Can you smell them roasting? The tomatoes blistering in the oven? The fragrant spiced lamb melding with its buttery parmesan panko topping? It’s glorious isn’t it?! These lamb stuffed tomatoes are not only beautiful, they’re so simple. Whenever I cook with ground lamb I tend to use big mediterranean flavors: dill, parsley, mint, cinnamon, pine nuts, cumin, turmeric. Lamb loves big flavors.
This recipe is inspired by a dish I had in Scottsdale, AZ at a restaurant called FnB. FnB specializes in richly flavored, globally accented, seasonal cuisine. Their head chef Charleen Badman is a four time James Beard nominee and known to be a “veggie whisperer.” She takes everyday, plain old peas and carrots and turns them into magical things. These tomatoes are no different. She serves them over a pool of delicious creamy hummus as an unforgettable appetizer. I recommend serving them over a pool of creamy hummus with a bed of Israeli couscous or pilaf for an unforgettable dinner.
Once you get the hang of stuffing tomatoes, let your creative juices flow! These would be fantastic stuffed with Italian sausage, rice, cheese, or even squash! Whether you say tomato or tom-ah-to, these babies deserve a spot on your dinner table!
Step 1 : You had me hollow. Slice off the top of each tomato and hollow the tomatoes with a melon baller or small spoon.
Step 2: Get a little salty. Salt insides of the tomatoes and rest upside down about 15 minutes to extract the juices.
Step 3: Stuff like ya never stuffed before. Mix all of the ingredients for the lamb mixture.
Stuff the tomatoes with the lamb mixture and mound at the top.
Step 4: BAKE THOSE BABIES. Bake tomatoes in an oven safe pan or baking sheet for 25 minutes.
Remove tomatoes from oven and top with mixture of breadcrumbs and parmesan.
Bake 20 more minutes. Check the tomatoes, if they topping is not golden brown, broil 2 minutes, checking frequently.
Step 5: Take a bow. You just made some seriously gorgeous stuffed tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 5 big beef or large round heirloom tomatoes
- For the lamb mixture: 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon tumeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons pine nutes
- For the topping: 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Slice off the top of each tomato and hollow the tomatoes with a melon baller or small spoon.
- Mix all of the ingredients for the lamb mixture.
- Stuff the tomatoes with the lamb mixture and mound at the top.
- Bake tomatoes in an oven safe pan or baking sheet for 25 minutes.
- Remove tomatoes from oven and top with mixture of breadcrumbs and parmesan.
- Bake 20 more minutes. Check the tomatoes, if they topping is not golden brown, broil 2 minutes, checking frequently.
© 2025 Copyright Kai and The Kitchen
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Ingredients
- 5 big beef or large round heirloom tomatoes
- For the lamb mixture: 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon tumeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons pine nutes
- For the topping: 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Slice off the top of each tomato and hollow the tomatoes with a melon baller or small spoon.
- Mix all of the ingredients for the lamb mixture.
- Stuff the tomatoes with the lamb mixture and mound at the top.
- Bake tomatoes in an oven safe pan or baking sheet for 25 minutes.
- Remove tomatoes from oven and top with mixture of breadcrumbs and parmesan.
- Bake 20 more minutes. Check the tomatoes, if they topping is not golden brown, broil 2 minutes, checking frequently.