Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes are a great treat when big juicy beefsteak tomatoes are in season. Cooked tomatoes are bursting with lycopene, which is protective of many types of cancer, and to make this summer favorite even more nutritious, instead of using rice or breadcrumbs for the stuffing, we’ve used delicious herb infused cooked quinoa. This dish is quick and easy to put together, but the real trick is to bake the tomatoes long and slow so their juices seep into the quinoa. They make a fabulous summery meal eaten barely warm or at room temperature. Try them.

45 min prep

6 servings

9 ingredients

  

Ingredients

6 ripe medium beefsteak tomatoes

1 cup chopped Italian parsley

¼ cup chopped scallions

½  cup chopped mint

⅓ cup shredded basil leaves

1 lemon, zested and juiced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1½ to 2 cups cooked quinoa

Extra virgin olive oil

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

With a sharp knife, cut the stem end tops out of the tomatoes. Cut them in a circular motion at an angle. Gently squeeze the tomatoes over a bowl to remove most of the seeds and excess liquid. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the parsley, scallions, mint, basil, lemon zest, 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Gradually mix in the quinoa and blend well.

Stuff the tomatoes with the quinoa, packing the stuffing into the cavities of the tomatoes with your fingers. Place tomatoes on a cookie tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes and the stuffing. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the tomatoes, or until the tomatoes are very soft. Remove from the oven and let them cool.

 Serve on a platter garnished with fresh basil leaves and drizzled with a little extra olive oil.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 125; fat: 4 g; saturated fat: 1 g; polyunsaturated fat: 1 g; monounsaturated fat: 3 g; carbohydrates: 19 g; sugar: 4 g; fiber: 4 g; protein: 4 g; sodium: 496 mg.

Registered Dietitian Approved

All our recipes are created by chefs and reviewed by our oncology-trained staff Registered Dietitian, Kate Ueland, MS, RD, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and meets the standards set by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

This recipe was originally published on Cook for Your Life. It is used by permission.

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