Tomatoes and cheese are two of our favorite tastes and we have combined them in a Tomato Casserole. This is such a classic blend of ingredients and flavors yet it is so easy to make and packed full of flavor. Vibrant ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, garlic and rosemary make a Meatless Monday meal or a hearty side dish.

Overhead shot of a hot tomato casserole.

The tomato casserole was made with thick slices of big red tomatoes layered with mozzarella cheese. I sliced the tennis-ball-size balls of mozzarella thinly and cuddled them between the tomato slices.

Bread is a must with this dish. The tomatoes release all their juices while they bake and it blends with the flavors from the cheese and herbs. It creates a wonderful, savory broth to sop up with bread.

Try serving it with some homemade sourdough bread or a quick 2-hour Dutch oven bread.

This tomato casserole was the main event for our meatless-Monday dinner. We also had fresh green beans with bacon crumbles and a nice baby kale, blueberry and blue cheese salad with creamy lemon-honey vinaigrette.

It can also be served as a side dish with chicken or fish like this pan fried cod.

What is in this tomato casserole?

Tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella cheese balls
Butter
Garlic
Salt/pepper
Fresh rosemary
Parmesan cheese
Panko bread crumbs

The combination of thick, tomatoes and creamy fresh mozzarella cheese are a great flavor profile in this tomato casserole. Dress it up with garlic and rosemary and you have a casserole that is classy enough for a summer dinner party!

Slices of fresh tomato on a cutting board.

Here’s how to make this simple Tomato Casserole:

Fresh summer tomatoes are the best choice but the good news is you can get your hands on fresh tomatoes all year long.

Arrange slices of tomatoes in an oven-proof baking dish.
Cut the mozzarella cheese ball into 1/4-inch thick slices and tuck them in between the tomatoes slices.
Mix the melted butter and grated garlic together and drizzle over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary over the tomatoes and cheese.
Combine the parmesan cheese and the toasted Panko bread crumbs together and sprinkle over the casserole. Bake the casserole in a preheated 375°F oven for 30-35 minutes.

Tips for success:

Spray the baking dish with non-stick cooking spray before you begin.
Remove the stem-core of the tomatoes before slicing them.
Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick. They will bake down a bit and shrink so don’t slice them too thin.
Serve this dish while it is hot and the cheese is soft.
This dish creates a lot of runny juices. Serve it in bowls to contain all the broth.

There is one caveat that I should mention…..Serve this tomato casserole hot, right from the oven so you can enjoy that creamy, gooey mozzarella cheese as it stretches from the dish!

Tomato Casserole

A fresh tomato casserole made with thick slices of big red tomatoes and layered with mozzarella cheese. A little melted garlic butter drizzled over the top, along with a sprinkle of fresh rosemary, and some crunchy breadcrumbs finished it off.

4.79 from 32 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings: servings

Calories: 150kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

4 medium to large tomatoes
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese balls
3 tablespoons butter melted
2 garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
black pepper grindings
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup toasted Panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F
Cut the tomatoes into 1/4-inch slices and arrange them to fit into an oven-proof baking dish. Cut the mozzarella cheese balls into 1/4-inch slices and place them between the tomato slices.
In a small dish, combine the butter and chopped garlic. Drizzle the mixture over the tomatoes and cheese then sprinkle them with the salt, a few grindings of fresh black pepper and the rosemary.
In another small dish, combine the parmesan cheese and the toasted bread crumbs and distribute the mixture over the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes and serve hot from the oven to table.