An easy recipe for wonderfully flavorful broiled tomatoes with Parmesan cheese. Great as an appetizer, as a side dish, or for breakfast.
Not everyone likes the flavor and texture of cooked tomatoes. But if you do, I think you are going to love this simple recipe.
These oven broiled tomatoes with Parmesan are so delicious. They are great for breakfast or brunch, but they can also be served as a tasty side dish.
Fresh vs. cooked tomatoes
I adore fresh tomatoes. Especially firm, sweet summer tomatoes. Those mealy pink tomatoes that you can buy in winter are just depressing. My favorite way to eat tomatoes, by far, is Caprese salad. So simple, yet so fresh and delicious.
When you make this broiled tomatoes recipe, you sacrifice an element of sweetness and freshness, but you gain lots of concentrated flavor. Cooking tomatoes really brings out their unique taste. Instead of sweet, they become tangy and piquant.
Not everyone likes cooked tomatoes, though. One of my kids can't handle their texture but happily eats fresh tomatoes. I think it's a very personal thing.
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Fresh tomatoes: Try to find plump, bright-red tomatoes. Not those pink mealy ones. 🍅
Olive oil spray: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you'd rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. Another tasty option is to use melted butter.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
Spices: I like to use garlic powder and dried thyme. Please make sure the spices you use are fresh. A stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
Parmesan: You can use either finely grated or coarsely shredded cheese. They are different, but both work in this recipe.
How to broil tomatoes
It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Start by preheating your broiler on high and positioning an oven rack 6 inches below the heating element - not directly below.
2. Cut the tomatoes in half. Place them in a broiler-safe baking dish.
3. Spray the tomatoes with olive oil (or brush them with melted butter) and sprinkle them with the spices and with the parmesan.
4. Broil until the cheese is golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them! Even when not directly under the heating element, they can still burn quite easily.
How to serve broiled tomatoes?
They are best served warm, but they are also good at room temperature.
Although they are a classic brunch dish, I actually like to serve them as a side dish to meat or fish. I often serve them when I make London Broil.
And they are also excellent as a side dish to baked salmon. I broil them first, loosely cover in foil to keep them warm on the kitchen counter, then bake the fish.
What to do with the leftovers?
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days, in an airtight container, and gently reheat them in the microwave on 50% power. They won't be as good as when served fresh, though.
More tomato recipes that you might enjoy
I have a few more recipes for cooked tomatoes that I love and make often. My favorites are egg stuffed breakfast tomatoes (a classic brunch dish) and roasted cherry tomatoes.
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Broiled Tomatoes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tomatoes large and firm
- Olive oil spray
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup dry-grated Parmesan
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your broiler on high. Position an oven rack 6 inches below the heating element (not directly below).
- Cut the tomatoes in half. Cut a tiny sliver from the bottom of each half, so that the tomatoes can stand upright without wobbling.
- Spray the tomatoes all over with olive oil. Place them on a broiler-safe rimmed baking dish, cut side up.
- Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme. Top with Parmesan, 2 tablespoons for each tomato half.
- Broil until the cheese is golden brown, 3-5 minutes.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living.