Roasted Plum Tomatoes are sweet, soft, crunchy, and deliciously seasoned. They'll make a perfect BBQ side dish for just about anything you can imagine, and they'll be a welcomed addition to breakfast or brunch.

If you're looking for an easy yet memorable side dish or breakfast/brunch item, look no further than these delicious roasted plum tomatoes!! I promise you won't be sorry.
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Jump to:
- The ingredient list:
- The inspiration for this recipe:
- Why add lemon zest to this dish of roasted tomatoes?
- What are French fried onions, and are they necessary in this dish?
- How long does it take to make roasted plum tomatoes?
- Do these roasted tomatoes reheat well after being refrigerated as leftovers?
- Can these oven-roasted tomatoes be frozen after baking?
- Want more easy and delicious BBQ side dishes than you can shake a stick at?
- Printable Recipe Card
- Roasted Plum Tomatoes with Italian Breadcrumbs
The ingredient list:
*Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.
- Plum Tomatoes
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Seasoned Breadcrumbs
- Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- French Fried Onions
- Fresh Lemon Zest
- Dried Basil
- Garlic Powder
- Fresh Parsley (as garnish)
The inspiration for this recipe:
Today's recipe was inspired by a cruise we took to the Western Caribbean. Every morning at the breakfast buffet, I would have one or two roasted tomatoes along with my scrambled eggs and hash browns.
The roasted tomatoes on the cruise weren't anything fancy, just roasted with oil, salt, and pepper. I've decided to kick mine up a notch or two, and the results (I'm happy to report) are deliciously delightful!
While roasted tomatoes are not something I normally eat for breakfast at home, there was something I adored about the soft, sweet texture of those tomatoes.
I promised myself that when we got home that I'd try and recreate some sort of recipe using roasted tomatoes. This delicious dish of Italian roasted plum tomatoes is where my inspiration led me.
Why add lemon zest to this dish of roasted tomatoes?
You'll have to trust me on this, but the fresh lemon zest really takes these oven baked tomatoes from fine to fabulous!!!
Don't worry. The lemon zest is not at all overpowering or sour.
The lemon zest not only brightens and enhances the flavor of the breadcrumb and Parmesan cheese topping, but it also gives these Italian roasted tomatoes another dimension that is unexpected and fresh.
What are French fried onions, and are they necessary in this dish?
French fried onions are just as the name implies. They're crunch pieces of fried onion strips that are commonly used to top green bean casserole (among a million other things) at Thanksgiving.
You can find them, premade in the grocery store, in the canned goods section.
And while they're not an absolute necessity in this recipe (you can leave them out if you wish), I totally urge you to use them in this breadcrumb topping.
They are incredibly DELICIOUS, and they add another great layer of flavor to this recipe!!
How long does it take to make roasted plum tomatoes?
Approximately 40 minutes.
30 minutes for the initial oven roasting time of the plum tomatoes alone, and 10 additional minutes in the oven after they've been topped with the crumb and cheese mixture.
Do these roasted tomatoes reheat well after being refrigerated as leftovers?
Yes! I made mine on a Tuesday morning, and then I reheating them (two or three at a time) for lunch all during the week.
I recommend reheating them in a 350-degree oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Reheating in the oven will ensure that the breadcrumb and Parmesan topping will remain lightly crunchy, whereas reheating them in the microwave may leave the topping soggy.
Can these oven-roasted tomatoes be frozen after baking?
NO! I do not recommend freezing these at all!
Why? The freezing and thawing process will turn the tomatoes watery and the topping will turn mushy.
Want more easy and delicious BBQ side dishes than you can shake a stick at?
*Best Popular BBQ Side Dishes (pictured below)
"With the help of this BBQ Side Dishes recipe roundup, your BBQ menu will keep your family and friends very full, and extremely happy!"
Copycat Sunflower Crunch Kale and Cabbage Salad is a colorful, sweet and savory blend of crunchy vegetables, and dried cranberries. This delicious salad is always extremely popular whenever its on the table.
Old-Fashioned Red Bean Salad evokes memories from grandma's kitchen. This chilled salad comes together in about 5 minutes time thanks to the use of canned beans.
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Printable Recipe Card
Roasted Plum Tomatoes with Italian Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
For the roasted plum tomatoes;
- 6 plum tomatoes halved, lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
For the seasoned topping;
- ½ cup crushed French fried onions
- ¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
To make roast the tomatoes:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees Celsius)
- Place the halved tomatoes on a baking sheet (cut side up) and brush them liberally with the olive oil. Season each tomato with salt and pepper and roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
To make the seasoned topping:
- In a medium bowl, combine the crushed onions, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, dried basil, lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Stir well to combine.
To complete the dish:
- Remove the roasted tomatoes from the oven and spoon a generous tablespoon (or more) of the seasoned topping on each.
- Return the crumb-topped tomatoes to the oven and continue roasting for an additional 10 minutes, until the topping turns golden brown.
- Top the tomatoes with the chopped fresh parsley and serve warm, or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's recipe for roasting plum tomatoes as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!
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Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
Ashley F says
Such a delicious recipe! Love how simple it is but so tasty!
Cindy says
This is exactly what I was looking for (but didn’t know it) for today’s Super Bowl party. Thanks!
Beth says
These look fabulous! I never thought of having tomatoes for breakfast but now I will with this recipe - delish!
Taryn says
I love tomatoes in any form and roasted them with breadcrumbs and the onion topping really does kick them up a notch!