Bright red vine ripened tomatoes, packed full of melty fresh mozzarella, couscous, and vivid green basil, make a lasting impression. Perfect for a light lunch, a vegetarian entrée, or an unforgettable side dish, caprese stuffed tomatoes are the ultimate in summer cuisine. How long it takes: 45 minutes Equipment you’ll need: baking dish, bowl, spoon Servings: 6 The traditional caprese combination has pleased our palates in a variety of ways. Don’t you just love a margherita pizza with those yummy circles of soft mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and fresh basil? Simple perfection! One of my favorite recipes is this popular caprese pasta salad. It’s always a hit at picnics! Caprese turkey burgers oozing with fresh mozzarella and topped with pesto are amazing. And I’m a fool for this hot caprese dip! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve burned my mouth on this dip because I just can’t wait to shovel it in. On a somewhat healthier note, chicken caprese casserole is always welcome, too.

About This Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

When you stuff anything, it looks like you spent tons of time fussing. The presentation is sort of impressing. In reality (don’t tell anyone!), stuffed tomatoes are really quite easy to make.

Ingredient Notes

Tomatoes: You’ll need six ripe, but still firm, tomatoes. Try to find tomatoes that are approximately the same size. Vine-ripened tomatoes will taste the best. Couscous: Use regular couscous, not pearl or Israeli couscous. You can find whole wheat couscous at Trader Joe’s or Bob’s Red Mill, among other places. Fresh Mozzarella Pearls: Pearls are the small “pearl-sized” fresh mozzarella balls. You’ll find fresh mozzarella balls packaged in liquid (whey), in plastic containers in the deli section of the grocery store. If you can’t find mozzarella pearls, buy larger balls and cut them into smaller pieces. Parmesan Cheese: Shredded or grated Parmesan cheese adds a lot of salty flavor. Basil: You’ll want fresh basil for this caprese dish. It’s a basic component of anything caprese. Seasoning: Simple seasonings of garlic powder, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper are all you need.

How to make couscous stuffed tomatoes

The prep time for these stuffed tomatoes is about twenty minutes and the cook time is 25 minutes. Let’s get started! Cook the couscous. It’s easy to cook. Simply bring water to a boil, add the couscous, cover the pan, turn off the heat and steam for five minutes. Prep the tomatoes. Cut the tops off and lightly scrape out excess seeds and pulp. Place the tomatoes on paper towels, cut side down, to drain while you prepare the filling. Make stuffing. Lightly mix the couscous, mozzarella, Parmesan, and seasonings. Stuff tomatoes. Lightly pack the tomatoes with the couscous mixture and place the tomatoes in a baking dish. It’s okay (and encouraged!) to mound the filling. Bake. Put the stuffed tomatoes into the preheated oven and bake until the tomatoes are tender, the insides are warm, and the cheese is melty. Drizzle a little balsamic glaze over each tomato and sprinkle with basil. So yummy!

How to make these stuffed tomatoes your own

While variations to this recipe may make it “not Caprese,” there are ways to change it up. Here’s a few ideas:

Stuff peppers instead tomatoes. Stuffed peppers are always a hit and bell peppers may be easier to find in winter months than vine-ripened tomatoes. For directions on how to prepare the peppers for filling, check out this recipe for Southwestern stuffed peppers. Amp up the veggies. Add finely chopped spinach to amp up the veggie content. You could also add finely diced onion, mushrooms, or carrots but sauté them briefly before mixing them in with the stuffing ingredients. Make it gluten-free. Substitute cooked quinoa for the couscous. Sub in another type of cheese. Not crazy about fresh mozzarella? Try regular shredded mozzarella or another type of cheese.

Make Ahead Ideas

Couscous stuffed tomatoes can be completely prepared ahead of time, up to a day in advance, and refrigerated until ready to bake. Add about ten minutes to the baking time. If you prefer, prepare the couscous, and stir up the stuffing ahead of time. Refrigerate it until you’re ready to stuff the tomatoes.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Refrigerate: Leftover stuffed tomatoes can be wrapped securely and refrigerated up to 3 days. Reheat: Put the tomatoes in the oven at 350℉ for ten to fifteen minutes or until heated through. You can easily reheat them in your microwave in 30 second increments until the insides are warm and the cheese is soft.

Leftover Love

If you have a few stuffed tomatoes left over and you want them to look a little different the second time around, chop them up. Sauté a few extra veggies such as spinach, mushrooms, onion, etc. in a little olive oil, and add the chopped stuffed tomatoes to that, stirring and heating.

More stuffed delights

Take a plain vegetable, stuff it with all sorts of good “stuff”, and voila! You have yourself a gourmet delight! Try:

Chicken Fajita Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Pizza Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Coq Au Vin Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Recipe Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apples Cheese and Pesto Stuffed Zucchini or Boursin Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers – Southwestern Quinoa, Kale and Bacon Stuffed Butternut Squash Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Southwestern Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers — a great appetizer! Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 69Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 32Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 71Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 17Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 57Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 97Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 16Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 30Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 25Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 18Caprese Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe  - 90