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I’ve been making these tomato cheese bites for years. As soon as Mom’s garden grown tomatoes show signs of ripening, I’m spreading the aioli and sprinkling cheese all over them. If you’ve tried the zucchini crisps with garlic aioli you already know why I’m so excited about this sauce!
This tomato cheese bites recipe takes just minutes to assemble. It makes for a quick appetizer or even side dish if using larger tomato slices. The ingredients can easily be doubled or even tripled for a larger crowd. My son ate every slice on the plate below. He luuuuves these!
Ingredients for Tomato Appetizers:
3/4 lb (about 4 medium) roma tomatoes
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, finely grated
Fresh dill or parsley for garnish, optional
For the Garlic Aioli Sauce:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
How to Make Tomato Cheese Bites:
1. Slice tomatoes into 1/3″ thick rings; discard (or eat!) the ends since you need a flat bottom on these for serving.
2. Combine all of your ingredients for the garlic aioli sauce together in a small bowl. Dab or spread about 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of the garlic aioli sauce on each tomato (add it to taste, depending on how large your tomato slices are).
3. Top the spread with a generous pinch of finely grated mozzarella. You might also try smoked gouda or cheddar, but I always have mozzarella in the fridge and that is what we usually use. Top with fresh dill or parsley to serve if desired. My son picked off the dill ;). Enjoy
Easy Tomato and Cheese Appetizer
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb about 4 medium roma tomatoes
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, finely grated
- Fresh dill or parsley for garnish, optional
For the Garlic Aioli Sauce:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes into 1/3" thick rings; discard (or eat!) the ends since you need a flat bottom on these for serving.
- Stir together all of your ingredients for the garlic aioli sauce in a small bowl. Dab or spread about 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of the garlic aioli sauce on each tomato (add it to taste, depending on how large your tomato slices are).
- Top the spread with a generous pinch of finely grated mozzarella. You might also try smoked gouda or cheddar, but I always have mozzarella in the fridge and that is what we usually use. Top with fresh dill or parsley to serve if desired. My son picked off the dill ;). Enjoy!
Do you make anything similar to these? I’ve seen them at parties and church potlucks so I know folks in my church make them. I bet this sauce and cheese topping would also be fantastic over grilled zucchini slices or roasted eggplant. Good-ness, it’s way too late to be hungry again!
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
can I mix mayo and cheese ingredients all together? or theres a reason to keep separated?
Hi Ira! You can if you’d like to. We prefer to add it as a garnish on top.
Hi Natasha, Love your recipes.
Make them all the time.
Can greek yogurt be substituted for the mayo?
I’m glad you’re enjoying them, Linda. I haven’t tried using yogurt yet but I think it should be okay. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
Made these tonight for a girls book club and they were a hit!! So simple yet so yummy!! 👍🏻
I’m glad to hear everyone enjoys the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hello Natasha,
I was wondering if I could make these the night before or they need to be made fresh?
Hi Natasha, because it is not recommended to refrigerate tomatoes, the tomato tastes and looks best when it’s sliced and served fresh. 🙂 Enjoy!
Made this awhile go and my whole family loved it. Made it with tomatoes from the garden of my moms. Ill be making these again next summer for sure.
Definitely! These are the best with home grown tomatoes! 😉
Thank you Natasha for such a wonderful recipe. It looks so good, and is very easy and quick to make. I will be making it for sure.
Thanks again,
May God Bless you and your family!!!
Elichka thank you so much for your sweet comment. You’re so nice 🙂
Beyond awesome! I tried this on toast for breakfast and fell in love. Since then I’ve had it about a dozen times, with and without toast. I highly recommend this one.
I love the idea of putting it on toast to make it more of a complete breakfast 🙂
Perfect picture above the printable recipe card. I bake eggplant rounds, top with the sauce and cheese, tomato on top along with a bit of sauce and a sprig of parsley to garnish 🙂 One of my husbands favorite foods! I will try making these as well and see what he says
Oh yum that sounds wonderful! And thank you for the sweet compliment 🙂
My favorite wedding appetizer!
Thank you Ana :).
These look so fresh and delicious! Perfect small bite for this hot summer I’m in the middle of! That garlic aioli would be so versatile too. YUM!
Thank you Pamela, I especially like the fact that I’m able to use home grown tomatoes :).
Made these last night. They went quick! I used less aioli on the tomato and artisan Parmesan cut from the wheel and it was amazing!! Most of all, I like the presentation. Colorful, finger food with delicious, healthy ingredients. Thank you!
Your artisan parmesan cut straight from the wheel sounds so so good! I’ll have to try that one of these days 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the tomatoes 🙂
We used to make these for parties all the time! I think it’s time to renew the tradition))
I’m curious to try this topping over cucumbers too! It’s funny how I can completely forget about foods that used to be favorites only because we (as food bloggers) always want to create something new! 🙂
Yum! I make this all the time my kids love it!
My son loves it too! What’s not to love? 🙂
I have been making these for years now too except without the lemon juice. I will have to try that next time I make these. There are NEVER any left when guests come over.
It’s great with and without lemon juice. Sometimes when I’m feeling a little less motivated, I don’t add the lemon juice ;). They do fly off the plate when I make them too 🙂
This is my all time favorite ukie food!!!!! I love to add corn to the mayo as well for some sweetness 🙂 or chop some basil and garnish with that 🙂 yuuuummmm!! Guess we are having these for dinner!
Ooh corn sounds very good too! I’ll have to try your version. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
delicious.. definitely a recipe i will be making this weekend as i have a housewarming party to attend and an appetizer to bring! thanks for the idea!
How fun! I love housewarming parties. Let me know how everyone liked these 🙂
Yummy! Their is no healthier snack like tomatoes from the garden! 🙂
Yes! And best of all there is no cooking required! 😉
We make a similar appetizer in our family: roasted eggplant, spread (mayo, garlic, cream cheese), tomato on top, garnished with parsley. Now I’m craving it =)
So am I!! Thanks alot! 😉 Now I’m definitely buying eggplant tomorrow!
Woah! These look amazing!!! I’ve never tried them before but they remind me of a family favorite eggplant version, with the tomato and sauce! Yum! I’ll be making these this summer for sure! Thank you for sharing dear! <3
Oh my goodness how I love eggplant! I’ve been craving it all week long. I better get to the store tomorrow. That’s one thing that we haven’t had much success with growing. Thanks Vicky 🙂 I hope you’re having an awesome summer!