Forget the oysters, these Tomato Rockefeller bites will be the hit of your dinner party as part of a plated appetizer or even as a passed option at a cocktail party.
I know from time to time I mention my professional career as a personal/private chef but I tend to stay away from client stories. Working with clients has been an absolute joy and while I’ve got some hilarious stories I tend to only mention ones that don’t include clients. Like the time I somehow got locked out of my favorite client’s house while a Spinach Lasagna was in the oven and had no key to get back in. Hijinx ensued and the lasagna still ended up being enjoyed by all.
This recipe however is an ode to one of my chef colleagues who brought a similar dish (she made it in canned Roma tomato halves and it was amazing!) to a fun holiday party my chef mentor (I miss you Monica!) hosted at her home each year. I must have eaten half the tray they were so delicious!
This version uses a smaller, fresh tomato. In my local Sprouts they were listed as Campari tomatoes, but as you can see in the photos the size you are looking for is a good fit in a mini muffin tin. These are small enough to be an appetizer at a cocktail party but can also double in a plated appetizer, even served with oysters ;). The flavors of spinach, cream, butter and parmesan meld together and with the breadcrumbs you will find these to be one of your most popular bites at your holiday party.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter, garlic, salt, pepper and spinach to a skillet on medium high and cook until the spinach is just wilted, 3-5 minutes (if you have a noticeable amount of liquid here drain most of it off). Add the heavy cream and remaining two tablespoons of butter. In a bowl add the mixture from the pan with the rest of the ingredients (not including the tomatoes).
Cut the tops off of each tomato and with a spoon scoop out the insides and fill with the spinach mixture and top with cheese.
Bake, uncovered, in a mini muffin tin at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until the tops are browned. 
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter , divided
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- salt and pepper , to taste (I did ¼ teaspoon of each)
- 10 ounces fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 eggs , lightly beaten
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup green onions , chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (with a bit extra for sprinkling on top)
- 36 small tomatoes (I use Campari, you want about ping pong ball size)
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter, garlic, salt, pepper and spinach to a skillet on medium high and cook until the spinach is just wilted, 3-5 minutes (if you have a noticeable amount of liquid here drain most of it off).
- Add the heavy cream and remaining two tablespoons of butter.
- In a bowl add the mixture from the pan with the rest of the ingredients (not including the tomatoes).
- Cut the tops off of each tomato and with a spoon scoop out the insides.
- Fill with the spinach mixture
- Bake, uncovered, in a mini muffin tin at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until the tops are browned
Nutrition
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These sound amazing and easy to do. I will make these for our next get together this weekend.
How did your Tomatoes Rockefeller turn out? Hope your get together was fun!
Those look so yummy! I will have to make these with dinner very soon!
Hope you do! They’re awesome!
They look so pretty! I bet they taste as good.
That’s so sweet! Thank you!
these just make you salivate as you look at them, It must be so juicy and so goeey (you know from the cheese) hehe, quick question, you think i can use mozarella?
Yes! Absolutely 🙂
What a fun idea, I could eat a whole plate of these as a meal! 🙂
Thanks!
I love tomatoes and your recipe sounds so different and delicious. I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks! I really enjoy tomatoes too!
This looks so good!! I have not ever had stuffed tomatoes like this, I may have to make them for dinner next week!
Thank you! They’re really a delicious appetizer!
I could go for one of those right now. I think these would be super impressive sides or appetizers for a party.
Thanks Liz!
These look so yummy. These would be a big hit at a dinner party. I will have to try this recipe out. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure!
I’ve got to stop reading your blog when I’m hungry! These look delicious!
Me too! It always makes me want it again and by then they are already usually gone!
What a beautiful, yummy concoction for the upcoming holiday season. The flavor combination sounds dynamic. Pinning this now to try this coming month. It looks delicious, I can’t wait!
Awesome! Thanks for the pin! I hope you enjoy them 🙂
This looks like a fun recipe to try. I will have to make it.
Great! I hope you love it!
I have to try these. They look so delicious and easy to make. I will have to get the ingredients i need so i can make them this week.
I hope you enjoy them!
This looks like a delicious appetizer. I am having a get together soon and i will have to try these. They will be a big hit i am sure.
Thanks Ann 🙂
These look so yummy. I’d even go as far as to make these as a side dish for dinner.
I had a client who requested them in their meals as sides too! Can’t say I blame them, they are SO good.
These look so fancy! I thought they would be much harder to make!
I know, right? I wonder what a restaurant would charge for something that looks that fancy, haha.
Oh my god, I need these in my life, my party toolbox, and in my belly!! Love this idea. Yum!
Haha! Thanks Dee Dee!
I could eat tomatoes all day long and these look scrumptious! Now if I could get my husband to eat them!
Tell him there is cream and cheese inside, that even got my toddler to eat them. My husband didn’t need convincing even on the first day I tried them, he saw the browned cheese on top and was already sold!
I am drooling! My boys and I love tomatoes, we so would love this recipe – right up our alley!
Fantastic! I hope you try them!
I really love this transformation of a classic rockefellar! So creative and something I would love to have right now! And what I would not give to hire you as my personal chef 🙂
You’re so sweet Kacey 🙂 My husband got a lot of dirty looks when he would tell people what I do. They were always like “oh you poor thing, have a chef for a wife!” haha.
These sound – and LOOK! – so amazing! I’ve just recently starting liking spinach, but only with a cheesy tomatoey {is that a word? lol} kind of dish – so this is a perfect new one for me to try!
I vote we make it a word, I would eat anything with that description! 😉
These would be the first thing I reach for on an app platter. Delicious! I’m going to try to make these for our wine party next week!
Awesome! I hope you love them!
Pretty sure I could put down a dozen of these. Delicious
Easy. Then just convince yourself you did it for all the vitamin C and lycopene haha.
These look fabulous! I am going to try them.
Did you catch my shoutout to you and the hilarious lasagna lockout? 🙂 I still can’t believe I brought him home from school!
This looks SO good! I ave never attempted something like this before. I am a little wary of cutting into tomatoes without them falling apart, but I need to try this!
No cutting, I used a small teaspoon to scoop out the middle. In a small tomato like these the ribs aren’t as thick so it is easier to scoop.
I’ve had a lot of tomatoes in a lot of different ways, but I’ve never even heard of Tomatoes Rockefeller before. I’ll have to whip this up and see what’s what.
Oh yes! SO good. I hadn’t heard of them before trying them either and I was “that person” who ended up each more than her fair share of them, haha.
I’ve never seen a tomato recipe like this before. I’ll have to give it a try. It looks delicious.
Thanks! Let me know if you try it!
I’m not a big tomato person but baked, stuffed, tomatoes? Sign me up! I love how easy these are to make in a muffin pan!
Thanks! I love tomatoes too!