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Recipe Detail Page
Buttery Stuffed Tomatoes
Summer 2025
These stuffed tomatoes are a riff on a classic Turkish casserole. They can be served over basmati rice or stuffed into warmed pitas. Either way, the mingled pan and yogurt sauces are pretty killer. Use whatever unflavoured yogurt you have on hand; if it’s Greek yogurt or labneh, add a splash of milk to the blender to loosen it up. The recipe is adapted from one by Claire Thomson from her terrific book Tomato.
Serves 4
GREEN YOGURT SAUCE
1/4 cup (60 mL) sliced chives or green onion
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 cup (250 mL) yogurt
Salt
SPICE MIXTURE
1 tsp (5 mL) ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) paprika
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
BEEF MIXTURE
1 medium-size onion, coarsely grated
1/4 cup (60 mL) bread crumbs
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1 lb (455 g) ground beef or lamb
1 egg
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
15 medium-size vine-ripened tomatoes
1/4 cup (60 mL, 1/2 a stick) salted butter
2 long hot peppers, optional
1. For the green yogurt sauce, add the herbs and garlic, then yogurt to a blender. Process on high until smooth and uniformly green. Season with salt to taste, pour into a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a separate small bowl combine ingredients for spice mixture.
3. To make beef mixture, in a medium-size bowl, stir grated onion and bread crumbs together. Add 2 tsp (10 mL) Spice Mixture, salt, beef, egg, cilantro and garlic. Combine. Divide into 12 portions roughly the size and shape of a large egg.
4. Core, seed and roughly chop 3 tomatoes. Add to clean blender and purée.
5. Set a large shallow roasting tin over medium heat. Melt butter and add remaining spice mixture. Cook 1 minute, then tip in puréed tomato. Let boil 5 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
6. Arrange an oven rack closest to broiling element. Set broiler to high.
7. Cut remaining 12 tomatoes in half through their equators. Scoop out seeds and ribs and discard. Stuff each tomato with one portion of the meat mixture and press halves together lightly to enclose. Arrange on their sides in roasting tin (along with peppers, if using).
8. Broil 8 to 10 minutes or until charred. Move pan to lower rack, and cook 10 minutes more until meat is cooked through. Serve tomatoes (and peppers, if using) with pan sauce and Green Yogurt Sauce.
Serves 4