Cheesy Baked Tomatoes

• Melty mozzarella and tangy feta form a golden crust that balances the tomatoes’ natural sweetness.
• Tomatoes provide lycopene, an antioxidant linked to reduced cancer risk.
• Use beefsteak or Brandywine tomatoes as they hold their shape well during baking.

Super-quick and easy, these Cheesy Baked Tomatoes are an amazing side for your favorite proteins. Juicy, antioxidant-rich tomatoes are seasoned just right and become sweeter with oven roasting. Ooey-gooey mozzarella and briny feta provide the perfect balance to the tomatoes’ sweetness and complement the garlic-and-herb seasoning. Keep reading for our expert tips, including what ingredient substitutions can be made.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• While testing this recipe, we used beefsteak tomatoes due to their strong flavor and meaty texture, which holds up well during baking. A Brandywine tomato would work well, too. You can use any variety of tomato you prefer—even smaller tomatoes—just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Using freshly shredded mozzarella cheese from a block rather than preshredded cheese will yield a better, melty cheese pull.
• If you don’t have mozzarella on hand or prefer a different cheese, feel free to use another good melting cheese. And if you’d rather not use feta, Parmesan cheese is a good swap. Just make sure to check the packaging if you are avoiding cheeses made with animal rennet.
• If you don’t have garlic-and-herb seasoning, you can replace it with garlic powder along with one of your favorite dried herbs. Additionally, you can swap out the parsley garnish for another herb of your choice.

Nutrition Notes

• Tomatoes are loaded with the antioxidant lycopene, which is enhanced in this recipe by roasting the tomatoes. Regularly eating tomatoes has been associated with a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease. You may also gain healthy, glowing skin from eating tomatoes. Plus, the fiber in tomatoes may help improve gut health
• Mozzarella cheese adds some protein and calcium to the tomatoes. Mozzarella, especially fresh mozzarella, is a lower-sodium cheese, while feta tends to be higher in sodium. If you’re watching your sodium intake or don’t care for feta, feel free to leave it out.

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless.