5 Ingredients or Fewer

Melty Cheddar Tomatoes

by:
May 25, 2021
4.5
11 Ratings
Melty Cheddar Tomatoes
Photo by Amanda Widis
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 5 minutes
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

My favorite Big Little Recipes show all their cards in the title. For instance, chicken noodle soup (with just chicken and noodles) or chocolate–peanut butter mousse (with just chocolate and peanut butter). Or melty cheddar tomatoes (with just, well, you get the idea).

Pretty much any variety of tomato—except for cherry or grape, which are too small—will work here. Just make sure it’s in-season for the biggest flavor. The wedge size, too, is flexible. Larger wedges (figure 1 ½ inch–thick) will take slightly longer to cook, yielding meatier pieces, while thinner wedges (say, just under 1 inch) will soften and slouch quicker, ending up more delicate. Just give them a poke after a few minutes in the skillet and don’t overthink it.

Likewise, sharp cheddar can make way for mild, white or yellow. You could even substitute in another cheese if that’s all you have around—Monterey or pepper jack, provolone, Gruyère, anything that easily melts. (For that reason, steer clear of squeaky feta and halloumi, as well as crumbly-aged Parmesan and Pecorino Romano, in this case.)

This is one of our Big Little Recipes, our weekly column all about dishes with big flavor and little ingredient lists. Do you know (and love) a recipe that’s low in ask, high in reward? Let us know in the comments. —Emma Laperruque

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Directions
  1. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then add the olive oil. When that’s shimmery and hot, add the tomatoes and shake the pan so they shuffle into a single layer. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and let them sizzle for about 3 minutes, or until they’re tender and starting to brown on the bottom. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to shuffle the tomatoes around, then cover completely with the grated cheese. As soon as most of it has melted, cut the heat. Serve straight out of the skillet with something starchy for soaking up the cheesy-tomatoey sauce.
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  • smasseff
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Emma Laperruque
Emma was the food editor at Food52. She created the award-winning column, Big Little Recipes, and turned it into a cookbook in 2021. These days, she's a senior editor at Bon Appétit, leading digital cooking coverage. Say hello on Instagram at @emmalaperruque.

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10 Reviews

Carrie
Carrie February 26, 2023
I have lost count of how many times I have made this recipe. So. Many. Times. And it has been perfection every time. It is excellent as written but we have really enjoyed playing with it a bit, as well. We very often enjoy going a bit Italian and seasoning the tomatoes and then the cheese, once melted, with pizza seasoning. We use Szeged brand. I also often serve some sort of sausage link on the side because my husband really wants meat with dinner.
But what I came here to report is that last night, when I was feeling grumpish about making dinner and was looking for every shortcut I could find, I threw a bunch of thin asparagus on top of the provolone I had just covered the tomatoes with, left the heat on until the cheese was well on it’s way to being melted, and then slapped a lid on the pan and turned the heat off. I waited maybe 5 minutes and low and behold the asparagus was perfectly al dente (the way we like it) and I seasoned everything one last time and we dug in. Lordy but I was feeling smug and the whole meal was delicious.
 
smasseff
smasseff May 25, 2021
I was initially hesitant to try this...I mean really, just tomatoes and cheddar? But, boy, was I surprised. Somehow, such simple ingredients transformed into something truly magical. I made this two days in a row and gobbled it up myself each time. So. freaking. good. I used a big, beautiful beefsteak tomato and a mature, aged cheddar. I also added a clove of thinly sliced garlic with the tomatoes as well as eggs with the cheddar at the end. Topped with parsley and *chef's kiss*!
Oh, and definitely be generous with the salt and oil, y'all — you'll be thanking yourself.
 
FS
FS April 27, 2021
Even better: add some eggs. Delicious!
 
55 J.
55 J. January 16, 2021
A tomato season favorite. Best tomatoes, and best cheddar. Added a little jalapeno for heart. Simple and straightforward to make.
 
Wendy
Wendy September 15, 2020
I’ve made this all summer long with gorgeous local early girl tomatoes. A big ol’ hunk of bread with the skillet right on my lap was the scene. I didn’t even share!
 
Danna F.
Danna F. August 10, 2020
The sheer simplicity with quality ingredients makes this a stunning dish.
 
102bleu
102bleu July 16, 2020
I made this recipe and it is just yummy. I added a large very thinly sliced garlic clove and 10 thyme sprigs right when I put the tomatoes in. I used Jasper Hills Melting Cheddar and it was perfect. I served with grilled marinated olive bread, will make this again for sure. Next time I will try adding some anchovies on top at the very end. This recipe would be wonderful in a wood fired oven.
 
Emma L.
Emma L. July 17, 2020
Mmmm always love an anchovy!
 
Pat F.
Pat F. July 26, 2021
Yes to the garlic! I made this last night and it came out great. I brushed some sliced sourdough bread with olive oil and toasted it under the broiler briefly, then rubbed with a big clove of garlic. I broke up the remaining garlic and tossed it into the pan with the tomatoes to cook a bit before the cheese went on top. The bread was great with the cheesy tomatoes.
 
102bleu
102bleu July 16, 2020
I made this recipe and it is just yummy. I added a large very thinly sliced garlic clove and 10 thyme sprigs right when I put the tomatoes in. I used Jasper Hills Melting Cheddar and it was perfect. I served with grilled marinated olive bread, will make this again for sure. Next time I will try adding some anchovies on top at the very end.