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Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes have a creamy filling made with cream cheese, Parmesan, and herbs. These little one-bite appetizers are fresh and light, perfect for spring brunches or evening entertaining.
When planning appetizers for a party, you want to have a variety of options. These stuffed tomatoes are fresh and healthy with a creamy, rich filling. They are a great, simple yet elegant appetizer to add to a buffet.
Add some stuffed cherry tomatoes to the menu for your next party. They look beautiful and pair well with other small bites, like Cucumber Sandwiches, Deviled Eggs.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Stuffed Tomatoes
- No cooking – The perfect appetizer when you’re short on oven space.
- Make ahead friendly – You can stuff the tomatoes up to a day in advance.
- Easy to make – There are no complicated steps, just remove the seeds from the tomatoes and add the filling. Easy peasy!
- Year round snack – Cherry Tomatoes are readily available in most grocery store all year round so you can make this appetizer for a spring baby shower or a Christmas party.
- That creamy filling, though. The recipe for the filling is a nod to spreadable Boursin cheese, which is one of my favorite spreads.
Ingredients for Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Grab some pantry spices and dried herbs along with a few other simple ingredients to make this easy appetizer.
- Cherry Tomatoes – You can also use larger tomatoes, but try to use ones that are all the same size.
- Cream Cheese – Use the regular, block style cream cheese.
- Butter – softened (not margarine).
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – Fresh is best, but pre-grated canned Parmesan can work too. Sometimes the canned cheese can be a little more grainy.
- Spices – Dried dill, dried parsley, garlic powder, dried basil, dried thyme, ground black pepper.
- Fresh Dill – For a garnish.
How To Remove the Pulp from Cherry Tomatoes
- Choose tomatoes that are round in shape and larger in size. Rinse them well under running water and pat them dry.
- Use a sharp paring knife to cut off a thin piece of the stem end, then cut around the center of the tomato. Use the smallest spoon you have (¼ teaspoon works well) to scoop out the seeds.
- Slice a very thin piece off the bottom of each tomato so they will sit flush on the platter. Lay out paper towels and lay the tomatoes upside down for 15-20 minutes to drain the juices.
How to Make Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Be sure to check the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions.
It is so easy to stuff cherry tomatoes!
- Make the Filling – Add the softened cream cheese, parmesan, butter, and spices to a food processor or use a hand mixer to blend. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
- Stuff Tomatoes – For easy filling, add the cream cheese filling to a resealable plastic bag and snip off the corner to make a piping bag. Fill each tomato a little over the top with the filling. Top each tomato with a little fresh dill and some black pepper.
- Serve – Serve the tomatoes immediately or refrigerate to serve later.
FAQs
How do you core a cherry tomato?
Although cherry tomatoes are small, they still can be cored and have the seeds removed. To remove the core, use a small, sharp paring knife to cut the top off then cut around the center. Now to scoop out the center, you can use a small ¼ teaspoon to scoop out the core.
Can the cream cheese filling be made in advance?
Yes, you can make the filling in advance. Mix up the filling and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. You’ll want to let it come to room temperature and give a quick stir before trying to stuff the tomatoes.
Can you stuff cherry tomatoes ahead of time?
Stuffed tomatoes are best served the day you make them, but you can make them up to 24 in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze them?
No, freezing is not recommended.
How To Serve
Serve the tomatoes right after stuffing. I like to serve them on a platter. This appetizer is great because it works any time of day! They’re light enough to serve at brunch, but they’re also a great option at a nighttime party.
Variations
- Mix up the herbs – You can easily adjust the amount and variety of dried herbs mixed in the cheese based on your preferences.
- Fresh herbs – While I love the ease of dried herbs, you can swap in fresh chopped herbs instead of the dried.
Storage
Storage – You can make these up to a day in advance. If making ahead or if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Make ahead a day up to 24 hours, or keep leftovers for up to 2 days.
Expert Tips
- You can mix the filling in your food processor, with a hand mixer, or even by hand. You want the herbs to be evenly distributed in the filling.
- If you have a piping bag with a star tip, they will definitely make your tomatoes look quite elegant but using a ziploc bag works just as well.
- You can serve these immediately, but I recommend letting them chill for a few hours first.
- Butter and cream cheese should be room temperature for best results.
- Feel free to change up the herbs you use in the filling, like rosemary or thyme.
More Favorite Appetizer Recipes
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Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes are filled with cream cheese, Parmesan and herbs. One bite appetizers that are perfect for year round entertaining.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes about 30
- 6 ounces block cream cheese softened
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh dill weed for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse tomatoes under running water and pat dry.
- Using a sharp paring knife, cut off the top, then cut around the center of the tomato. Use a ¼ teaspoon to scoop out the seeds.
- Level the tomatoes by slicing a very thin piece off of the bottom.
- Lay tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain the juices.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the cream cheese, butter, Parmesan cheese and dried herbs into a food processor. You can also use a medium sized bowl and a hand mixer, or mix by hand. Taste and add salt or adjust other seasonings as desired.
- Scoop the filling into a resealable plastic bag and press it all towards one corner of the bag. Snip off the corner to make a small hole, and fill each cherry tomato a little over the top with the filling.
- Top with fresh dill weed and cracked black pepper.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. If making ahead, make sure to store in an airtight container.
Notes
Servings: You should get approximately 1 heaping cup of filling, which will be enough for at least 35-40 tomatoes. A pint of tomatoes generally has 30-40 tomatoes, depending on size, but you want to make sure to choose ones that are larger and similar in size. As an appetizer, plan for 3 pieces per person.
Storage: You can make these up to a day in advance. If making ahead or if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Make ahead up to 24 hours, or keep leftovers for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 170mgPotassium: 156mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 388IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 1mg
