An old timey dish originating from Provence, “Tomates Farçies” were born as a way to make smart use of any leftover meat, bread and fresh herbs people had in the kitchen. For this reason, you can find countless variations of this dish, be it made using ground beef, pork, chicken or chopped up leftover stewed meat, mixed with stale bread or rice, any kind of fresh herbs and any type of hard cheese. But this recipe’s version – made with ground beef, bread and cheese – is by far the most popular.

French beef stuffed tomatoes are nowadays commonly sold at French “boucheries” (meat shops), already pre-cooked. This is also a staple dish in any French household, as it’s fairly easy to recreate and perfect to feed a family.

Naturally, this recipe is made during tomato season, when the fruits are perfectly ripe and sweet.

Common Questions

What varieties of tomatoes work best for this recipe? 

Any medium to large red tomato variety will work for this recipe, including Beefstake, Heirloom or On-The-Vine Tomatoes. Avoid Roma tomatoes as they can’t stand upright well due to their oval shape.  

Choose your tomatoes ripe, juicy yet still a little firm so they don’t turn mushy when baked. Also, try to pick them round (so they stand well upright) and even in size so they bake evenly.

Also, make sure you drain the tomatoes well after carving them. Meaning, you need to salt the inside of the carved tomatoes and place them upside down on paper towels for at least one hour, so they lose most of their excess moisture.

What bread should I use for the stuffing? 

The chunks of bread in the stuffing absorb the moisture released from the tomatoes and beef while they cook, ensuring the stuffing doesn’t get soggy and the tomatoes don’t turn mushy. Any stale bread works for this recipe, from a baguette to a French loaf to simple sliced bread. Make sure the bread is fully soaked in milk so it turns soft. The bread should be dry and easy to slice into cubes, which then get soaked in milk to turn soft and easy to mix.

Should I opt for lean ground meats or ground meats with more fat?

It’s entirely up to you and your personal preferences. The general rule is “fat equals flavor”, but I have made these Tomates Farcies many times using lean ground meats and the taste was still excellent. Use what you have and/or what’s on sale!

Can this recipe be made vegetarian?

While I have never personally made this recipe using meat substitutes, commenters have mentioned success using Beyond Meat “ground beef” as a substitute. If you have experience using these meat substitutes and are happy with the results, it should work well in this recipe as well.

If I wanted to try a different cheese than Parmesan, what would you suggest?

The Parmesan cheese, providing a nice salty kick,  helps bind all the ingredients together. This creates a stuffing that keeps it shape well once cooked and doesn’t crumble on the plate when slicing the tomato.

Another dry/hard mountain cheese would work wonderfully as well, such an Emmental or Gruyère. Pecorino Romano would work nicely too!

Any particular type of rice I should be using for this recipe?

I typically like to use long grain white rice varieties, such as basmati. But use what you have on hand and what you enjoy to eat. 

The rice, placed at the bottom of the dish, helps bring substance to the dish (making it a whole meal), but also serves two practical purposes: it helps keep the stuffed tomatoes upright while they roast in the oven and also to absorb the extra liquid rendered by the ground beef and tomatoes while they cook. This ensures the bottom of your baking dish won’t get soggy, while creating a succulent bed of flavored rice which turns slightly crispy over top.

How to store these French-style Stuffed Tomatoes

After making (and enjoying) these Tomates Farcies – if you have any leftovers – you can store them in the refrigerator.

• In the refrigerator: store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.  Reheat the stuffed tomatoes in a microwave or in the oven for about 5-10 minutes at 350°F (180°C). 
• I don’t recommend freezing this recipe as this will alter the texture of the tomatoes too much. 

Cooking notes :

• This recipe makes 6 Tomates Farçies; you can easily double this recipe to serve a larger crowd.
• The Herbs de Provence deliver classic Provencal flavors, helping give these stuffed tomatoes their signature taste. Herbs de Provence is a typical mix of dried herbs from Provence and usually includes: savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and oregano. Herbs de Provence mix can be found in some grocery stores or in specialty stores. If you can’t find it, you can easily make your own mix at home. Use an equal amount of each dried herb and mix. Keep it in a sealed jar or in a tied-up pouch, for months.

These Tomates Farçies are traditionally enjoyed warm as a main, or at room temperature the next day when it is just too warm to turn the oven on. Some say they taste even better the next day!

I hope you’ll love this Classic Tomates Farcies recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More late-Summer recipes to enjoy: 

• • Classic French stove-top Ratatouille 
  • Chilled Zucchini Mint Soup 
  • Crustless Quiche with Summer Vegetables 
  • Classic Vegetable Tian from Provence
  • Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence
  • Classic French Tomato Mustard Tart
  • Swiss Chard Pancakes (Farçous) 
  • Cod Provençal with Tomatoes, Capers & Olives
  • French-Style Zucchini Fritters

French-Style Stuffed Tomatoes (Tomates Farcies)

Print Recipe

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour 45 minutes 1 hour 45 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.2/5

( 17 voted )

Ingredients

6 medium, round tomatoes
salt, to taste
2-3 slices stale bread, cut into small cubes
¾ cup milk (2% m.f. or whole)
1 tbsp (15ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 lb (450g) ground beef
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 large egg, at room temperature
2-3 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp of Herbs de Provence
2 tbsp (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp (30ml) extra Virgin Olive Oil
300 to 500g cooked rice (2 to 3 cups)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the tomatoes. Cut the hats (tops) from the tomatoes and carve the insides (flesh) out with a spoon. Keep the flesh with the juice in a separate bowl, and keep the hats too. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with a pinch of salt, and place the tomatoes upside down on a linen or paper towel to absorb the excess juice. Set aside for at least one hour.

In a bowl, pour the milk over the bread cubes and set aside to soak for about 20 minutes. 

Step 2: Chop up the removed tomato flesh coarsely. Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onion, and then add the tomato flesh. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is moisture-free and reduced to a paste-like consistency.

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle.

Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, egg, basil, Herbs de Provence, parmesan, and milk-soaked bread. Add the tomato flesh mixture and mix until just combined.

Grease a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of olive oil. Spread the rice over the bottom - it should cover the bottom of the dish by about 2 inches. 

Step 4: Spoon the stuffing into the hollowed tomatoes, making sure they are well packed. Place the hats back on top and place the tomatoes standing upright into the baking dish, over the rice. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper and herbs de Provence to taste.

Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes - depending on your oven, this can be slightly shorter or longer. The tomatoes are done when the rice looks golden and crispy on top, the meat stuffing is browned and cooked, and the tops of the tomatoes are wrinkled with charred edges.

Allow the dish to rest 30 extra minutes in the oven, with the oven turned off, before serving.

This recipe was first published on July 13, 2022 and edited on August 25, 2023. I updated the photos and updated the article with common questions & answers, additional tips and a few improved ingredients/instructions for the recipe. 

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