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Pork belly with cheese and tomatoes in the oven

Pork Belly with Cheese and Tomatoes in the Oven

Budget-friendly, hearty, and delicious — for a party or any day! Pork belly baked with cheese and tomatoes is a fragrant, savory dish that everyone will enjoy. Serve it with any side you like, from a light salad, stewed vegetables, or rice to fried potatoes.

Natalia Tsybulskaya

Recipe author

Pork belly with cheese and tomatoes in the oven

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork

400

Tomatoes

Hard cheese

Salt

Garlic

Sour cream

Onion

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 37 % 10 g

Fats 52 % 14 g

Carbohydrates 11 % 3 g

176 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Cooking time: 50 min

Step 1:

How do you bake pork belly with cheese in the oven? Gather all the ingredients. You can use any cut of pork (I'm using pork belly), but it should be chilled rather than frozen, since freezing costs a product much of its nutrients.
Step 2:

Rinse the pork belly, pat it dry, and cut it into pieces of any shape — larger or smaller, whatever you prefer!
Step 3:

Wash the tomatoes, remove the stems, and cut them into medium-thick slices.
Step 4:

Peel the onion and cut it into thin slivers.
Step 5:

Combine everything you've cut up and add the minced garlic. I pressed the clove through a garlic press, but you can grate it on a fine grater or just chop it with a knife. If you don't have fresh garlic, garlic powder works as a substitute.
Step 6:

Add the sour cream. You can also swap it for cream or plain yogurt — or mayonnaise, though that's far less ideal, since mayo isn't recommended for baking.
Step 7:

Season with salt. At this point you can also add your favorite herbs or spices: ground hot pepper or paprika, khmeli-suneli, or Provençal herbs. Or maybe some chopped fresh parsley or dill, or a sprig of thyme or rosemary.
Step 8:

Get out a heat-resistant baking dish, ideally one with fairly high sides — the meat releases juices as it cooks and the volume grows, so you don't want anything spilling over the edge.
Step 9:

Spread the meat mixture into the dish.
Step 10:

Carefully arrange the tomato slices on top.
Step 11:

Grate the cheese on a coarse grater and scatter it over the tomatoes. Cover the dish loosely with foil so it doesn't stick to the cheese. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for about 40 minutes, until done. For a browned top, remove the foil 10 minutes before the end.
Step 12:

Serve the dish right away, while it's hot. Enjoy!

Besides pork, you can make this dish with any other meat — just keep in mind the cooking time, flavor, and calorie count will change. Beef, for example, takes longer than pork, while chicken breast or turkey takes less.
Remember that every oven is different, so the temperature and timing may differ from what's in the recipe. Getting to know your own oven's quirks is the key to any successful bake.
Turn the oven on ahead of time (10–20 minutes before you start cooking) so it reaches the right temperature.