cheddar roasted tomatoes

These simple cheddar roasted tomatoes are a favorite recipe in the summer and early fall. Once you see how easy this easy side dish is you’ll fall in love with them. They have been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl.

I originally shared this recipe on September 14th, 2014. I have updated the images and some of the text today. 

This is one of those recipes like my pickled beets that is so so so easy it isn’t really even a recipe and I feel like a big fat cheater calling it one. I mean, including the pepper, it only has 4 ingredients. And really the pepper is optional. Ultimately this recipe is all about the perfect sweet summer tomatoes and the sharp cheddar cheese. The seasoning is just a little somethin’ somethin’ I like to add in.

Also like the pickled beets, this is a variation of a recipe I have been eating since I was a kid. My mom used to make these for us. I think she used Parm and one of my favorite cheater ingredients Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up Salt. 

I seem to remember her making roasted tomatoes in the toaster oven. [Aside: How excellent is the toaster oven folks? I use it all the time. Bagels? They fit. Nuts? Best way to burn toast them. We bought ours at a garage sale in 2001, and it is the first thing you see when you walk in our front door. It is really lovely. I digress.]

Today I made a whole batch of roasted tomatoes in the oven and I topped them with Vermont White Cheddar. Let’s get into the deets about these summer freshies! Can’t wait for you to try them and fall in love too!

Ingredients For Roasted Tomatoes with Cheddar

Tomatoes

• Since this recipe is all about the ripe juicy tomatoes, you really want to find the yummiest summer fresh tomatoes right off the vine. Look for beefsteak, Brandywine or another heirloom type tomato.
• If you prefer a less acidic tomato, you can use yellow tomato. They will bake a little faster, as will the green zebra variety.
• Roma tomatoes are less juicy and hold together better than slicing tomatoes and you can also use them. They are smaller, but since they’re less juicy, they will cook in about the same time as slicing tomatoes. 
• Learn more about tomatoes in The Ultimate Guide to Tomatoes!
• If you want to make a smaller batch you can do so easily. 

Sharp White Cheddar Cheese

• Sharp White Cheddar: Here in Vermont we have a lot of great white cheddar cheeses and sharp ones at that. I opted for Cabot Vermont Sharp Cheddar since that is the kind I have been buying lately. Cabot also makes another cheddar called Alpine which I use on my Low Carb Grilled Stuffed Summer Squash and it’s so good.
• Yellow Cheddar: If you live in an area of the country where your cheddar is yellow/orange that will work fine too. You’ll just want to look for sharp or extra sharp.
• Another Cheese: Feel free to use another type of cheese if you want to get creative with it. Mozzarella, Gouda or fontina would be so good too! You could also do a blend with a bit of Romano or Asiago for a saltier taste.

Italian Seasoning

• The flavor of the dried Italian Seasoning is really nice with the tomato and the cheddar, but you can sub in dried oregano if you do not have it.
• Or try Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up Salt like my mom used to make. 
• If you have fresh basil in your garden, slice up 1 tablespoon and layer it under the cheese. It will taste amazing! 

Freshly ground pepper to taste

• Freshly ground pepper is the only other thing you need to make these juicy yummies totally delish. 
• If you like a little more heat you can substitute Crushed red pepper flake. 

How To Make Roasted Tomatoes with Cheese

Prepare Pan and Heat Oven

• Since the prep work to make these roasted tomatoes goes so fast you’ll want to make sure you turn your oven on asap.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Also set up a sheet pan lined with foil for easier clean up. If you prefer not to use aluminum foil, use a large glass baking dish coated with cooking spray instead. 

How To Cut Tomatoes For Roasting

1. Remove the stem of the tomatoes but leave the core intact. Cutting them out before you roast the tomatoes will cause a tomato melt down. Just cut around them as you eat. 
2. Cut the tomatoes in half along their equator which will give you two wide halves each that aren’t too wobbly and have more surface area for cheese! 
3. Lay the tomato halves on top of the prepared pan cut side up.

Top Tomatoes with Cheese and Seasoning

1. Divide the cheese among the tomato halves. (Note: if you’re using fresh basil, put it under the cheese to keep it from turning black.)
2. Sprinkle with the Italian Seasoning (or oregano) and pepper (or crushed red pepper flake.)

How Long To Roast Tomatoes

Since there are so many different kinds of tomatoes you have to be flexible here. I’ll say that this should only take 15-20 minutes for ripe tomatoes, and longer for larger tomatoes or ones that aren’t super ripe.

When To Know They’re Done:

1. You want to roast them until they are soft and buckling under their own juicy weight.
2. You want to make sure you do not bake them so long that you won’t be able to get them onto your plate in one piece.
3. I also love to let the cheese melt and then start to brown ever so slightly. If you see that, they’re definitely ready!

Steps to Make This Recipe

What To Serve With Cheddar Roasted Tomatoes 

Serve them with something that will absorb the juice like couscous or baguette. Or put them on a plate with rims and then just spoon up the juices that spill out as you cut into them.

Serve them as a side dish with Rosemary Garlic Grilled Pork Tenderloin. 

If you eat beef, then you could pair them with this Grilled Sirloin Steak with Chimichurri Sauce made with hazelnut oil. It’s so easy and so full of flavor. 

I make this Garlic Herb Marinated Chicken pretty regularly and the flavors are great with these tomatoes.

Serve them as a vegetarian main course with a salad with my Lemon Tahini dressing. 

More tomato Recipes 

• This Heirloom Tomato Salad is a classic summer side in our family. Perfect for when it’s too hot to turn on the oven. 
• We have been eating this Panzanella on repeat lately! 
• One of my favorite summer lunches is to whip up a 10 minute batch of Gazpacho. 
• If you have a lot of tomatoes in your garden and you need to prepare them for canning here is a primer with step by step photos and video of How to peel and seed tomatoes.
• This is a more adventurous tomato salad and not to be missed! Tomatoes with Thai Basil Dressing
• Another tomato recipe for late August and early fall: Pappa Al Pomodoro Italian Tomato bread Soup
• I’ve been on a huge Middle Eastern food kick lately and I love this recipe for Jerusalem Salad by The Wanderlust Kitchen
• What a great idea from Diethood: Tomato Crumble
• Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce on Brooklyn Farm Girl- Because roasting intensifies the flavors. Brilliant! 

Thanks so much for reading. If you make this recipe, please come back and let me know by leaving a star rating and review. I really appreciate it! 

Happy Cooking!

~Katie

cheddar roasted tomatoes {vegetarian and glutenfree}

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★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews

• Author: Katie Webster
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Very simple 4-ingredient recipe for tomatoes topped with sharp cheddar cheese and roasted with a little seasoning. Gluten-free and Vegetarian.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Cut tomatoes in half along the equator. Place cut-side up on the baking sheet.
3. Divide the cheddar among the tomatoes. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and pepper.
4. Roast until the tomatoes are soft and starting to sag under their own weight, and the cheddar is bubbling and starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

• You can add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil to this recipe. Simply sprinkle the basil under the cheese before roasting.
• If you do not have Italian Seasonings you can substitute dried oregano.
• Tomatoes that are very large or not super ripe will take longer to bake.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Side dish
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tomato halves
• Calories: 146
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 210 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Carbohydrates: 7 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 7 g

Keywords: cheddar roasted tomatoes,roasted tomatoes,roasted tomatoes with cheese