Italian 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 even be as tasty as heck for 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.
**Please Note - The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making these Italian roasted tomatoes is available at the end of this post. OR click on the "jump to recipe" button (found above) to be taken directly to the recipe.
The ingredient list:
**Note - The following lists of ingredients plus kitchen tools and equipment contain affiliate links (highlighted in blue) for your consideration and shopping convenience. #CommissionsEarned
- 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 will this recipe take to make from start to finish?
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?
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"With the help of this BBQ Side Dishes recipe roundup, your BBQ menu will keep your family and friends very full, and extremely happy!"
Below is the printable recipe card along with the exact ingredient measurements and nutritional information for making today's easy roasted plum tomatoes side dish.
Printable Recipe Card
Italian Roasted Plum Tomatoes
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°
- 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 Italian Roasted Plum Tomatoes with Breadcrumbs and Parmesan Topping as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!
Should you have any questions or comments regarding this recipe or anything else you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to contact me directly or leave me a comment in the comment section below. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back to you with a reply just as soon as I possibly can!
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Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
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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!