Taco Tomatoes

Here's an easy recipe that came from my fiancé's head. The concept is taco ingredients stuffed inside a hollowed out tomato, covered in cheese, and baked to perfection. They turned out really well. Thanks to my co-worker Morgan for providing all of the fresh tomatoes. I also used some of the tomatoes in the Mexican Rice that I served on the side. 

Here's what you'll need:

• 6 large tomatoes
• kosher salt
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
• 1/4 onion, diced (I used white)
• 1 T cilantro
• 8 oz velveeta cheese, cubed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• shredded cheddar cheese for topping (optional)
• large mixing bowl
• baking pan

Feel free to skip past the picture demonstration to get straight to the listed directions.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Double line a rectangular baking dish with paper towels. Set aside.

Slice the tops off of each tomato. Use a spoon to hollow out each tomato, reserving the insides.

Sprinkle a small amount of kosher salt into each hollowed out tomato.

Place each tomato open side down onto the paper towel lined baking pan to drain. 

Dice up the tomato insides and place on a separate paper towel to drain while you are cooking the meat.

Heat the skillet up and cook the ground beef according to package instructions, crumbling the meat as it cooks.

Add the package of taco seasoning, along with any other ingredient indicated on the seasoning package, and stir to combine. Mine required the addition of water.

Add the cooked meat, salt, pepper, diced onion, velveeta cheese cubes, cilantro, and diced tomatoes to a large mixing bowl. Stir until combined.

Remove the paper towel lining from the baking pan. Spoon the meat mixture into each tomato shell and place bottom side down back onto the pan. Pack the stuffing into each one. You should be able to use up all of your stuffing, unless you are using small tomatoes. 

Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, if using. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Serve with Mexican Rice or another side item of your choice. Enjoy!

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Ingredients:

• 6 large tomatoes
• kosher salt
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
• 1/4 onion, diced (I used white)
• 1 T cilantro
• 8 oz velveeta cheese, cubed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• shredded cheddar cheese for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice the tops off of each tomato. Use a spoon to hollow out each tomato, reserving the insides. Sprinkle a small amount of kosher salt into each hollowed out tomato, then place them open side down onto a paper towel lined baking sheet. Set aside.
3. Chop the reserved tomato insides up. Place on a separate paper towel to drain while you are cooking the meat.
4. Cook the meat in a skillet according to package directions, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Add the package of taco seasoning to the skillet of cooked meat and stir to combine. *Check the back of the taco seasoning package and see if water or any other ingredient needs to be added to the cooked meat*
5. Add the crumbled seasoned meat, diced onion, diced tomato, cilantro, salt and pepper, and velveeta cheese cubes to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
6. Remove the hollowed out tomatoes and paper towels from the baking pan. Spoon the meat mixture into each hollowed out tomato and return bottom side down back onto the baking sheet. Top with shredded cheese, if using. Bake for 25-30 minutes.