower (I call them caulibride as to me they resemble to a bride wearing a white gown) sitting in my refrigerator and wanted to make something out of it. A few weeks ago, I had made cauliflower rice (grated cauliflower stir fried with herbs and some seasonings which resembles to rice) and it tasted so delicious that I wanted to make it again. I felt grated cauliflower would make a great stuffing for tomatoes and I didn’t go wrong.
This cauliflower stuffed tomatoes tasted delicious and the leftover grated cauliflower rice was served as a side dish. This has turned into one of my favorite vegetarian appetizers.
Preparation Pictures
Grated cauliflower
Cauliflower rice
Seeds removed
Stuffed with cauliflower
Topped with parmesan cheese
- Olive oil- 1 tbsp
- Onion, chopped small-1
- Garlic, minced- 2 cloves
- Grated cauliflower- ½ of a large cauliflower
- Dried basil- 1 tsp
- Dried oregano-1 tsp
- Paprika- 1½ tsp
- Ground pepper- ¼ tsp
- Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
- Salt- to taste
- Cilantro or parsley chopped- 2 handfuls
- Large tomatoes- 8
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- Ground pepper
- Salt
- Preheat oven to 375 F or 190 C.
- Grate or chop the cauliflower florets in a food processor, it should be very fine.
- Place a wok over medium heat, add oil.
- Add onion, season with salt and saute till translucent.
- Add chopped garlic and saute till onions turn light golden in color.
- Add grated cauliflower, combine well and cook covered for a few minutes till cauliflower turns tender. If its too dry sprinkle a little water and cook.
- Add dried basil, oregano, paprika, ground pepper and salt, combine well.
- Cook for a couple more minutes.
- Finally, add lemon juice and cilantro or parsley, cook for a minute and remove the wok from the heat. Let cool down.
- Cut the tops off of the tomatoes. (Save the tops, makes a great presentation while serving)
- Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds from the tomatoes, create a hollow space.
- Season the inside of the tomatoes with salt and ground pepper.
- Stuff the tomatoes with prepared grated cauliflower rice, about 1 to 2 tbsp per tomatoes.
- Top the stuffed tomatoes with parmesan cheese.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, grease the foil with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the stuffed tomatoes on the baking sheet.
- Bake them for 20 to 35 minutes. Don't over bake as the tomatoes will fall apart.
- Serve the baked stuffed tomatoes warm along with the grated cauliflower rice.
- The grated cauliflower rice can be served with any dish instead of rice.
For a non-veggie version: Use cooked ground beef to stuff the tomatoes.
