Stuffed Provençal Tomatoes

🌿 THE INNER KITCHEN

Simple Summer Suppers

Stuffed Provençal Tomatoes

Ripe summer tomatoes filled with buttery herb crumbs, baked until tender, and served as part of a quiet, practical summer supper.

Some summer suppers begin with very little: a few ripe tomatoes, a bit of bread saved for crumbs, herbs from the kitchen shelf, and the thought that something simple can still feel special.

These stuffed Provençal tomatoes came together from what I already had on hand. The tomatoes were hollowed, lightly salted, and filled with buttery seasoned crumbs, scallions, herbs, and a little cheese before being baked until tender and golden.

Served with a simple salad, asparagus, and chicken in a Dijon herb sauce, they became exactly the sort of meal I love most: practical, seasonal, and quietly satisfying.

A simple summer supper does not need to be elaborate. Sometimes it only needs tomatoes, crumbs, herbs, and a little care.

From The Inner Kitchen

This recipe belongs to the practical side of summer cooking — the kind that uses what is available and turns it into something worth setting on the table.

The crumb filling is the heart of the dish. Buttered breadcrumbs, chopped tomato, scallions, herbs, and grated cheese bake together inside the tomato, creating a topping that is crisp and golden above, while soft and savory underneath.

Prepared tomatoes ready to be filled for stuffed Provençal tomatoes. — The tomatoes are hollowed and lightly salted before filling.

Tomatoes filled with buttery herb breadcrumbs before baking. — Buttery herb crumbs turn simple tomatoes into a satisfying summer supper.

What Went Into the Tomatoes

homemade breadcrumbs
butter
scallions or onion
reserved chopped tomato flesh
dried or fresh herbs
Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
salt and pepper
a little water for the baking dish

View Recipe: Stuffed Provençal Tomatoes

Serves: 3 as a generous side or light supper

Ingredients

3 large ripe tomatoes
1 to 1 ½ cups homemade breadcrumbs
2 to 3 tablespoons butter
2 scallions, finely sliced, or a little minced onion
Reserved chopped tomato flesh
2 to 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
½ teaspoon dried herbs, such as thyme, oregano, basil, or herbes de Provence
Salt and black pepper, to taste
A small amount of water for the baking dish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut the tops from the tomatoes and scoop out the centers. Reserve the tomato flesh and chop it finely.
Lightly salt the tomato shells and let them drain briefly while preparing the filling.
In a skillet, melt the butter and add the breadcrumbs. Cook until lightly toasted and fragrant.
Stir in the scallions, chopped tomato flesh, herbs, grated cheese, salt, and pepper.
Spoon the crumb mixture into the tomato shells, mounding it slightly on top.
Place the tomatoes in a small baking dish with a little water in the bottom.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the tomatoes are tender and the crumbs are golden.
Let rest briefly before serving.

LIBK Note: This recipe is flexible. Use the herbs, cheese, and bread you have on hand. The goal is a savory, buttery crumb filling that makes the tomatoes feel generous and complete.

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Kitchen Notes

I love how filling these tomatoes became. One tomato, served alongside a little protein and something green, was more than enough for a quiet supper.

This is also the kind of recipe that invites variation. A little tuna folded into the crumbs would make it heartier. Different herbs could change the mood. A sharper cheese would bring more depth. But the spirit remains the same: good tomatoes, good crumbs, and a simple meal made with care.

Meals like this remind me that homemaking is not only about cooking from a plan. Sometimes it is about noticing what is already there and turning it into something that feels thoughtful.