When the garden is still giving up handfuls of sweet little tomatoes at the tail end of summer, this simple appetizer is one of the nicest ways to make them feel special. These oven baked beef stuffed cherry tomatoes are the sort of old-fashioned, practical party bite I’ve seen carried into many family gatherings on a well-worn casserole dish, and with only four ingredients they come together in a way that feels both thrifty and a little celebratory.
Serve these warm on a platter or right from the baking dish with toothpicks or a small spoon nearby. They pair especially well with other picnic-style favorites like deviled eggs, a relish tray, crackers and cheese, or a crisp green salad, and they also fit nicely alongside grilled chicken, burgers, or a potluck supper spread where folks like to sample a little bit of everything.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Beef Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Servings: 6 appetizer servings
Ingredients
24 large cherry tomatoes
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a glass casserole dish or small baking dish. Slice a thin cap from the top of each cherry tomato and use a small spoon or melon baller to gently scoop out the seeds and pulp, setting the hollowed tomatoes upside down on paper towels for a few minutes to drain.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned and crumbly, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease, then stir in the garlic salt.
3. Spoon the cooked beef mixture into each hollowed tomato, packing it in gently but not so tightly that the tomatoes split. Arrange the filled tomatoes in the prepared baking dish.
4. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the tops of the stuffed tomatoes. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are slightly blistered and the cheese is melted and golden at the edges. Let them cool just a couple of minutes before serving warm.
Variations & Tips
Make-Ahead Tip: You can hollow the tomatoes and cook the beef a day ahead. Keep them separate in the refrigerator, then stuff, top with cheese, and bake just before serving so the tomatoes stay fresh and tidy.
Cheese Swap: If you want a slightly different finish, try shredded mozzarella for a softer melted top or a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan for both stretch and a little sharp bite.
Size Matters: Choose the biggest cherry tomatoes you can find, or use small cocktail tomatoes if that’s what the market has. The extra room makes stuffing much easier and gives a better balance of juicy tomato to savory filling.
Serving Tip: If the tomatoes wobble in the dish, trim the tiniest sliver from the bottom of each one before filling, being careful not to cut through. That little trick helps them sit flat and makes a prettier presentation on the table.