Vegetarian Stuffed Tomatoes with Feta and Mushrooms

These vegetarian stuffed tomatoes are filled with mushrooms, spinach, onion, garlic, and feta cheese and baked to perfection in the oven. This healthy dish can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or main course.

Tomatoes usually play a side role in our meals. We add them to salads, sauces, and soups to showcase the other ingredients. But tomatoes are seldom the star of the show.

Well, it’s that time of year when vine-ripened tasty tomatoes are in abundance, so for now, tomatoes have the spotlight!

These healthy stuffed tomatoes are a great way to use that surplus of ripe tomatoes while impressing your family and friends with an elegant meatless meal.

This tasty recipe is not only vegetarian but also gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, and easy to modify into a vegan recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s super easy to make.
• You will only need 7 basic, budget-friendly ingredients.
• It’s 100% vegetarian, AND you can make it vegan if you use a plant-based crumbly cheese in place of feta.
• Stuffed tomatoes can be served as a tasty appetizer or side dish but also as a satisfying entree.
• These vegetarian stuffed tomatoes are made with all fresh, wholesome, healthy ingredients.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Tomatoes – Be sure to select large, firm tomatoes that will hold up in the oven (like beefsteak).
• Olive Oil – In this recipe, olive oil is mainly used to prevent food from sticking to the skillet, but it also adds some flavor to the dish.
• White or Brown Mushrooms – They serve as the “bones” of the filling, adding a layer of earthy flavor and soft texture.
• Onion and garlic – Add savory flavor to the filling mixture.
• Spinach – This leafy green has a slightly bitter and sweet flavor and soft texture. It blends very well with other ingredients and makes the dish more flavorful.
• Feta – The soft cheese adds salty, tangy Greek-inspired flavor and helps hold the filling together.

How To Make Feta & Mushroom Stuffed Tomatoes

You can make these delicious stuffed tomatoes in just four easy steps:

Step 1. Prep the tomatoes.

Cut the tops off of each tomato. With a paring knife, cut out the middle, then scoop the flesh and seeds out with a spoon (Photo 1). Lightly salt the inside of the tomatoes and place them on a plate upside down, and set them aside (Photo 2).

Step 2. Cook the filling.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Cook the mushroom stirring occasionally until the liquid from them has evaporated. Move the mushrooms to the side of the skillet, then add additional oil along with onions, then garlic. Cook until onions begin to soften. Add spinach, then feta, and mix everything together.

Step 3. Assemble the tomatoes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a spoon, stuff the filling mixture into the tomatoes. Place the tomato tops back on the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish.

Step 4. Bake the stuffed tomatoes.

Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened. Remove from oven promptly.

Recipe Tips

• When scooping out the insides of the tomatoes, do not scrape too much tomato flesh out, or they will fall apart in the oven.
• If the tomatoes are oddly shaped and won’t stand upright in the baking dish, you can also bake individual tomatoes in ramekins.
• I find these baked stuffed tomatoes taste best fresh from the oven, but you can make them in advance and reheat the next day.
• Be sure not to over-bake because tomatoes will collapse if they are too soft. There’s really no way to come back from that (but they will still taste delicious).

What To Serve With Stuffed Tomatoes

These tomatoes are amazing on their own. You can also serve them alongside a couple of plant-based sides for a balanced and filling meat-free meal. Serve them with:

• Rice Pilaf and Steamed Vegetables
• Roasted Cauliflower and Romain Salad
• Fresh Vegetable Salad & a Slice of Crusty Bread

You can also add cooked whole grains such as couscous, quinoa, or barley to the mushroom filling mixture.

Storing, Freezing, and Reheating

• Storing: Leftovers stuffed tomatoes, stored in an airtight container, will last in the fridge for up 2 days.
• Reheating: To reheat, bring to room temperature and then reheat in 350 degrees preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. These vegetarian stuffed tomatoes can also be reheated in the microwave oven.
• Freezing: Due to the high water content of tomatoes, vegetarian stuffed tomatoes with feta and mushrooms are not freezer-friendly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make vegan stuffed tomatoes?

All of the ingredients except for the feta are vegan. That said, simply swap out the feta for your favorite crumbly plant-based cheese, and you’re good to go.

Can I use something other than spinach?

Yes. Feel free to swap out spinach for a different leafy green. Chopped kale or chard are great options.

Can I use the mushroom filling for stuffed bell peppers or stuffed zucchini?

You sure can, but I recommend par-baking those vegetables before stuffing as they will take a bit longer than tomatoes to cook through.

Vegetarian Stuffed Tomatoes with Feta and Mushrooms

Yield: 6 stuffed tomatoes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

These baked tomatoes are stuffed with mushrooms, garlic, spinach, and feta. They can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or main dish. Very easy to make.

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Ingredients

• 6 tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 pound white or brown mushrooms, chopped into very small pieces
• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2-3 generous handfuls of spinach, washed, stems removed, the leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta

Instructions

1. To prep the tomatoes, cut the tops off. With a paring knife, cut out the middle, then scoop the flesh and seeds out with a spoon. Lightly salt the inside of the tomatoes and place them on a plate upside down (this helps to get rid of excess water).
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook stirring occasionally until the mushroom liquid has evaporated.
3. Push the mushrooms to one side of the skillet. Add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and the onions to the other side of the skillet and cook the onions stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. Keep an eye on the mushrooms too. Add the garlic to the onions and cook for another 30 seconds then mix the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. ( Alternatively, you can also cook the onions and garlic first, set them aside, and then cook the mushrooms. I prefer to cook them together to save time).
4. Once the mushrooms start to brown, add the spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted.
5. Add the feta cheese and cook until the feta starts to melt.
6. Preheat the oven to 400F.
7. Using a spoon, stuff the mushroom mixture into the tomatoes. Place the tomato tops on top of the tomatoes.
8. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish. If the tomatoes have round bottoms or are oddly shaped, you can also bake them in ramekins.
9. Place the baking dish or ramekins into the oven and bake the tomatoes for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Do not overbake as the tomatoes will collapse if they are too soft.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 portions Serving Size 1 tomato
Amount Per Serving Calories 112Total Fat 7.5gSaturated Fat 2.5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4.6gCholesterol 11.1mgSodium 125.8mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 2gSugar 5.1gProtein 4.5g

Nutrition facts provided on this website are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a qualified health care provider for personalized diet advice and make sure that each of the ingredients is allowed in your diet.

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