Tomates à la Provençale
Is there anything better than a perfect summer tomato? Tomates à la Provençale celebrates the juicy, sweet perfection of this crimson fruit, and it’s a traditional recipe rooted in the sunny cooking of Provence, France. Whether you’re looking for a light entree or elegant side dish, this one will become a favorite.
I love having options for Meatless Monday, such as my Sheet Pan Tortellini alla Norma and this dish comes together with just a handful of ingredients that let a good ripe tomato really shine. Especially during the summer when so many produce are at their peak season, it’s easy to incorporate more vegetables into meals. This dish comes together with just a handful of ingredients that perfectly highlight the amazing tomato.
Ingredients for Tomates à la Provençale
Tomates à la Provençale is an easy dish to make for just a couple of people, or double and triple it for a crowd. It’s not only easy, it’s also economical.
- Tomatoes – Pick ripe tomatoes, but not overly ripe, since they’ll soften further as they roast. Similar sized tomato halves will cook more evenly.
- Shallot – Adds a mild, delicate onion flavor to the stuffing.
- Fresh Parsley – Pull the leaves off the stems for the freshest, most herbaceous flavor in the filling.
- Garlic Cloves – Bring a savory note to every bite.
- Parmesan – Nutty and salty, this gives both body and flavor.
- Tablespoons of Olive Oil – Adds moisture to the filling and helps the top turn a crisp, golden crumb.
- Pork Panko – Bacon’s Heir Pork Panko is made with just two ingredients, pork skin and salt. This is an even one to one swap for traditional breadcrumbs that packs extra savory flavor. It also has a higher heat tolerance that also makes it perfect for grilling.
How to Make Tomates à la Provençale
This dish comes together in under 30 minutes, roasting at a high heat that makes it a quick option for any night of the week.
Get out your favorite cast iron skillet and preheat the oven. This is going to become a new favorite way to celebrate the tomato.
- Prep
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut your tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Place each tomato half cut side down on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess juices.
- Stuff It
Add the shallot, garlic, and parsley to a food processor and pulse into a fine garlic mixture. Combine with the panko, parmesan, and olive oil in a bowl, then spoon into the tomatoes.
- Bake It
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the tomatoes have slightly slumped. Enjoy!Bake the tomatoes for 10-15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the tomatoes slightly slumped. Enjoy!
Variations
This is a versatile recipe that you can easily adapt to both your personal taste and also dietary needs.
- Vegetarian – Swap the Pork Panko for regular breadcrumbs.
- Spicy – Add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes for a kiss of heat.
- Dairy Free – Leave out the parmesan, or use a dairy free alternative.
- Herb Swap – Fresh thyme or fresh basil both work beautifully in place of parsley if that’s what you have on hand.
Equipment
This fresh and bright dish only requires a couple of pieces of equipment, making it both budget friendly and also easy to make.
- Food Processor – This makes breaking down the parsley, shallots, and garlic easy as well as gives you a uniform texture.
- Oven Safe Baking Dish or Cast Iron Skillet – These Tomates à la Provençale roast at a high temperature so pick a vessel that can take the heat and will accommodate all of your tomatoes without over crowding them.
Storage
Leftovers make for a fun, tasty lunch the next day. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and let them come to room temperature before serving again for the best flavor.
Top Tip for Tomates à la Provençale
Tomatoes naturally hold a lot of water. Resting them cut side down on a paper towel lined plate before stuffing helps drain some of that moisture so your crumb topping stays crisp instead of soggy.
Tomates à la Provençale
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 oven safe baking dish or cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 3-4 tomatoes
- 1 shallot
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup Pork Panko
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 40 degrees.
- Cut your tomatoes in half. Use a spoon to remove the seeds from the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes cut side down onto a paper towel lined plate and allow the excess juices to drain.
- Add your parsley, garlic, and shallot to a food processor and pulse until a fine texture.
- Add the parsley mixture to a bowl along with the panko, parmesan, and olive oil. Mix to combine.
- Add the filling to the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes into an oven safe baking dish.
- Bake the tomatoes for 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the tomatoes are slightly slumped.
Gosh, I haven’t baked tomatoes for years. I used to make them as an extra side dish for company in the summer. Something other than a tomato salad. this is a great recipe, reminds me of a Patricia Wells recipe. I was going to tell you that there’s no such word as Provençale but I fortunately looked it up! I’ve never seen it with an “e” at the end. Live and learn!!!
It’s very simple and delicious. Thank you for your comment!