This is a great meal to feed your family for under five dollars. The tuna-stuffed tomatoes are full of flavor, with plenty of vegetables and herbs, and they also are full of nutrition! A little creamy ricotta boosts the protein content of the dish and adds extra taste. You'll need only a 12-ounce can of tuna for the recipe, and the inexpensive chunk light tuna works just fine. The stuffed tomatoes cook in the air fryer in 20-25 minutes. This is one of those recipes I turn to when I have nothing in the refrigerator thawed to cook and/or am really, really tired of leftovers. Speaking of which, the leftover stuffed tomatoes are great for lunches. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Tuna-Stuffed Tomatoes -- Serves 4
1/2 a small onion, chopped
2 large tomatoes, cored, halved, and pulp removed and reserved (use a spoon to scoop
the pulp out)
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
2 big handfuls of fresh spinach (about 2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
3-4 tablespoons of chopped red bell pepper
12-ounce can of tuna (chunk light is fine), drained
1/4 cup of part-skim ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1-2 tablespoons of shredded Italian-style cheese or mozzarella, optional
A little chopped parsley, optional
In a medium bowl combine the onion, tomato pulp and garlic. Microwave the mixture about 2 minutes or until hot and the onion has softened a little. Stir in the spinach, dried basil, salt, pepper, and red bell pepper. Microwave the mixture another 30-60 seconds to soften the spinach and bell pepper. Stir in the tuna, the ricotta, and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Cut a piece of aluminum foil to fit the bottom of your air fryer basket and about 2 inches up the sides of the basket (you can double the foil if you want less chance of leaks). Spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Put the 4 tomato halves into the basket (you may want to cut a small slice from the bottom of each tomato half to keep the halves flat on the foil and prevent them wobbling/sliding). Fill the tomato halves with the tuna mixture, dividing the mixture evenly and mounding it, if necessary. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top of the filled tomatoes. Spritz the tops of the filled tomatoes with a little olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. This will help keep the cheese in place in the air fryer. Put the filled air fryer basket in the air fryer an air fry the stuffed tomatoes at 320 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a deep golden brown. Lift the tomatoes from the air fryer basket (very, very carefully!) using the foil as a sling. Sprinkle the tops of the stuffed tomatoes with a little shredded Italian cheese and parsley, if you like. Let the stuffed tomatoes stand a few minutes to let the Italian cheese melt and the tomatoes cool a little before serving them. The filling and tomatoes will be hot!
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