Baked Parmesan Tomatoes
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This quick Baked Parmesan Tomatoes recipe is a timesaver that allows you to get a delicious side dish on the table in only a few minutes. That “quick” is no joke; preparation is an absolute breeze, and the actual cook time is only 10 minutes. Pop these in the oven just before you’re ready to eat for a warm, cheesy, filling side. Think of these as slices of cheese pizza without the crust: A thick slice of tomato holds a layer of savory, seasoned cheese that pairs well with just about any entree. You can also adjust the seasonings to match this with any cuisine, although the combination of basil, oregano, salt, and pepper used here is already suitable for most meals.
This, honestly, is really good when you want something with a lot of flavor but that isn’t very heavy or greasy. You don’t need oil for this healthy Baked Parmesan Tomatoes version, unlike a lot of other recipes. The seasonings and Parmesan give these tomato slices a burst of umami goodness, turning a slice of tomato and a bunch of shredded cheese into a light, fresh side dish. This is so simple to make that you almost have no excuse not to try it!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe doesn’t call for many ingredients at all, and chances are that you have most, if not all, of the seasonings in your spice rack already.
- This is very quick to make and doesn’t involve a lot of fancy moves. You’re not blending anything or using special appliances. Trust me, these delicious baked Parmesan tomatoes make a great side dish for those meals where you don’t want to spend much time on meal prep.
- Have you ever ended up with tomatoes that have only a little flavor? This is a good way to use those up because the cheese and seasonings absolutely shine.
- These are so yummy that they could become plain addicting. If you’ve been struggling to get family members to eat more vegetables, this could be an excellent way to do it. They’re SO GOOD!
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Servings:4
Ingredients:
2 Large beefsteak tomatoes cut into thick slices
1 tsp. Dried basil
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 c. Fresh grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Tomatoes: Use large, firm beefsteak tomatoes. Cut each into slices that are about 1/4-inch thick; you can make them a little thicker if you prefer. You want the slices to provide a sturdy base for the cheese, and smaller tomatoes may not work as well. If you have to use different tomatoes, look for ones that aren’t mostly seeds on the inside.
Oregano, basil, salt, and pepper: These help make the flavor a little more complex and deep. You can play around with seasonings if you want, and you can also try using spice mixes, like mixed Italian herbs or even taco seasoning.
Fresh Parmesan: It’s much easier to find fresh Parmesan now, be it pre-shredded and bagged or in a block that you can grate yourself. Don’t use the dry stuff in the shelf-stable canister, though. The canister version is much saltier and won’t melt as well as fresh cheese.
Chopped parsley: Give the finished tomatoes a little bit of color with some vivid green parsley. Use Italian/flat leaf parsley, not the curly version. If you don’t have parsley, use thin strips of fresh basil.
How to Make It
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place each tomato slice on the sheet. The parchment paper helps prevent the slices from sticking to the baking sheet and makes clean-up a lot easier.
Step 3: Top each tomato slice with salt and pepper to taste. Start with a light coating because you can always add more, but you can’t really remove excess salt and pepper.
Step 4: Sprinkle the oregano and basil over the tomatoes. If you want, you can reserve a tiny bit of the oregano and basil to add on top of the cheese, too.
Step 5: Spread the grated Parmesan on top of the tomato slices in an even layer. Add the reserved oregano and basil, if you want.
Step 6: Bake the tomatoes for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Sprinkle the chopped parsley (or basil ribbons, if you decided to go with those) on top of the tomatoes right after you remove them from the oven.
Enjoy!
Tips for Success
After you slice the tomatoes, place them on paper towels with more paper towels on top. Let the towels soak up excess moisture so that the tomatoes and cheese don’t turn soggy after baking. You don’t have to de-seed the tomato slices, but you do want to ensure juice isn’t dripping everywhere.
Spread the cheese so that it covers most of the tomato in an even layer. You want the cheese to melt evenly, and you don’t want to end up with a half-melted blob in the center of the tomato slice.
SO GOOD!
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover baked Parmesan tomatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than a couple of days. Do not freeze these because the tomatoes won’t thaw well; they can end up mealy and mushy. If you have a lot of slices, place parchment or wax paper between layers of slices.
Reheat these in an oven or toaster oven for five to 10 minutes at 350F to 375F. You can reheat these in a microwave for a minute or two, but be aware that the reheated tomatoes will likely become a bit soggy.
Serving Suggestions
When you make these homemade baked parmesan tomatoes ideas for main dishes are easy to find. Serve these with steak, steak bites, or meatloaf, and add a green salad and either garlic bread or a potato dish like these Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes. Remember that you can play around with the seasonings if you want to adjust the taste to pair well with different cuisines; for example, if your main course is this Greek chicken, you could use Greek seasoning instead of only basil and oregano.
FAQs
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can put the uncooked ingredients together earlier in the day and store the slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Don’t make these too far ahead as they can dry out. While you could technically bake these ahead of time, they won’t be as fresh after reheating them as they would be when just cooked.
Can I use a different cheese?
You could, but the flavor will change.
Notes
These family friendly Baked Parmesan Tomatoes are so good that you could find even the pickiest eaters requesting these tomatoes at future meals. All the ingredients, even the fresh ones, are available year-round in most stores, so making these isn’t limited to only one season. This is also great for anyone learning to cook, so if you’ve been sticking to frozen dinners and takeout, give these easy Baked Parmesan Tomatoes for beginners a try!
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Baked Parmesan Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 Large beefsteak tomatoes cut into thick slices
- 1 tsp. Dried basil
- 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
- 1 c. Fresh grated parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Add the tomato slices to a parchment-lined baking sheet and top with salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle the oregano and basil over the tomatoes.
- Spread the grated parmesan on the top of the tomatoes.
- Bake the tomatoes for 10 minutes.
- Remove and garnish with parsley before serving.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
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