Gemista (Yemista) — Oven-Baked Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers
Oven-baked Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers filled with a fragrant rice-herb mixture. A naturally gluten-free, vegetarian main that reheats well and showcases simple Mediterranean pantry ingredients.
2 hr
start to finish
30 min
hands on
Some skill
difficulty
4
servings
Ingredients
Vegetables
Filling
For baking
Optional
Roughly, per serving
390 kcal8g protein60g carbs14g fat
An estimate, not a lab analysis.
Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Cut a thin slice from the top of each tomato to form a ‘lid’; set the lids aside.
Scoop the pulp and seeds from the tomatoes into a bowl and reserve the pulp for the filling.
Trim the tops from the peppers and remove ribs and seeds; keep the pepper cavities intact.
Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent.
Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the rinsed rice to the pan and stir for 2 minutes to coat and lightly toast the grains.
Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, reserved tomato pulp, sugar, salt, pepper and 1 cup vegetable stock (or water); bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover the pan and simmer gently until the rice is almost cooked (it will finish in the oven).
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the chopped parsley, dill or mint, lemon juice and optional raisins; let the filling cool briefly so you can handle it.
Taste the filling and adjust seasoning if needed.
Using a spoon, fill each tomato and pepper with the rice mixture, leaving about 1 cm (1/2 inch) space at the top so the rice can expand; lightly pack but do not overfill.
Arrange the stuffed tomatoes and peppers upright in a baking dish large enough to hold them snugly.
Pour 1 cup water or vegetable stock into the bottom of the dish and drizzle the 2 tablespoons olive oil over the stuffed vegetables.
Place the reserved tomato lids on the tomatoes (optional), then cover the dish tightly with foil.
Bake covered until the vegetables are tender and rice is fully cooked, about 60 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15 minutes to dry and lightly brown the tops.
Let the gemista rest for 10 minutes before serving so the filling sets.
Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with extra olive oil and sprinkled with more chopped parsley.
Worth knowing
- Choose tomatoes that are firm enough to hold their shape; slightly underripe tomatoes will keep their shells better during baking.
- Medium-grain rice makes a creamier filling that clings together; if using long-grain, don’t overcook the rice on the stovetop since it will finish in the oven.
- If your baking dish is large and the stuffed vegetables sit apart, add a little more water so there’s always some liquid in the pan to steam them.
- Make ahead: gemista often taste better the next day after the flavors meld; reheat covered at 325°F (160°C) until warm.
- For a non-vegetarian version, brown 8 oz (225 g) ground beef or lamb and mix into the filling before stuffing.
Make it yours
Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.
VegetarianVeganGluten-freeDairy-freeBudgetMeal prep
More Greek cooking
An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Greek cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be vegetarian and vegan and gluten-free and dairy-free as listed.