For a simple Italian side with TONS of flavor, check out these hasselback caprese tomatoes!
With only 5 ingredients and less than 30 minutes, you can create a picture-perfect side dish! They look fancy, but are super simple to prepare.
I’ll be honest- it took awhile for me to enjoy fresh tomatoes. Small diced pieces were acceptable, but biting into a fresh tomato with just a bit of salt- NO WAY! Then, I began to add tomato slices to sandwiches and burgers. The true change came after visiting Italy. They just know how to do tomatoes right! Fresh bruschetta with only tomatoes, olive oil, and basil- so simple, but impossible not to enjoy!
Usually reserved for potatoes, I decided to hasselback tomatoes. A whole new world! Once you’re in the know, you can “hasselback” a whole bunch of things- potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, chicken, bread, cantaloupe, apples…
The genius of “hasselbacking,” besides the beauty, is that more surface area = MORE FLAVOR!!!!! Plus, it allows you to stuff something even more delicious inside!
You can also create a raw version, very reminiscent of a caprese salad.
Ingredients for Hasselback Caprese Tomatoes
Fresh Tomatoes: Roma or plum tomatoes work well. They have a similar shape to a potato, but really any tomato could work.
Olive Oil
Thin Slices of Fresh Mozzarella
Oregano
Basil
What does Hasselback mean?
Most often used with potatoes, it is a method where an item is thinly sliced, but not all the way through. Then, they are stuffed or topped with many delicious flavors!
Where did Hasselback potatoes come from?
The term comes from Sweden. They are named after the restaurant where they were first served- Hasselbacken.
Hasselback Cutting Tips
- Use a sharp knife
- Set on top of two wooden spoons or chopsticks
- This ensures the knife will not go all of the way through
- Use your hands to gently press the slices apart
- Use a brush to apply olive oil or butter
- Stuff with cheese, breadcrumbs, bacon, etc.
- Sprinkle with herbs and seasonings
25 minutes
Hasselback Caprese Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 4 roma or plum tomatoes
- Olive oil
- 4 oz. mozzarella, thinly sliced
- Pepper
- Dried oregano
- 5 - 8 leaves of fresh basil, chopped
- Optional: bread crumbs, rosemary, Italian dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Set each tomato on two wooden spoons. Then, carefully slice, making sure to not cut all the way through. Brush olive oil on the tomatoes, including inside the cut marks. Next, stuff with small pieces of mozzarella. Season with pepper and oregano. Roast for 12-15 minutes, until cheese is melted. Garnish with chopped basil.
- Instead of roasting, these tomatoes could also be broiled for 5-7 minutes.