My quick and easy Baked Tomato Casserole is a delicious and healthy vegetable casserole that your entire family will love! Full of flavorful tomato goodness, this yummy fresh tomato recipe only takes minutes to prepare and pairs beautifully with most entrees.
In this side dish recipe, fresh tomatoes are paired with toasted cubes of french bread, basil, and parmesan cheese to make what almost could be described as a tomato bread pudding. And, while this recipe doesn’t specifically call for it, a handful of panko bread crumbs added to the parmesan cheese topping would be an excellent addition.
But the best thing about this baked tomato casserole recipe, also sometimes known as scalloped tomatoes or tomato bake, is you can have fresh tomato flavor any time of the year. Even in the dead of winter, it takes pale, flavorless tomatoes and turns them into the stuff tomato dreams are made of.
Nutritional benefits of tomatoes:
According to the US Department of Agriculture, tomatoes are a primary dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, and they are also a great source of vitamin K, potassium, folate, and vitamin C. They are also one of the few vegetables/fruits that are better for you when they are cooked than raw.
What’s in this recipe:
You will need olive oil, about a half of loaf of French bread, fresh Roma or Italian Plum tomatoes, garlic, sugar, kosher salt, ground black pepper, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese.
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic in a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Add three tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the bread cubes and toss to coat with oil. Toast the bread cubes, frequently stirring for five minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.
Add the tomato mixture to the bread cubes and stir to combine. Cook the tomato mixture for five minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the basil. Stir to combine.
Spread the tomato mixture evenly in a medium-size baking dish, which has been sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. Top with the parmesan cheese and drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil evenly over the casserole.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve immediately and top with additional chopped basil if desired.
Leftovers and storage:
I’ve found that this casserole is best served fresh, but you can store the leftovers covered in the fridge for up to four days.
I wouldn’t advise trying to freeze this dish. Fresh tomatoes become mushy when frozen.
Sharon’s tips:
I added a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes over the top of this casserole so it would look better in photographs. This is an optional step, and you can certainly add them or leave them off.
I think meaty Roma or Italian Pulm tomatoes work best in this casserole, but you can use whatever you have on hand as well as a variety. Roma’s are denser, have a thicker fruit wall, and fewer seeds and pulp than most other tomatoes.
If you use anything other than Roma or cherry tomatoes, be sure to squeeze out any excess pulp and seeds before adding them to the dish.
Fresh basil is best, but In a pinch, you can use dried basil instead. If you use dried because the flavor is much more concentrated, you only need to add one tablespoon.
If you want to change things up a bit, feel free to add a handful of panko bread crumbs to the parmesan cheese topping.
This is a great make-ahead dish. It can be assembled a few hours ahead and then baked right before you are ready to serve it.
More side dish recipes:
If you like this recipe, you might also like these popular recipes: Southern Sweet Onion Casserole, Southern Green Beans and New Potatoes, Rustic Mashed Potatoes for Two, Easy Southern Homemade Creamed Corn, and Spinach and Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes.
Here is a link to all of my side dish recipes if you need more inspiration.
More easy tomato recipes:
I have to say tomatoes are my favorite vegetable (yes, I know it’s classified as a fruit, but I always think of them as a vegetable!
If you like them as I do, you might also like these recipes: Creamy Fresh Tomato Soup, Easy Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, Easy Sweet and Spicy Tomato Jam, Southern Tomato Gravy, Gazpacho, and Tomato Cobbler with Cornmeal Cheddar Biscuits.
★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
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Tomato Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 cups diced French bread cubes About ½ of a loaf
- 10-12 small fresh tomatoes chopped, about 2 lbs
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic in a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Add three tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the bread cubes and toss to coat with oil. Toast the bread cubes, frequently stirring for five minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.
- Add the tomato mixture to the bread cubes and stir to combine. Cook the tomato mixture for five minutes, or until the tomatoes are bubbly. Remove the pan from the heat and add the basil. Stir to combine.
- Spread the tomato mixture evenly in a medium-size baking dish, which has been sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. Top with the parmesan cheese and drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil evenly over the casserole.
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally published on January 19, 2018. It was republished on June 8, 2020, with resized images, expanded directions, and additional tips.
Marna
Absolutely delicious, I didn’t change a thing
Chris dodge
Utterly delicious and easy to make
Nicole
I had so many delicious tomatoes growing in the garden… Something that may not have been so pretty but still yummy… I didn’t know what to do with them all even though I made sauce with a bunch of them… I found this recipe, and this is the third time I have made it! It is absolutely delicious and my husband doesn’t necessarily like cooked tomatoes, but he loves this nonetheless! I highly encourage everyone to try it…..It is a keeper! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe… It is truly super yummy and easy to make!
Jane Roehrig
OMG! This was absolutely wonderful! We have so many home grown tomatoes. I was out of recipes so I tried this. I will definitely make it again. It was delicious and very easy to make. My husband loved it and so did I. I can’t wait to make this for company. Thank you for the recipe!
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Jane, I’m so sorry it has taken me so long to respond. I am so happy you enjoyed this dish. It’s one of our favorites too!
Thank you so much for taking time to let me know.
Sharon
Anne
Approximately how many cups of tomatoes would have been helpful.
Fran
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I have made a tomato pie in the past, but nothing like this. I wanted to let you know that I truly enjoy your recipes more than any others that I receive. I look to cook, and receive many emails from food bloggers. Your recipes are delicious, straightforward, Southern dishes that use normal ingredients. They bring full tummies and joy! Thank you!
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Fran,
Thank you so much for your sweet comments! I’m so happy you are enjoying my recipes and I have to say you made my day!
All the best,
Sharon
Connie
Sharon, when changing servings number the ingredient list shows the difference except for always saying 2 #’s of tomatoes. Should I just go by the number of tomatoes when I reduce the number to 4 servings? The recipe looks fabulous. I have been making tomato pudding forever as it was a staple in my family’s holiday menu. I am excited to try yours with fresh tomatoes. I can’t rate it until I try it.
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Connie,
Yes, go by the number of tomatoes, not the two-pound amount in the comments. I just put that there in case folks used a different variety of tomato or a combination of varieties and it doesn’t scale up or down.
I hope you like it!
Sharon
Ashley Lentini
That looks AMAZING!! I will definitely try this 🙂
Margaret
Do you toast the bread in the skillet or the oven ? I was confused about that part.
Lori
Skillet
Gritsandpinecones
Hi Margaret,
For some reason, I never saw your question about toasting the bread. You toast it on top of the stove in the skillet. I’m so sorry I didn’t respond sooner and know this is way too late, but hope it will help someone else.
I hope you enjoyed the casserole!
All my best,
Sharon