Vegetarian Recipes

Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes

This recipe for Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes is hearty, warming, and deeply satisfying. These stuffed tomatoes can easily be served over a bed of pasta or rice—super budget-friendly and extremely filling! Every time you cut into one of the tomatoes, it’s like you’re making the sauce for whatever you’ve paired them with. This recipe is absolutely delicious and a great way to use up those summer tomatoes!

What Are Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes?

Stuffed tomatoes are such an underrated dish. You can stuff them with almost anything you have on hand—grains, beans, meats, veggies, cheese! In this recipe, I take inspiration from Tuscan cuisine and stuff the tomatoes with a hearty mixture of cannellini beans, four types of diced vegetables, breadcrumbs, Italian seasonings, tomato sauce, and shredded cheese. Each tomato is then baked until it’s tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. They’re like mini casseroles in tomato form!

Here’s what you’ll need to make this stuffed tomato recipe:

Tomatoes: I use large “slicing” tomatoes (the kind you might use for a sandwich). You can also use smaller, on-the-vine tomatoes if you’re cooking for more than 4 people or want them as a side dish.
Cannellini Beans: Adds protein and fiber, making this recipe even more filling and nutritious.
Vegetables: Carrots, yellow onion, and celery cook down to be soft, sweet, and succulent. I also add some diced zucchini for extra texture and flavor.
Herbs: A sprig of rosemary and a dried Italian seasoning blend help give these tomatoes a Tuscan twist. Half a teaspoon of dried rosemary will also work if you don’t have fresh.
Seasonings: A little salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes help to enhance the other flavors.
Olive Oil: Softens the veggies as they cook and helps the tomatoes to brown in the oven.
Apple Cider Vinegar: The tanginess helps balance out the tomatoes’ sweetness and tenderizes the vegetables as they cook. It really helps the flavorful herbs pop!
Garlic: Freshly minced garlic infuses the filling with flavor.
Bread Crumbs: These help to absorb the extra moisture from the vegetables and create a nice, hearty texture. You can use any type of breadcrumbs you prefer.
Tomato Sauce: Use your favorite canned tomato sauce, or make your own from scratch!
Italian Cheese Blend: Makes the filling creamy and savory. I used the shredded Italian cheese blend from my local Kroger, but any type of cheese you enjoy and have on hand will work. Dairy-free? No problem. This recipe is great without the cheese, too.

What Type Of Tomato is Best for Stuffing?

You want large, firm, and ripe ”slicing” tomatoes for this recipe. Beefsteak and large heirloom tomatoes are also great options because they’re big and easy to stuff. Roma tomatoes could also work, but the oval shape makes stuffing a bit more challenging. For serving a crowd, I use smaller vine-ripened tomatoes so the filling goes further. Whichever variety you choose, make sure your tomatoes are firm and not mushy!

Dairy-free? Leave out the cheese. Trust me, the white beans add to the dense texture and creaminess of the filling, so they’re great no matter what your dietary restrictions are.
You can make the filling up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to stuff and bake your tomatoes. Cook the stuffed tomatoes for a couple of minutes longer to heat the filling through.
This recipe isn’t just for tomatoes! You can use the same filling to stuff large mushrooms or bell peppers (stuffed bell peppers are delicious!)

Storage Instructions

Leftover Tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes will last up to 3-4 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. To reheat, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until heated through. I wouldn’t freeze this recipe as the tomatoes may become too watery after thawing. However, the filling freezes well.

A tuscan white bean stuffed tomato with pasta.

Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes

This Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes recipe is hearty, warming, and deeply satisfying. It’s also budget-friendly and easy to make!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Total Cost $9.71 recipe / $2.42 serving

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 51

Total Time 1 6

Servings servings, 1 tomato per person

Calories 197kcal

Author Jess – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

4 large “slicing” tomatoes* $4.54
1 can cannellini beans $0.86
1 carrot, peeled $0.10
½ yellow onion $0.47
2 sticks celery $0.10
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided $0.38
1 zucchini, diced small $0.93
1 sprig rosemary** $0.19
½ Tbsp dried Italian herb blend $0.29
1½ tsp salt $0.01
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar $0.03
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.12
½ tsp red pepper flakes $0.06
3 cloves garlic, minced $0.15
8oz can tomato sauce $0.74
¼ cup bread crumbs $0.16
½ cup shredded Italian cheese blend*** $0.58

Instructions

Hollow out 4 large tomatoes, keeping the tops and transferring the juicy seeds and inside flesh to a medium mixing bowl. Reserve everything!
Dice the carrot, yellow onion, and celery sticks into small pieces to make mirepoix (which is a combination of diced veggies used to flavor a recipe).
Pour 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil into a saucepan with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, and the diced carrots, onions, and celery.
Once cooked down, about 5 minutes or until veggies are softened and glossy, add the insides from the tomatoes, diced zucchini, rosemary, garlic, and apple cider vinegar and simmer of on medium heat uncovered until a chunky filling forms and some of the juices cook down, about 10 min.
Add bread crumbs, white cannellini beans and tomato sauce. Stir until combined. Cook for 3 minutes.
Turn off heat and fold in shredded Italian cheese blend. Set aside.
Place hollowed out tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish. Fill each hollowed out tomato with the cheesy white bean filling and put their tomato “lids” on. Fill in around each tomato with any extra filling. Brush remaining olive oil on top of all 4 tomatoes and cover the entire baking dish lightly with tinfoil. Bake for 15 min at 375°F.
Remove tinfoil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Broil on high for the last 3 minutes to get some color on top of the tomatoes, if needed.
Serve each tomato over pasta or rice.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*If you want to stretch this recipe further for more than 4 people, you can buy slightly smaller tomatoes on the vine and follow these same instructions, serving the smaller stuffed tomatoes with more pasta or rice to keep your guests happy and full! In my experience, you can find tomatoes for much cheaper (and more flavorful!) when they are in season.

**Dried rosemary also works well.

*** I chose the shredded Italian cheese blend at my local Kroger, but provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan, and even cheddar cheese work well in this recipe—use whatever you have on hand!

Nutrition

A tuscan white bean stuffed tomato on a plate.

how to make Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes – step by step photos

A knife cutting the top off a tomato on a chopping board next to hollowed out tomatoes and a bowl containing scooped out tomato seeds.

Hollow out 4 large tomatoes, keeping the tops and transferring the juicy seeds and inside flesh to a medium mixing bowl. Reserve everything!

Diced onions, carrots, and celery in a saucepan with salt and pepper.

Dice 1 peeled carrot, ½ a yellow onion, and 2 celery sticks into small pieces to make mirepoix (which is a combination of diced veggies used to flavor a recipe). Pour 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil into a saucepan with 1½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ Tsp Italian herbs, and the diced carrots, onions, and celery.

Filling for tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes in a saucepan.

Once cooked down, about 5 minutes or until veggies are softened and glossy, add the insides from the tomatoes, 1 diced zucchini, 1 sprig of rosemary, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar and simmer of on medium heat uncovered until a chunky filling forms and some of the juices cook down, about 10 min.

Add ¼ cups of bread crumbs, 1 can of white cannellini beans, and an 8-oz can of tomato sauce. Stir until combined. Cook for 3 minutes.

Filling for tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes in a saucepan topped with shredded cheese.

Turn off heat and fold in ½ a cup of shredded Italian cheese blend. Set aside.

A spoon adding the tuscan white bean filling to hollowed out tomatoes in a baking dish.

Place hollowed out tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish. Fill each hollowed out tomato with the cheesy white bean filling and put their tomato “lids” on.

Tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes in a baking dish being brushed with oil.

Fill in around each tomato with any extra filling. Brush remaining ½ Tbsp of olive oil on top of all 4 tomatoes and cover the entire baking dish lightly with tinfoil. Bake for 15 min at 375°F.

Remove tinfoil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Broil your baked stuffed tomatoes on high for the last 3 minutes to get some color on top of the tomatoes, if needed. Serve each tomato over pasta or rice.

A knife and fork cutting into a tuscan white bean stuffed tomato on a plate with pasta.

You NEED to try these protein-packed Tuscan white bean stuffed tomatoes the next time you’re craving something warm, hearty, and delicious!

The post Tuscan White Bean Stuffed Tomatoes appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Vegetarian Recipes

How to Make Crispy Hash Browns

Potatoes are THE budget-friendly kitchen staple. They’re cheap and can be used in about a bazillion different ways. When I was asked for a tutorial on How to Make Crispy Hash Browns almost 9(!) years ago, I jumped on it. And all these years later, I still use this same method to get perfectly golden, crispy hash browns every time. I love making an indulgent breakfast on the weekends, and this recipe makes the perfect base for what I like to call my ultimate hash browns. Scroll to the bottom of the post to see what I topped them with to take them to the next level. 😉

Overhead view of hashbrowns in a skillet.

“Just made these with frozen hashbrowns. My husband took one bite and asked “Wow, what’s the secret to making them crispy?” I replied with “Beth.” 😂”

Erin

Easy Recipe for Crispy Hash Browns

Just like any breakfast potatoes, I’m sure everyone makes their hash browns differently. BUT, there are three things that I’ve found to be key to making really great golden brown hash browns: rinsing the starch off the potatoes, drying the potatoes well, and using an adequate amount of oil. Yes, that’s right, OIL! If you don’t use enough oil, the potatoes will dry and tend to go from white to burnt. Use enough, and you’ll get crispy yet moist potatoes with a beautiful spectrum of golden brown color.

This recipe only uses 3 simple ingredients (potatoes, oil, and seasoning salt), so each ingredient really matters! That’s why I like to keep things simple and focus on technique. And I’m happy to say this easy recipe has never failed me yet. 😁

Side view close up of crispy hashbrowns cooking in a skillet.

Crispy Hash Browns Recipe

In just a few simple steps, you can learn How to Make Crispy Hash Browns at home. Follow my tricks to make them perfectly crisp and delicious!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Total Cost $1.97 recipe / $0.49 serving

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings (1 cup each)

Calories 303kcal

Author Beth Moncel

Ingredients

2 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs.)* $1.76
4 Tbsp cooking oil, or as needed** $0.16
Seasoning salt to taste $0.05

Instructions

Peel the potatoes, if desired. Use a large-holed cheese grater or food processor to shred the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a colander and rinse well, or until the water runs clear. Let the potatoes drain.
Squeeze the potatoes of their excess water by pressing against the side of the colander or squeezing in your fist. Or, place the potatoes in a clean, lint-free dish towel, roll them up, then press to remove excess moisture.
Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat***. Once hot, add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Tilt the skillet to spread the oil over the surface. Add about 1/3 of the shredded potatoes or enough to cover the surface of the skillet in a solid, yet thin layer (1/2 inch thick or so). Let the potatoes fry, without disturbing, until deeply golden brown on the bottom (3-5 minutes). Season lightly with seasoning salt.
Flip the potatoes, and drizzle with additional oil if needed. Let the potatoes cook on the second side without disturbing until golden brown and crispy again. Season lightly on the second side.
If needed, flip and cook one more time to achieve the ratio of brown to white that you like. Repeat the process until all of the potatoes are cooked. Serve hot.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*I use Russet potatoes because they crisp up great in the skillet due to their texture and composition. You can certainly try another type of potato, but just keep in mind waxier varieties might not crisp up the same.

**You must use an oil with a high smoke point, like canola, corn, peanut, or sunflower oil. Butter obviously gives amazing flavor, but the butter solids tend to burn, so you’ll want to use clarified butter or ghee instead. I didn’t have the patience to clarify any butter, so I just used canola oil.

***I always use my 10″ cast iron skillet because it offers non-stick protection while giving really even heat and a nice surface for crisping. While stainless steel is also great for crisping, starchy foods (like potatoes) tend to stick a lot more on stainless, so it can be tricky. If you’re not well practiced with keeping food from sticking on stainless steel, I’d suggest either cast iron or a non-stick skillet.

Nutrition

How to Make Hash Browns step-by-step photos

Clean the potatoes: Start with two russet potatoes (about 2 lbs). You can either scrub them clean and leave the skin on or peel them. Gather the other ingredients.

Shred the potatoes: Use a large-holed cheese grater or a food processor to shred the potatoes. I found that the potatoes shredded fairly easily with the cheese grater, so it wasn’t worth cleaning out the food processor.

Rinse the shredded potatoes: Place the shredded potatoes in a colander and rinse them really, really, really well. The water running from the colander should be clear. Then, let them drain.

Dry the shredded potatoes: Making sure the potatoes are as dry as possible is my secret to keeping them crispy. If they have too much water on them, that water will turn to steam while they cook, which basically steams the potatoes and makes them soft. So, you can either let them drain a long time in the colander, squeeze them dry with your hands, or roll them up in a clean, lint-free towel and press them dry. I chose the towel method.

A hand holding a pot of tony chachere creole seasoning.

Make the hash browns: Heat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add about a tablespoon of oil. Spread the oil over the surface of the skillet, then add about 1/3 of the shredded potatoes or enough to cover the bottom of the skillet in a solid but thin layer (only about 1/2 inch thick). You’re shooting for maximum surface contact here, so if they’re packed in there too thick, some won’t touch the skillet…and they’ll generate steam again and make everything mushy.

While the potatoes are cooking, sprinkle on a little seasoning salt. This is the kind I use, but you can use whatever brand you like. I love the little bit of extra flavor and kick that seasoning salt adds to the crispy hash browns compared to just plain salt and pepper.

Hashbrowns cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Now, the key here is to not touch them long enough for them to get really nice and brown and crispy. If you mess around with them, stirring or flipping too often, they won’t form a nice crust, and the long strands will kind of break down. So, LEAVE THEM BE. 😊 Then, once they’re very golden, flip them. You might need to drizzle on a little more oil at this point to help the second side crisp up.

Then, LET THE SECOND SIDE BE until it’s also golden and crispy. Now, depending on how many potatoes you have in the skillet, you may want to flip and cook one last time to get most of the potatoes crispy, but that’s up to you. Some people like a 50/50 ratio of crispy to soft, some people like almost all crispy. Repeat the process a couple more times or until you’ve cooked all the potatoes.

Overhead view of homemade hash browns on a plate, topped with a fried egg, sour cream, avocado, diced tomato, and sliced jalapeño,

These crispy hash browns are great on their own and all, but why not make them ULTIMATE by adding lots of yummy toppings? I did a fried egg, some avocado slices, diced tomato, sliced jalapeño, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream. Waffle House ain’t got nuthin’ on my hash browns.

Serving Suggestions

On those days when I don’t want to add any toppings, I like to serve these homemade hash browns with something equally delicious to make it a complete breakfast! I love piling them up alongside candied bacon for the perfect sweet-and-savory combo. Air fryer hard-boiled eggs are also great because they’re hands-off and cook themselves while I tend to the potatoes! But if I’m feeding a crowd, I’d go for something like a frittata or sheet pan pancakes since they’re both easy to make and can serve a lot of people at once.

Storage & Reheating

Let your leftovers cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a skillet with a little oil or in the air fryer to crisp them back up again!