Cold Tomatoes with Tuna, Corn, and Olives, a summer dish that will win you over with its freshness, simplicity, and deliciousness!
Last week during lunch break a colleague took out her container to eat, immediately sparking my curiosity.
“Carla, what do you have in your lunchbox? Are those tomatoes?” And she: “Yes, they are cold tomatoes stuffed with tuna!”.
I remember making a surprised face at that moment because I had never tried stuffed tomatoes without cooking.
The idea appealed to me so much that I immediately told her I would try it as soon as possible.
And here I am with a fresh, economical, quick, and tasty recipe to prepare these beautiful cold tomatoes stuffed with tuna, corn, and olives.
They are perfect as a main course, a one-dish meal, or as a appetizer/aperitif.
They can be customized in a thousand ways by changing the filling and making them more and more tasty each time.
For a vegetarian version you can fill the tomatoes with avocado, cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers, or chopped hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, etc.
Instead of tuna, you can use diced cooked ham, mortadella, or cheese pieces.
For an even tastier version, try stuffing the cold tomatoes with a nice rice salad, you will be amazed!
Cold stuffed tomatoes have been a real discovery, especially on these scorching hot days when you lose the desire to eat, let alone cook!
In less than 20 minutes, you can create a dish that’s different from the usual that will surprise everyone!
If you love fresh, tasty, and quick summer recipes, don’t miss these:
Puff Pastry Savory Croissants with Salmon and Rocket
Pancarré Cake No-Bake Appetizer
Savory Cheesecake with Cherry Tomatoes, Rocket, and Parmesan
Tuna Potatoes with Mayonnaise and Capers
20 Easy and Economical Cold Appetizers
Cold Brown Rice with Smoked Salmon
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 pieces
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 4 Tomatoes (round and smooth, also known as rice tomatoes. Medium-sized)
- 3 oz Canned Tuna (1 small can)
- 2 tbsps Canned Yellow Corn Kernels
- 10 Olives (pitted, black, green, or Taggiasca)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- to taste Salt
- 1 tbsp Mayonnaise
- to taste Garlic (only if desired)
- A few leaves Basil
- 4 Toothpicks
Tools
- Bowl
- Cutting Board
Preparation
First, thoroughly wash the tomatoes. You should use those suitable for stuffing, the so-called “rice” tomatoes. Once washed well under water, first cut off the top to create a lid that you will set aside, then hollow them out using a sharp knife, taking care not to pierce the base and sides.
Place the scooped-out tomato pulp in a bowl, while the hollowed tomatoes should be lightly salted on the outside and placed upside down on a rack or plate to drain excess water. In the bowl with the tomato pulp, add the corn and sliced pitted olives.
I used green olives because I already had them in the fridge, but you can use black ones if you prefer. Add a bit of finely chopped garlic (just a little), a few finely chopped fresh basil leaves, and the tuna crumbled by hand, previously drained of its preserving oil (or use natural tuna).
Season everything with a tablespoon of oil, salt, and a couple of teaspoons of mayonnaise. Mix and fill the tomatoes with this filling using a teaspoon.
Now take 4 toothpicks, insert each tomato vertically with a toothpick, slightly protruding the tip on which you will place the top part of the tomato that you had set aside before. Finish with a drizzle of oil on each tomato and salt.
Take a nice serving plate, arrange the tomatoes, and decorate with basil leaves or lettuce or arugula and serve! Your beautiful and tasty Cold Tomatoes with Tuna, Corn, and Olives are ready to be eaten, enjoy and see you at the next recipe!
Recipe and Photo by Gabry © – all rights reserved
