Cheesy Roasted Hasselback Tomatoes satisfy that comfort food craving while utilizing the fresh and flavorful fruits of summer - a plant based update on the classic Hasselback potato.
recipe originally published August 30, 2012
Cheesy Roasted Hasselback Tomatoes
We love Portland summers. Aside from a few 100 degree days, summertime is nearly perfect.
You might know that autumn is my favorite time of year, for several reasons. I am happily looking forward to the fall months here, something Portland also does consistently well.
...but summer - you cannot beat the fresh produce bursting from your garden and farmers markets!
Fresh Summer Recipes
We enjoy the bounty of our own garden, where juicy tomatoes, perfectly spicy jalapeños, and all the fresh herbs are abundant.
We are lucky to enjoy freshness from my mom's garden, when she brings large branches of basil that make the whole downstairs of our house smell fantastic.
Portland has fantastic Farmers Markets. I buy heirloom tomatoes all season long. I cannot get enough - the flavor is out of this world, and I cannot begin to describe it honorably.
Many of these heirlooms are eaten as is - yes, like an apple. I have sliced them onto sandwiches, I have made them into simple fresh salads.
Then I hassselbacked them.
Oven Bake or Air Fry
The Cheesy Roasted Hasselback Tomatoes recipe is almost too easy for something with such a wow factor. I have roasted these in the traditional oven many times, for many summers.
This year, I tried them in the air fryer, and they work just as well! I have updated the recipe to reflect cooking instructions for both methods - oven roast and air fry. (I lined the air fryer basket with these fantastic parchment rounds, but you can also use a small baking dish if you have one that fits inside the basket.)
What is Hasselback
Instead of the traditional potato, I accordion cut two of the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes, hasselback style. What is hasselback and how do you do it?
The method called Hasselback is generally found with potatoes, and gets its name from the Swedish restaurant where the dish originated - Hasselbacken. You make thin slices along the length of the vegetable, stopping about two thirds of the way down.
How To Hasselback
The easiest way to hasselback slice a potato - or heirloom tomato - is very carefully. This is easy to do - just take care to not slice all the way through. I arrange the potato - tomato - between two chopsticks, flat spatulas, or even clean pencils! Carefully cut thin slices, stopping at the chopstick.
Cheesy Tomatoes
For the cheesy component, I tuck pieces of my favorite cheddar inside, and warmed them in the oven. (Another recipe update - these days I more often use a cheese sauce, like my Tangy Cheese Sauce or my Spicy Vegan Chorizo Queso.)
If that was not enough, I then served them atop a fluffy brown butter quinoa, and topped it all with some fresh fragrant basil.
These are definitely a favorite summer staple - I look forward to the fresh vibrant flavors all year.
Do you have a garden? Are you a fan of the heirloom vegetables?
Becky talks about what heirloom actually means - a great read.
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Cheesy Roasted Hasselback Tomatoes
a comfort food dish with the fresh and flavorful fruits of summer – a tasty update on the classic Hasselback potato.
Ingredients
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes
- 2-3 ounces Dairy Free / Vegan Cheese or cheese sauce
- handful fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded
- 2 servings cooked quinoa
Instructions
- If using oven, preheat oven to 350 °F.
- If using air fryer, line basket with parchment or small baking dish that fits inside air fryer basket.
- Cut around top of tomato to remove the stem.
- Make several vertical slices through tomato, stopping before reaching bottom (¾ through).
- Slice cheese into pieces to fit into each pocket of the tomato, or spoon cheese sauce into each slice.
- Place on baking sheet and roast in a 350 °F oven for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and tomatoes are softened.
- Air fryer - cook at 160 °F for 5-6 minutes, or until tomatoes are softened.
- (I often slice the tomato and air fry, then top with warm cheese sauce after the tomato comes out of the air fryer. If using cheese slices, keep an eye on it every few minutes so the cheese does not melt out of the tomato completely.)
- Serve atop quinoa, sprinkle with fresh chiffonaded basil.
Notes
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 416Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 360mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 5gSugar: 16gProtein: 18g
nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...
spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
[email protected] says
Oh wow, these look sooo good. Fresh tomatoes, cheddar cheese, basil, hasselbacking; it's almost more than a girl can stand. Can't wait to give this a try.
spabettie says
I hope you do, Meghan - they are so SO good! 🙂 happy weekend to you! XO
Jeanette says
What a fun and pretty presentation! Sounds like the weather has been fantastic in Portland this summer.
Stephanie, The Recipe Renovator says
You are just ridiculously creative sometimes... and I can never get over how many versions of a shot you take. I'd be annoyed at you if you weren't my awesome bloggie friend. Happy weekend! 🙂
spabettie says
Jason is an extremely patient guy 🙂 (if you ever eat here, you can happily begin eating, while watching me shoot photos!) happy weekend to you, too, friend!
Charlie says
Oh!
These would be so good with a nice fresh mozzarella, or some fresh goat cheese.
Thanks for the idea!
Have a Joyful Day :~D
Charlie
spabettie says
yes - like a hasselback caprese - drizzled with balsamic, Mmm!
thank you, Charlie, I hope your day is fantastic too!
Kristina
purelymichelle says
heirlooms are Lori and I's fav!!! I know Lori can't wait till she can start growing her own veggies like tomatoes!
looks delicious!
spabettie says
I know - I am excited for Lori and her garden, it's so exciting to grow your own. happy weekend to you, dear! XO
Mack says
Wow, this looks insanely delicious! I just may have to try it sometime 🙂
Thanks Kristina!
spabettie says
hello Mack, great to see you here, and thank you! hope you get to enjoy a long weekend, Cheers!
Mack says
Ya no problem Kristina, I try to check in on Tribe members as best I can!
I will be soaking up as much of the free time as possible, when I'm not blogging away of course 🙂
Hope you enjoy yours as well!
spabettie says
...and I was just looking around YOUR site... Mack, do you have two dachshunds?? 🙂 we have a doxie named Basil!
Mack says
Hahaha well I can't claim ownership of them, but they are my Aunt's who I often stay with.. I'm currently house sitting and taking care of the dogs. I'm actually thinking of moving in with them and starting a little blog about them! There are actually 3! Two black and tans, named Diva and Lexis, and another younger and brown, named Tara! I can't tell you the specific breed at the moment but I will be sure to find out and let you know 🙂 Maybe you could even guest post about little Basil (love the name by the way!) once I get settled in and start up the blog.
spabettie says
aww, well they are CUTE. and yes, you should absolutely start a dachshund blog - they are VERY popular 😉 Basil would LOVE to be featured... Cheers, have a great weekend, Mack!
Julia says
What a great idea to hasselback tomatoes! And the brown butter quinoa, um, that's sounds fantastic!
spabettie says
oooh, Julia it was. I don't know why I waited so long to make it that way... I will have the "recipe" up soon 😉
lindsay says
i swoon everytime i think about portland and the summer and you and basil and well.. all this goodness.
<3
spabettie says
I know... Basil misses Auntie Lindsay... AND Uncle James, too. 😉
jobo says
That looks amazing. I LOVE heirloom tomatoes and ANY fresh garden veggie. I am so jealous of your garden! I cannot wait to own a house again to have my own! Summer here has been perfect too!
spabettie says
I have an (awesome) idea of what I'm going to do with my garden, and I am SO FREAKIN EXCITED! 😀 glad to hear your summer has been perfect - with all the Lakation, how can it not be!? 🙂
[email protected] says
I love that "hasselbacked" is a verb 😉
spabettie says
it is!