This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. That means if you click on my link and buy something, I will earn a small commission from the advertiser at no additional cost to you. For more information on this, please click here.
Baked Tomatoes Provencal is a tasty, easy recipe highlighting the iconic summer veggie. Ripe, sweet tomatoes are halved and topped with a savory combination of parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, fragrant basil pesto, rich pistachios, herbs, spices and extra virgin olive oil and roasted to melt-in-your-mouth perfection.
Tomatoes Provencal is a great dish to make during the late summer months when large, sweet beefsteak-style tomatoes are at their peak and in abbondanza at farmers’ markets or in your backyard garden! It’s a classic recipe originating from the Provence region of southern France (the region closest to Italy!) that’s full of flavor and texture. A quick summer side dish or vegetarian entrée all will enjoy!
Roasting fresh tomatoes intensifies their sweet and savory flavor while mellowing out any sharpness or acidity. And bonus–your kitchen will smell as warm and inviting as Sunday’s tomato sauce!
Some other summer tomato recipes that I love to make all season long are Sicilian pesto Trapanese, vodka sauce with fresh tomatoes, tomato confit, pasta with raw tomato sauce and ricotta and caprese panzanella salad.
Recipe Inspiration
When I was growing up, my mom used to thick-slice large, Jersey tomatoes in late summer when they were abundant, nestle them tightly in a pan on the stove, top them with some seasoned breadcrumbs and other good stuff, and then cook them, partially covered, on low heat for a while. It was a great summer side dish that she picked up from our French cousins from Provence when they visited for several weeks one year.
I actually forgot about this dish until just recently and wanted to enjoy again one of the best flavors of my childhood summers. I topped mine here with some pesto, parmigiano cheese, breadcrumbs, crunchy chopped pistachios and a good glug of extra-virgin olive oil, then roasted instead of cooking them on the stove.
This recipe is very much like a tomatoes oreganata–the garden fresh version of my shrimp and clams oreganata recipes with seasoned breadcrumbs.
Regardless, this nostalgic recipe has my mom written all over it and represents the delicious bounty of summer tomatoes. Hope you give it a try and enjoy these baked tomatoes over and over again on their own, with a side salad or some crusty pane di casa, or with some hearty grilled meats. Mangia bene!
Ingredients for Tomatoes Provencal
Here are the ingredients we’ll be using for these baked parmesan tomatoes:
- Tomatoes: Use large or medium-large beefsteak-style tomatoes of roughly the same size in this recipe for best results. They are the right size and have the best pulp-to-flesh ratio for this dish. The tomatoes should be ripe yet firm and sweet but not soft or mushy as you want them to hold up to the roasting process. Jersey, beefsteak, heirloom and vine-ripened tomatoes will all work. The larger the better for this recipe
- Breadcrumbs: The base for the topping. Use plain, fine breadcrumbs. Crunchy and chunky panko breadcrumbs can be used as well.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds lots of savory flavor. Use Parmigiano-Reggiano if available. Grana Padano or sharp pecorino cheese can be used as well.
- Pistachios: While optional, pistachios give a nice crunch and richness to the final dish.
- Pesto, Herbs and Spices: Along with the grated cheese, these are the main aromatics in the recipe, adding loads of flavor. I used garlic and onion powders and dried basil and oregano, but fresh herbs would be great if you have them on hand. Fresh dill or mint are also great options.
How to Make Tomatoes Provencal, Step-by-Step
This recipe’s prep is super quick and simple, relying mostly on the seasonable sweetness of ripe tomatoes. Here are the main steps for making baked tomatoes with parmesan and breadcrumbs:
- In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, parmesan, pistachios, dried herbs, garlic and onion powders and crushed red pepper together until well-combined and set aside.
- Core and slice the tomatoes in half horizontally. Then, arrange the tomatoes, cut-side up, in a single layer in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle each tomato half with salt and black pepper, then spoon approximately 1 heaping teaspoon pesto in the center of each tomato half, spreading it out over the surface of the tomato.
- Continue with 1-2 tablespoons bread crumb mixture on each tomato half, then top with an additional ½ teaspoon pesto on each half.
- Drizzle all tomatoes with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Roast, uncovered, on the middle rack for about 30-40 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. (The time depends largely on the size of the tomatoes.)
- Remove from oven, top with chopped basil or some additional pesto, if desired, and serve immediately. That’s it!
Love Jersey tomatoes? Get the t-shirt showing your love for this golden apple from the Garden State!
Frequently Asked Questions
The tomatoes should be ripe yet firm and sweet but not soft or mushy as you want them to hold up to the roasting process.
Use large or medium-large beefsteak-style tomatoes in this recipe for best results. They are the right size and have the best pulp-to-flesh ratio for this dish. Here’s a great guide about different types of tomatoes in case you would like to read more about them. Jersey, beefsteak, heirloom and vine-ripened tomatoes will all work. The larger the better for this recipe and try to select tomatoes that are roughly the same size.
Yes, you can use either crunchy and chunky panko or regular fine breadcrumbs in this recipe. Panko will give you a crunchier topping.
Yes, definitely! In fact, my mom always made this recipe on the stovetop. The tomato preparation is the same. Then, instead of placing the tomato halves in an oiled roasting pan, you would place them in an oiled skillet (preferably nonstick) that is large enough to hold all the halves snugly. Once topped, partially cover and cook over medium-low heat until the tomatoes are soft.
TOP TIPS FOR TOMATOES PROVENCAL
- Tomatoes: Use large or medium-large beefsteak-style tomatoes of roughly the same size in this recipe for best results. They are the right size and have the best pulp-to-flesh ratio for this dish. The tomatoes should be ripe yet firm and sweet but not soft or mushy as you want them to hold up to the roasting process.
- Choose a baking dish that is large enough to hold all the tomatoes snugly in a in a single layer. Use two baking dishes if necessary.
- Substitutions/Variations:
- Add some capers, olives and anchovies for a briny puttanesca-style or pine nuts and raisins for more Sicilian-ness.
- The pistachios, while optional, give a nice crunch and richness to the final dish.
- You can cook these tomatoes on the stovetop if you don’t want to turn on the oven. Details for this version in the recipe below.
- Serving: I love serving this recipe with a simple pasta such as spaghetti aglio e olio and a large green salad with some homemade spicy Italian pepper oil nearby for a fiery kick. It’s also a perfect side to a nice grilled steak or roast chicken.
- Leftovers of tomatoes provençal can be chopped up and used as a pasta sauce for a really delicious and unique type of tomato sauce. Make extra and try this!
- Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium low until heated through. I don’t suggest freezing these tomatoes.
More Great Recipes to Try
I hope that you are enjoying my Italian food blog and all of my Italian recipes and Italian-American recipes!
If you’ve tried Tomatoes Provencal, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more delicious food and what might be going on behind the scenes!
Baked Tomatoes Provencal with Parmesan and Breadcrumbs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil (for baking dish)
- ⅓ cup fine breadcrumbs, plain
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
- ½ cup shelled pistachios finely-chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- Pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
- 8 large, ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced in half horizontally (See Notes.)
- Pinch salt and black pepper
- About ¾ cup pesto either homemade or store-bought
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh basil, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prep and gather all ingredients according to specifications above. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375℉. Rub a baking dish that is large enough to hold all tomato halves snugly with oil. You may need to use more than one dish.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan, pistachios, dried herbs, garlic and onion powders and crushed red pepper together until well-combined and set aside.⅓ cup fine breadcrumbs,, ⅓ cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese, ½ cup shelled pistachios, 1 tsp dried basil, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp dried oregano, Pinch crushed red pepper
- Arrange the tomatoes, cut-side up, in a single layer in the baking dish.8 large, ripe tomatoes,
- Sprinkle each tomato half with salt and black pepper, then spoon approximately 1 heaping teaspoon pesto in the center of each tomato half, spreading it out over the surface of the tomato.Pinch salt and black pepper, About ¾ cup pesto
- Continue with 1-2 tablespoons breadcrumb mixture on each tomato half, then top with an additional ½ teaspoon pesto on each half.
- Drizzle all tomatoes with extra-virgin olive oil.Extra virgin olive oil
- Roast, uncovered, on the middle rack for about 30-40 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. (The time depends largely on the size of the tomatoes.) Do not overcook as the tomatoes will get soggy and mushy.
- Remove from oven, top with chopped basil or some additional pesto, if desired, and serve immediately. Buon Appetito!Fresh basil,
Notes
- I figured on two tomato halves per person, but this may be more or less based on what else is being served. Adjust accordingly. This recipe is really easy to batch up or down to make as little or as much as you need.
- Use large or medium-large beefsteak-style tomatoes of roughly the same size in this recipe for best results. They are the right size and have the best pulp-to-flesh ratio for this dish. The tomatoes should be ripe yet firm and sweet but not soft or mushy as you want them to hold up to the roasting process.
- If the tomatoes are really large, you can slice them into 3 or more thick slices instead of just cutting them in half. Use your judgment–the slices should be at least ¾” thick.
- Choose a baking dish that is large enough to hold all the tomatoes snugly in a in a single layer. Use two baking dishes if necessary.
- The pistachios, while optional, give a nice crunch and richness to the final dish. Chopped, pitted black, oil-cured olives are a great option in place of the pistachios for a briny kick.
- The cooking time is an estimate and is fully dependent on the size of the tomatoes and your oven. The tomatoes should be tender but not mushy.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium low until heated through or in a microwave. When reheating, they will be mushier in texture but still flavorful. I don’t suggest freezing these tomatoes.
- Leftovers are great chopped up and used as a pasta sauce for a really delicious and unique type of tomato sauce. Definitely try this!
- If you prefer to make this recipe on the stovetop, instead of placing the tomato halves in an oiled roasting pan, place them in an oiled skillet (preferably nonstick) that is large enough to hold all the halves snugly. Proceed with the rest of the recipe (topping the tomato) as written. Once topped, partially cover and cook over medium-low heat until the tomatoes are soft.
oh my gosh-had completely forgotten about this dish and didn’t know it’s name. my mother was Sicilian and made this. thanks for this great recipe. loved it!