Ingredients

• 4 ounces 90%-lean ground beef, or 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1 cup cooked brown rice, or 1/2 cup instant brown rice
• 4 large ripe but firm tomatoes, (about 8 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup petite green peas, (cooked, if fresh; thawed, but not cooked, if frozen)
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, made from day-old whole-wheat bread (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small clov garlic, minced

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Cooking Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

Cook ground beef or turkey in a small skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling with a spoon, until brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Step 3

If using cooked rice, go to Step 4. To prepare instant brown rice, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in rice, return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Step 4

Add cooked rice to the bowl with the meat.

Step 5

Meanwhile, slice enough off the top of each tomato to remove the core (1/2 to 1 inch). Scoop out the tomato pulp using a teaspoon or melon baller. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the pulp and add to the bowl with the rice and meat. (Reserve the remaining pulp for another use; see Kitchen Tips.) Season the inside of the tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Step 6

Add peas, onion, 1/4 cup cheese, parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to the rice mixture. Stir to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the tomatoes and place the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, breadcrumbs, oil and garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the tomatoes.

Step 7

Bake the tomatoes until the crumbs are golden and the tomatoes are soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.