Queso Fresco Stuffed Tomato recipe. A colorful and tasty side dish is a great way to celebrate summer’s ripe tomatoes.
I love cheese. There is no two way about it, so when a recipe calls for cheese, my antennas take me to the recipe.
I genuinely enjoy Queso Fresco. The consistency and taste are almost like the ricotta Salata without the salt part.
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Easy to work with and full of flavor. A few ingredients make this dish fun and deliciously good.
What I love the most, and I know you will too, about this dish is that it takes very few ingredients, a few minutes to assemble it, and under the broiler, it goes and you are ready to enjoy it.
Before tackling the recipe, I would like to share the following:
In this Article
- Subscribe to Cooking Canva!
- What is queso fresco?
- Substitutes for queso fresco
- A quick note about the tomatoes
- Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make this Queso Fresco Stuffed Tomatoes
- Equipment needed to prepare this delicious recipe
- Cooking tips and step by step to create this wonderful stuffed tomatoes recipe
- What to serve with your queso fresco stuffed tomatoes
- If you enjoyed this recipe for stuffed tomatoes, look at some of my other recipes:
- Queso Fresco Stuffed Tomatoes
What is queso fresco?
Queso fresco is a soft, fresh Mexican cheese traditionally made from raw cow milk or a combination of cow and goat milk.
Queso sets itself apart from other well-known cheeses with its bolder, tangier flavor.
Used in several classic Mexican dishes such as tacos, chiles rellenos, and bean dishes.
Substitutes for queso fresco
If Queso Fresco is unavailable, feta cheese is a good substitute.
As well as a young ricotta salata, a firm Italian cheese sold to most supermarkets.
A quick note about the tomatoes
For this recipe, I selected Campari tomatoes. Smaller in size, less seedling, and perfect for a light dinner fare.
However, you can select small to medium tomatoes, and they will work beautifully as well.
Just ensure there is no bruising and that they are still hard to the touch.
Since you can also prepare this meal as an appetizer, the smaller Campari is excellent.
Larger tomatoes, of course, more for your dinner.
Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make this Queso Fresco Stuffed Tomatoes
This is a quick introduction. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Tomatoes: are a medium size for better even cooking. Look for firm and not too overripe as they will break down in the baking process.
Queso fresco: wonderfully salted, which perfectly balances the sweetness of the tomatoes and the red onion.
Red onion: Sweeter, when cooking, adds much flavor to this cheese tomato dish.
Cilantro: A vital ingredient of this dish and the perfect balance with the queso. Do use the stems as well; they have so much flavor and the essential oils of the cilantro.
Salt and pepper: for seasoning.
Equipment needed to prepare this delicious recipe
I only recommend what I use and love. How odd this may sound, but you will need a sharp knife to cut the skin.
Sharp knife: to cut into the tomato’s skin without breaking it off.
Small bowl: mix all your ingredients
Baking dish with high sides: I recommend a dish with high sides as the tomatoes tend to fall on one side when baking.
Cooking tips and step by step to create this wonderful stuffed tomatoes recipe
As with all cooking, have all your ingredients ready before cooking.
- I removed the whole interior part of the tomatoes: seeds, and membranes, ensuring it did not pierce thru the skin. You may want to reserve it for later use if you wish.
- In a small bowl, combine the queso, the finely chopped red onion, cilantro, and season with salt and pepper.
- Fill each tomato at capacity.
- Place the tomatoes in a high-sided baking dish and place them under the broiler 6″ inches away from the heat source.
- Keep an eye that the cheese will not burn.
What to serve with your queso fresco stuffed tomatoes
A great side dish to Roasted Chicken, or Tequila Shrimps with Prosciutto and Basil for dinner.
Or for a simple lunch with a nice crisp Butter Lettuce with Shallots Vinaigrette.
Either way, you will enjoy the simplicity of this dish.
If you enjoyed this recipe for stuffed tomatoes, look at some of my other recipes:
Equipment needed to prepare this wonderful queso fresco recipe
Queso Fresco Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes, medium size and ripe
- 1 cup Queso Fresco
- 1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat broiler. With a sharp knife scoop out the pulp from each tomato. Set tomatoes aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the Queso Fresco, red onion, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Fill each tomato with a ¼ of the mixture. Place the tomatoes on a baking dish and place 6 inches under the broiler until the tomatoes are softened and the cheese is melted about 4 to 5 minutes.Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Cooking Canva provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Sides, Vegetables
- Cuisine: International
- Occasion: Mother’s Day
- Season: Summer
- Type: Affordable Gourmet, Under 45 minutes
Did you make this?
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Originally published on July 29, 2020. Updated on April 16, 2023.
Mina
This recipe is my new favorite summer dish. I tried making this last night and everyone loved it.
Teana Allen
So happy to hear, enjoy!
swathi iyer
Queso Fresco stuffed tomatoes looks delicious I need to try this .
Teana Allen
Enjoy!
Amy
Such a great recipe! Served it up for friends and they loved it!
Teana Allen
Thank you!
Jessica
These tomatoes were amazing! Easy to make and so juicy!
Teana Allen
Thank you!
Lisa
How perfect for summer.
Teana Allen
Enjoy!
Andrea
these stuffed tomatoes turned out absolutely delicious! i loved the flavor and how simple they were to make too!
Teana Allen
Thank you!
nancy
love how the tomato holds all the juices
Teana Allen
My favorite part. Enjoy!
Bernice
I always keep queso fresco in the fridge for taco night and now I have another favourite way to use it!
Teana Allen
Wonderful! One of my favorite cheese to have at home.
Enjoy!
Liz
My mom used to make the best stuffed tomatoes, so when I found your recipe, I had to make them! So yummy and refreshing. Love, love this recipe!
Teana Allen
Thank you so much, I am so happy you enjoyed it.
Kelli Miller
I just tried out the Queso Fresco Stuffed Tomato recipe and I have to say, it was a game-changer. Not only was it incredibly easy and fast to put together, but my boys absolutely loved it.
The combination of the juicy tomatoes and the creamy Queso Fresco filling was just perfect. I loved how it was both light and flavorful, making it the perfect meal for a hot summer day. Plus, it was a great way to get my boys to eat their vegetables!
Overall, I would highly recommend this recipe to anyone looking for a delicious and easy-to-make summer meal.
Teana Allen
Thank you, Kelli. I am so pleased that you enjoyed my recipe as well as your boys.
Bon Appetit!
Claire
I am pretty new to Queso Fresco as where I used to live you just couldn’t buy it!! And I really wasn’t into anything but nuggets and chips when I was growing up. So until I met my hubby I didn’t really cook, then where we were living the grocery store was limited.
Now we live in the city and I can get all the good stuff!!!
I fell in love with Queso Fresco, so have been trying to use it in lots of different ways. These tomatoes were one of my favourites!
I thought they might be beyond my pretty basic cooking skills but the instructions were really easy to follow and they turned out perfectly! Hubby said they were one of the best things I have learnt to make! So THANK YOU 🙂 🙂 🙂
Teana Allen
The pleasure is all mine and I am so happy you tried and enjoyed my recipe.
Bon Appetit!
Addison
These stuffed tomatoes were so unique and flavorful! The queso fresco was so creamy. Yum!
Teana Allen
Thank you!
Elizabeth S
I tried your other stuffed tomato recipe and loved that, so I knew I needed to try this one too. It was so delicious and bright. I really loved the layers of flavor in this.
Teana Allen
Thank you and enjoy!
Kris
This was so juicy and flavorful! An absolute treat!!
Teana Allen
Thank you!