Gemista means stuffed vegetables, and this Greek classic fills ripe tomatoes and peppers with fragrant rice, herbs, and vegetables before baking them until tender.
The filling is bright with parsley, mint, oregano, and tomato. A generous pour of olive oil helps the rice cook into a silky, flavorful center.
Choose tomatoes and peppers of similar size so they finish baking at the same time, and leave a little space at the top for the rice to expand.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread, feta, and a spoonful of Greek yogurt.
Recipe Notes
Gemista keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 180°C oven or enjoy it at room temperature as part of a mezze spread.
Greek Gemista
Tender tomatoes and peppers stuffed with herbed rice, tomato, olive oil, and fresh Mediterranean herbs.
Equipment
- Large baking dish
- Chef’s knife
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Foil
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 6 large ripe tomatoes tops reserved
- 3 large bell peppers tops reserved
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Rice Filling
- 1 cup long-grain rice uncooked
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1/3 cup olive oil plus more for the dish
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 cup water
- salt and black pepper to taste
Optional Serving
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetables:
- Heat the oven to 190°C and oil a large baking dish.
- Slice the tops from the tomatoes and peppers. Scoop the tomato pulp into a bowl, keeping the shells intact.
- Chop the tomato pulp and arrange the vegetables upright in the baking dish.
Make the Filling:
- Warm half of the olive oil in a skillet. Cook the onion and garlic until soft.
- Stir in the rice, crushed tomatoes, tomato pulp, parsley, mint, oregano, water, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Spoon the filling into the vegetables, leaving a little room at the top. Replace the vegetable lids and drizzle with the remaining oil.
Bake:
- Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, until the vegetables are tender and the rice is cooked.
- Rest for 15 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature with Greek yogurt if desired.
Notes
- Do not overfill the vegetables; the rice expands as it cooks.
- Use short- or medium-grain rice for a softer, more traditional filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 7gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 420mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9g