Stuffed tomatoes are a popular and delicious food eaten around the world for hundreds of years. Today, there are many stuffed tomato recipes that you can enjoy.
Some of these recipes are Greek, containing a stuffing made up of a mixture of herbs and spices like cumin and nutmeg. The Greek recipes also include rice, crushed tomatoes, and ground meats like lamb or beef.
Other recipes are vegetarian – stuffed with things like a bit of mozzarella, fresh basil, and olive oil. Then you’ll find lots of vegan-friendly recipes as well. So it can be challenging to know what to serve alongside these delicious flavor-packed treats with so many recipes.
Of course, some people do eat stuffed tomatoes on their own as a hearty-but-light lunch, but for those other times?
Here are some great ideas for serving with your stuffed tomatoes that’ll work for various recipes.
Rice
For those recipes where your stuffed tomatoes don’t already contain rice, you should still consider it. Just as a side dish.
You’ll often find rice inside of stuffed tomatoes due to the mild flavor and complementary texture. The sweetness of the tomato and other ingredients work incredibly well with rice, and you’ll often see them used together in other dishes like chili con carne, to name just one.
You can use rice with just about any stuffed tomato recipe that you can think of wanting to make. So if you want a classic combination that’ll look delicious and taste delicious, never overlook the simple yet versatile rice.
Risotto
Risotto is another rice-based dish. However, you’ll find that the texture works incredibly well with a couple of stuffed tomatoes placed on top of the risotto. There’s no need to do anything fancy with your risotto other than cook it as the instructions say. Plus, you can always add a little garlic-infused olive oil in place of butter if you’re vegan.
Couscous
Another excellent option to serve alongside a few plump tasty stuffed tomatoes is couscous.
While couscous has a more robust flavor than rice, it is still mild enough to combine well with the sweet flavors of the tomato and the many flavors that come with different stuffed tomato recipes.
Ravioli
Ravioli comes stuffed with its own foods like pumpkin, cheese, lamb, and much more. So it goes without saying that not all ravioli will be created equal when it comes to serving stuffed tomatoes with it.
Combine simple ravioli with cheeses like ricotta with your stuffed tomatoes for a delicious healthy treat. If you’re not into soft cheese or a vegan, you can go with something simple like spinach ravioli.
Fish
Fish is so simple and versatile that it goes with almost anything. You can have a delicious and succulent thin cut piece of fish to pair with stuffed tomatoes and not regret it for a second.
You can serve fish with basically any kind of stuffed tomato, but you might be better off not serving it with some meat-filled varieties. Instead, opt for this fish when you’re combining it with vegetarian-friendly tomato options.
White types of fish, in particular, work very well with many of these recipes. You can pick whichever fish you like best from an extensive list, including Tilapia, Bass, Cod, Catfish, and Basa.
Hint: Oven cook the fish wrapped in some foil with a dash of olive oil, salt, and other herbs of your choice for a delicious feast.
Leg of lamb
For more authentic Greek-style cuisine, you can combine classic Meditteranean-inspired stuffed tomatoes with a mouth-watering piece of lamb that melts in your mouth.
These are a special combination that makes a special dish sure to become a family favorite, wow a date, or impress the relatives.
If you want to serve a little extra alongside the two, opt for some fresh new potatoes tossed in butter and basil.
Fried eggs
For breakfast or brunch, some classic fried eggs served with sweet and zingy stuffed tomatoes will put a smile on anyone’s face.
The combination of the yolk and the tomato, especially ones stuffed with mozzarella, will invigorate your taste buds and send you back out into your day with a satisfied stomach.
This dish looks spectacular and very fine-dining when pulled off as well. So if you want to impress a spouse with breakfast in bed? You’ve got your answer.