Vegan Rice Stuffed tomatoes
A recipe to delight! My husband is not a fan of tomatoes. In fact he will leave them until last and often slide them onto my plate claiming he is full. Now I get grilled tomatoes are not for everyone, I have learnt this more and more as time goes on. I personally don’t get it myself. I don’t know what it is, but roasted, fresh or grilled, tomatoes always feel so nourishing to me. I like mine with a little olive oil, salt and pepper or with a spoonful of Tahini… yum!
BUT my idea for this dish was one wanting to convert my husband and any other tomato protestors out there.
So, I set about gathering together spices and ingredients I know my husband loves and ones that go well with tomatoes.
The result is rice (There has to be carbs if I’m going to market this as a meal), olives and capers for saltiness, pine nuts for a rich nutty flavour and an abundance of flavour and spice.
These tomatoes are
Interesting
Flavourful
Healthy
Unique
Pretty on the eye, and;
Easy to prepare
Not to mention, they will leave your kitchen smelling like a restaurant, YUM.
The tomatoes are best eaten warm, but this doesn’t mean you need to eat them on the same day as you bake. In fact, if you leave them to refrigerate overnight and reheat the next day, the flavours will REALLY come alive.
The tomatoes make a great light supper on their own or are wicked as a part of a Mezze plate, that is; a plate filled with a small selection of appetizers. I would pair this dish with a fresh cucumber salad with some fresh hummus and bread on the side. Perhaps some roasted peppers and more olives too because can you really ever have too many olives? The answer is NO.
Enjoy!
If you have any questions or if you make this recipe, or even have an idea for a recipe you would like to see ‘veganised’, drop me a comment below or let me know on Instagram @theplantritionist
Talitha xx
Preheat Gas oven to 180 degrees.
In a large bowl add all the ingredients except for the tomatoes and stir to combine. Set aside.
Prepare tomatoes by cutting the lids off the top. Cut approximately one third of the way down each tomato and set aside as we’ll use these again. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh within the tomato to reveal a hollow well.
Scoop the rice stuffing into each tomato until it is very full. The tomato can be stuffed to capacity, it doesn’t need to be filled level with the tomato. Pile it high, then place in and small oven dish and place the tomato lid on top of the stuffed tomato. Repeat process with all remaining tomatoes until the mixture is used up.
Once the lids are in place drizzle a little extra olive oil across all tomatoes and sprinkle a pinch of salt.
Bake in the oven for up to 1 hour and serve.
Serving suggestion, serve two tomatoes per person on their own for a light meal or for a more substantial meal, serve alongside other small dishes such as fresh bread with hummus and cucumber salad.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat Gas oven to 180 degrees.
In a large bowl add all the ingredients except for the tomatoes and stir to combine. Set aside.
Prepare tomatoes by cutting the lids off the top. Cut approximately one third of the way down each tomato and set aside as we’ll use these again. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh within the tomato to reveal a hollow well.
Scoop the rice stuffing into each tomato until it is very full. The tomato can be stuffed to capacity, it doesn’t need to be filled level with the tomato. Pile it high, then place in and small oven dish and place the tomato lid on top of the stuffed tomato. Repeat process with all remaining tomatoes until the mixture is used up.
Once the lids are in place drizzle a little extra olive oil across all tomatoes and sprinkle a pinch of salt.
Bake in the oven for up to 1 hour and serve.
Serving suggestion, serve two tomatoes per person on their own for a light meal or for a more substantial meal, serve alongside other small dishes such as fresh bread with hummus and cucumber salad.
