These Roasted Tomatoes with Spinach and Pesto have the added flavor of lemony basil underneath it’s layers resulting in a rich, totally delicious side dish.
I went to a steakhouse a few years ago and they served this delectable side dish with my Snapper. It was so memorable I had to go home and recreate it and I called it Roasted Tomatoes with Spinach and Parmesan.
I really love the flavor of these tomatoes, so I wanted to create more recipes with roasted tomatoes.
But to give these tomatoes a totally different taste, I thought about a Caprese Salad with tomatoes, basil and cheese and wondered if the addition of pesto would work with my original recipe.
It not only worked, but it worked deliciously.
These Roasted tomatoes are so simple to make, and made even simpler when you have your pesto made ahead of time and happily waiting in the freezer.
I have loved Rosie Daley’s Pesto since I first tasted it. If you’re not familiar with Rosie Daley, she was Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef and while she worked for Oprah she created wonderful low calorie, low fat recipes.
Oprah not only lost weight but she loved Rosie’s recipes so much that she collaborated with Rosie on a cookbook, In the Kitchen with Rosie – Oprah’s Favorite Recipes. All of Rosie’s recipes were wonderfully good, but her pesto really stood out. Not over oiled like so many pestos, but totally fresh and lemony.
Because of the fresh taste of this Pesto, it was the perfect addition to my original Roasted Tomatoes with Spinach recipe.
Ingredients for Roasted Tomatoes with Spinach and Pesto
- Tomato: The star of the show
- Pesto: For the fresh taste of lemon and basil, with a touch of garlic
- Olive oil: For health and flavor
- Baby spinach: For health, rich taste and color
- Sea salt: Just a touch
- Pepper: For spiciness
- Parmesan Cheese: For nutty rich flavor
How to Make Roasted Tomatoes with Spinach and Pesto
First preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
For two servings, you really only need 1 large tomato cut in half width wise. Add these tomatoes to a lightly oiled baking pan. You may want to cut a bit of the bottom of each one so that they will sit straight.
Then just add pesto to the top of each one. You only need about a Tsp on each one. Set the dish aside while you get ready for the second layer.
Add a little olive oil to a fry pan over medium high heat. Then add the spinach and stir it as it melts down.
Then just divide the tomatoes between the two tomato halves and place it over the pesto.
Finally top each with a little Parmesan cheese and place the pan in the oven and bake the tomatoes about 20-23 minutes – just until the tomatoes begin to give and the Parmesan is melted and toasty.
Roasted Tomatoes with Spinach and Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 Large Tomato
- 2 Tsp Pesto
- 1 Tsp Olive oil
- 1 1/2 Cups Baby spinach Washed
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese Grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Cut tomato in half and cut each end slightly to help the tomatoes stand up straight. Add 1 Tsp Pesto to each half and place tomatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish.
- Add olive oil to a saute pan over medium high heat and add the spinach. Then add salt and pepper and stir until the spinach wilts down.
- Divide spinach between the tomato halves and top each with 1/2 Tsp grated Parmesan cheese.
- Place in oven and bake 20-23 minutes just until the tomatoes begin to slightly soften.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
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