Grilled Tomatoes with Ricotta
on Aug 02, 2021, Updated Jul 05, 2024
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Grilled Tomatoes with Ricotta is a delicious summer appetizer or side dish! Lightly charred sweet tomatoes are piled on top of creamy ricotta, sprinkled with fresh herbs and drizzled with balsamic glaze. Serve them as is or with slices of toasted baguette.
August is about the time that my tomato plants really get going. They’ve been loaded with green tomatoes for the past month and now they’re all turning red and are ready to pick. I go out every other day and find about 10-20 that are ready to pick.
A couple dinner recipes I like to use them in are this caprese grilled chicken salad and this tomato basil pasta with balsamic grilled chicken. If I need a quick and easy appetizer, I use them in these mini caprese cups or the recipe I’m sharing today. Grilled tomatoes with ricotta!
Not only are these grilled tomatoes with ricotta a delicious summer appetizer, but they can also serve as a light dinner or side dish alongside your favorite protein or salad.
Ingredients For Grilled Tomatoes With Ricotta
- ricotta cheese
- tomatoes
- olive oil
- fresh basil
- flat leaf parsley
- balsamic glaze
- baguette
Two Methods For Grilling Tomatoes
The two methods I prefer for grilling tomatoes are to stick them directly on the grill grates or to skewer them. You can use a basket, but I know many people don’t have one and to be honest, I find that they’re a pain to clean and take up a lot of space.
If you plan to put the tomatoes directly onto the grill grates, be sure to use a variety that won’t fall through the grates. Cherry tomatoes will not work well for this method. Plum, Roma, heirloom and campari tomatoes will all work. Beefsteak tomatoes also work well, but I don’t recommend them for this recipe, save those for a blt sandwich.
The second method is to skewer the tomatoes. Cherry and grape tomatoes work well for this method, although you can skewers any of the tomatoes I listed above as well.
The most important things to remember when you’re grilling tomatoes is to have clean, well oil grill grates. Make sure your tomatoes have some oil on them and don’t grill them for too long or they will fall apart.
Smaller varieties will only need a couple minutes per side as will thick slices of tomatoes. Just keep an eye on them. When they have grill marks, start to soften, and the skin starts to peel away, they’re done.
How to Make Grilled Tomatoes With Ricotta
Start by preheating your grill to 400° F. and cleaning and oiling the grill grates. While you wait for the grill to heat, take the ricotta and season it with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
For this recipe I used campari tomatoes and cut them in half. Place the halved tomatoes onto a rimmed sheet pan and drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Line the sheet pan with foil if you don’t want the hassle of having to clean it. Use your hands to toss the tomatoes around until they’re coated in oil.
Place the tomatoes skin side down onto the grill and let them cook for about 2 minutes. Use tongs to flip them over and grill the cut side for another 2 minutes or until they’ve softened. Remove them from the grill back onto the sheet pan.
If you plan to serve the grilled tomatoes and ricotta with slices of baguette you’ll want to drizzle the sliced bread with olive oil and season it with a little salt and pepper. Clean the grill grates and then lay the baguette slices onto them and grill for 1-2 minutes per side. Keep a close eye on the bread as it can go from toasted to burned very quickly.
Spread the ricotta out onto a serving plate and place the grilled tomatoes and any juices on top of it. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle on chopped basil and parsley. Serve with the baguette slices or if you prefer to skip the bread, it tastes just as delicious on it’s own.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. If you don’t have a grill roast the tomatoes in the oven on a sheet pan at 450° F. for about 25-30 minutes or until the tomatoes have collapsed to your desired doneness.
Either type of ricotta will work. Whole milk is creamy in texture and richer in flavor and is what I used for this recipe. Part skim is nice if you’re looking for a slightly lower fat option. If you want to get part skim creamy, add it to a food processor or blender with a splash of milk and purée it until smooth.
Both fresh thyme and/or oregano will work well in this recipe.
More Tomato Recipes
- Heirloom Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad
- Grilled Bruschetta Chicken
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Grilled Vegetable Pesto Pasta
- Tomato Avocado Corn Salad
Grilled Tomatoes with Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 10 Campari tomatoes halved (or about 2 cups halved or quartered tomatoes depending on size)
- Olive oil salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons chopped basil
- 2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- Balsamic glaze for drizzling on top
- 1/2 of a baguette sliced and grilled or toasted
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 400° F. Brush the grill grates clean and spray them with cooking oil.
- Place the halved tomatoes on a sheet pan and drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss together with your hands until coated. On a separate sheet pan or plate, drizzle the baguette slices with a little olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Season the ricotta with salt and pepper and spread it onto a plate.
- Take the tomatoes out to the grill and place them skin side down onto the grates. Close the lid and grill for about 2 minutes or until there are grill marks on the skin. Use tongs to flip the tomatoes over so they are cut side down. Grill another 2 minutes or until tender and the skin starts to pull aways from the flesh.
- Remove the tomatoes from the grill. Brush the grates clean and place the baguette slices on them. Grill for a minute or so then flip them over and grill another 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and toasted.
- Top the ricotta with the grilled tomatoes and any of the juices. Sprinkle on the fresh herbs and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve with the grilled slices of baguette or as is.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
