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Baked Tomato Halves

Ordinary tomato halves become a warm, savory side when their tops bake golden and crisp. The juicy centers stay soft beneath a buttery bread crumb crust.

Four baked tomato halves topped with buttery bread, parsley, and Parmesan in a vintage floral baking dish.
Recipe link
Prep time10 min
Cook time25 min
Total time35 min
Course
Side Dish
Cuisine
Granny's Recipes
Difficulty
Easy
Est. calories / serving
170

Ingredients

  • 2 globe tomatoes — washed, stems removed, cut in half crosswise
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup yellow onion — finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 slice bread — torn into small pieces
  • 2 teaspoons parsley — finely chopped
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese — finely grated

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Prepare Tomatoes: Arrange the tomato halves cut-side up in a baking dish.2 tomatoes
  3. Cook Onion: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened and fragrant.4 tbsp butter, ¼ cup onion
  4. Make Topping: Stir the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, bread pieces, and parsley into the skillet. Cook briefly, stirring gently, until the bread is evenly coated and has absorbed most of the butter mixture.1 tsp prepared mustard, ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 slices bread, 2 tsp parsley
  5. Top Tomatoes: Spoon the bread mixture evenly over the tomato halves. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the topping.¼ cup Parmesan cheese
  6. Bake: Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are heated through and slightly softened but still holding their shape, and the topping is golden brown.
  7. Serve: Serve warm directly from the baking dish while the topping is still crisp around the edges.

Notes

  • Choose Firm Tomatoes: Slightly firm tomatoes hold their shape best during baking and provide a better finished texture.
  • Bread Texture: Day-old bread works especially well because it absorbs the butter mixture without becoming overly soft.
  • Parmesan: Freshly and finely grated Parmesan melts into the bread topping more evenly than packaged pre-grated cheese. It creates a savory, golden crust rather than a stretchy mozzarella-style cheese layer.
  • Avoid Overbaking: Remove the tomatoes once they are hot and slightly softened but still holding their shape. Baking them too long can make them watery and difficult to serve.
  • Serve Promptly: These tomatoes are best enjoyed shortly after baking while the topping remains crisp and the tomatoes are still warm.
  • Pairing Ideas: They make an excellent accompaniment to roast chicken, pork chops, baked ham, grilled steak, or other simple main dishes.

Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)

Yield

4 tomato halves — Serving size: 1 tomato half

Some ingredients could not be modeled and may meaningfully change the totals. Treat these values as a rough estimate.

Calories
170
Carbohydrates
9.5 g
Protein
3 g
Fat
13.5 g
Saturated Fat
8 g
Cholesterol
40 mg
Sodium
200 mg
Fiber
0.7 g
Total Sugars
1.5 g

Equipment

  • small skillet
  • baking dish
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • mixing spoon