Stuffed Tomatoes with Sausage and Cannellini Beans
This is one of those recipes that looks more involved than it is. The tomatoes take a little patience to hollow out but once that is done the filling comes together quickly, and the result is something genuinely impressive on the table. Sausage meat brings richness and depth, the cannellini beans add a creamy, earthy body that stretches the filling without making it heavy, and the herbs, lemon, and carrot keep everything bright and fresh. A cheese and breadcrumb crust goes on for the final stretch in the oven and comes out golden and properly crisp. It works well as a starter, two tomatoes each for a light first course, or as a main with rice, fried potatoes, or some simply dressed greens alongside.
Stuffed Tomatoes with Sausage and Cannellini Beans
Large tomatoes hollowed out and packed with a filling of sausage meat, crushed cannellini beans, red onion, herbs, lemon, and carrot, then topped with cheese and breadcrumbs and baked until golden and crisp. A generous Mediterranean-style dish that works as a starter or a relaxed main.
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 large tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 red onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 400g sausage meat, or 6 good quality sausages, skins removed
- Small bunch each of fresh oregano, sage, and thyme, leaves picked and finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 small carrots, finely grated
- 50g breadcrumbs
- 50g hard cheese, finely Parmesan or mature Cheddar
- Extra fresh thyme, rosemary, or oregano leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
- Slice the tops off the tomatoes and set them aside. Using a small knife and a teaspoon, carefully scoop out the flesh and seeds from each tomato. Reserve the tops and scooped flesh for another use. Arrange the hollowed tomatoes snugly in a wide ovenproof dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over low heat. Add the red onions and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until completely softened and translucent. Transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool slightly.
- Tip the cannellini beans into the bowl. Using a fork, roughly crush the beans against the side of the bowl until about half are broken down and the texture is chunky rather than smooth. Add the tomato purée, chopped herbs, lemon zest, garlic, and grated carrot and mix to combine.
- Add the sausage meat and combine everything together with your hands until evenly mixed. Season well with salt and black pepper.
- Stuff each tomato generously with the filling, pressing it in firmly and mounding it slightly above the rim. Cover the dish with a lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and extra chopped herbs together in a small bowl.
- Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over each tomato. Return to the oven uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the topping is golden and crisp.
- Serve hot with a simple green salad alongside.
Notes
Choose tomatoes that are large, firm, and roughly equal in size so they cook evenly and hold their shape during baking. Beef tomatoes are ideal. Avoid very ripe tomatoes as they will collapse in the oven before the filling has time to cook through.
The filling can be assembled a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Stuff the tomatoes just before baking rather than in advance, as the filling will make them soggy if left too long.
Leftovers reheat well in a moderate oven for 10 to 15 minutes. The topping will not be quite as crisp but the flavour improves overnight.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
420Fat
24 gSugar
7 gProtein
22 gCarbs
28 gApproximate values per serving
Ingredient Notes
Tomatoes
Size and firmness matter here. You want large, firm tomatoes, beef tomatoes are ideal, that will hold their shape through the full baking time. Avoid anything that is very ripe or soft as it will collapse before the filling is cooked through. Try to choose tomatoes of roughly equal size so they cook evenly.
Sausage meat
Use the best quality sausages or sausage meat you can find as it is the dominant flavour in the filling. Squeeze the meat out of the skins if using sausages. A pork and herb sausage works particularly well with the other flavours in the filling.
Cannellini beans
Crushed by hand rather than blitzed in a food processor, the beans give the filling a chunky, varied texture rather than a smooth paste. About half the beans should be properly broken down, the rest left roughly whole for texture.
Herbs
Fresh herbs make a noticeable difference here. Use a small bunch each of oregano, sage, and thyme, and chop them fairly finely so they distribute evenly through the filling. The same herbs go into the breadcrumb topping for continuity of flavour.
Cheese
Parmesan gives the topping a sharp, savoury crust and crisps up particularly well in the oven. A mature Cheddar melts and browns nicely. Any firm, well-flavoured hard cheese will work, so use whatever you have.
Kitchen Notes
Hollowing the tomatoes
Use a small sharp knife to cut around the inside edge first, then a teaspoon to scoop out the flesh and seeds. Work over a bowl so you can catch everything for using later. Take your time and try not to pierce the base or sides. The tomato needs to be an intact vessel.
Stuffing firmly
Pack the filling in as firmly as you can and mound it slightly above the rim. It will settle and compact during baking. A loosely filled tomato will leave a gap between the filling and the crust once it comes out of the oven.
The lid matters
Covering the dish for the first 30 minutes traps steam and helps the tomatoes cook through without drying out or splitting. Remove the lid only for the final topping stage. If your dish does not have a lid, foil works just as well.
Topping timing
Add the breadcrumb and cheese topping only after the initial 30 minutes of covered baking. Adding it earlier will result in a topping that browns too quickly before the tomatoes and filling are properly cooked.
Zero Waste
Both the scooped tomato flesh and the cut tops are well worth keeping. Roughly chop everything together and add to a pasta sauce, a simple tomato soup, or a shakshuka base. The flesh is full of flavour from the tomato juices and will enrich whatever you add it to. It will keep in the fridge for 2 days or freeze well for up to 3 months.
Variations
Make it a main
Serve two tomatoes per person alongside steamed rice, fried potatoes, or buttered orzo.
Swap the sausage
Fresh pork sausages with fennel seed are a particularly good fit with the Mediterranean flavours and worth seeking out from a butcher or good supermarket. For a light feel, use chicken or turkey mince, in place of sausage meat, with tarragon instead of the sage and thyme for a more delicate, French leaning version.
Vegetarian version
Replace the sausage meat with a mixture of cooked puy lentils and finely chopped mushrooms, fried down until most of the moisture has evaporated. Increase the cannellini beans slightly for extra body. The cheese topping keeps the dish satisfying and filling.
Nutritional Notes
Cannellini beans
Cannellini beans are a good source of plant-based protein and dietary fibre, both of which contribute to the filling, sustaining quality of this dish. They also provide iron and magnesium. The combination of beans and sausage meat means the protein content per serving is meaningfully higher than a standard stuffed vegetable recipe.
Serving Suggestions
How to serve
Serve straight from the baking dish at the table while the topping is still crisp. A large spoon to lift each tomato carefully keeps them intact on the plate.
What to serve alongside
A simple green salad dressed with good olive oil and a squeeze of lemon is all you need for a starter. For a main, steamed rice, fried potatoes, or warm flatbreads all work well to soak up the juices from the bottom of the dish.
Drinks
A medium-bodied Italian red suits this dish well. A Montepulciano d'Abruzzo or a straightforward Chianti both complement the sausage and herbs without overpowering the tomato. For a white, a Vermentino or a Pinot Grigio works well with the lighter herb and lemon notes.
