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Arabesque in Red

Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Spiced Ground Beef, Caramelized Onions, and Garlic, Served Over Fragrant Rice

1 hour 5 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerMiddle EasternGluten-freeDairy-freeShellfish-freeSoy-free
Herb's take

This Middle Eastern-inspired dinner stars plump tomatoes filled with warmly spiced beef, sweet onions, and garlic, all nestled on a bed of aromatic rice. You’ll master hollowing and stuffing tomatoes without collapse, plus the secret to fluffy, flavor-packed rice.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Preheat your oven to 375°F.
  2. 02
    Slice the tops off the tomatoes and carefully hollow them out with a spoon, reserving the tomato pulp and juices in a bowl. Arrange hollowed tomatoes upright in a baking dish.
  3. 03
    Rinse the rice until water runs clear. Drain well.
  4. 04
    Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is golden and caramelized, about 10-12 minutes.
  5. 05
    Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
  6. 06
    Add the ground beef to the skillet. Brown, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains, about 5-6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
  7. 07
    Stir in allspice, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook 1 minute to bloom the spices.
  8. 08
    Add half the reserved tomato pulp and juices to the beef mixture. Simmer until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
  9. 09
    Remove from heat. Stir in toasted pine nuts and 2 tablespoons parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
  10. 10
    Spoon the beef mixture evenly into the hollowed tomatoes, mounding slightly. Replace tomato tops like little hats.
  11. 11
    Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over stuffed tomatoes. Add 1/4 cup broth to the bottom of the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil.
  12. 12
    Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more until tomatoes are tender but still hold their shape.
  13. 13
    While tomatoes bake, combine rice, remaining reserved tomato pulp, and 1 3/4 cups broth in a saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, 10 minutes.
  14. 14
    Fluff rice with a fork. Stir in lemon juice and remaining parsley.
  15. 15
    To serve, mound rice onto plates. Arrange two stuffed tomatoes per person on top. Spoon pan juices over everything. Sprinkle with extra pine nuts if desired.

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