Gemista pronounced yemista is a traditional gluten free Greek classic, the perfect end of the summer meal. Fresh vegetables are stuffed with a veggies, seasonings, herbs and rice in this festive yet simply satisfying meal. Add ground beef to the filling if you wish, however I am going to show you my way for this Greek stuffed peppers and tomatoes.
Next time try the mahshi, an authentic Middle Eastern dish.
Head to your garden bursting with homegrown veggies or to your nearest farmer's market (my favorite) to relish in the abundance of colors and the smells of fresh vegetables around you. Select tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, potatoes - this is a Greek stuffed tomatoes dish that everyone will love as it has a little bit of everything.
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❓Why This Recipe Works
- Very adaptable to your liking.
- Feeds a crowd.
- Comfort food that is unforgettable with its flavor combo.
Gemista, also known as Yemista in Greek means 'filled with'. And Gemista is also the name for a traditional Greek stuffed dish of tomatoes, peppers and other veggies. The stuffed vegetables are then baked to a delicious perfection. Although, there are many steps in this recipe, It is a very forgiving recipe.
Meaning you can use any veggies alongside with tomatoes. Add your own combination of dried and fresh herbs. Add more (or less) seasonings as well as type of olive oil. I prefer extra virgin olive oil, but you can use whichever kind you have on hand.
Also the kind of rice to use is up to you, in this recipe I used short grain rice but you can use whatever your preference may be.
📝 Ingredients
📋 Ingredient Notes
- Feel free to stuff any veggies you have like zucchini, onions, eggplants, zucchini flowers like Mahshi. This recipe works great with almost any vegetables.
- You can prepare Gemista with any rice - long or short grain; they both work well.
- Use any herbs you like or herb combinations fresh or dried but personally I prefer fresh herbs.
🥄 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a large skillet over medium heat sauté diced onions until tender then add crushed garlic.
- Pour in the pureed tomatoes, stir in the spices. Cook the sauce for about 10-15 minutes.
- Spread sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
- Prepare and core the veggies. Dice the tomato flesh liberally with a sharp knife and set aside.
- On a skillet sauté onions then add diced mushroom and garlic after that stir in rice.
- When the rice is a bit translucent add zucchini, tomatoes and the spices.
- Pour water and reduce heat to medium. Wait until the liquid is absorbed then turn heat off.
- Add the fresh herbs and stir everything well, taste to adjust seasoning.
- Cut potatoes into wedges and place them at the bottom of the dish, season with more salt & pepper, if desired.
- Fill the vegetables with the filling we already prepared and cover with the the cut vegetable top. Arrange the stuffed veggies on your baking dish and if there is any extra filling you can place them in the baking dish as well. Drizzle with some extra oil and bake covered with aluminium foil as directed below.
💡 Tips
- You can add ground meat to the filling for a non-vegan option.
- This dish actually tastes better the next day which makes it a great candidate for make ahead meals.
- You can put the dish under the broiler for a couple of minutes for an extra fancy look.
⌛ Make Ahead
You can bake the dish then wait for it to cool down completely and refrigerate or prepare the dish and refrigerate for one day before baking. Cooked yemista can stay in the fridge for up to a week.
🍽️ Serve With
Tzatziki sauce or Melitzanosalata or any green salad work pretty well with Gemista. You can also serve it with kofta or grilled chicken.
🧺 Storage
Store any leftovers in a container in the refrigerator for up a week. I find that peppers can hold on longer but tomatoes tend to go bad quicker so keep that in mind too. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven covered and a a little extra water.
👩🍳 Variations
- Use any herbs you like or herb combinations fresh or dried but personally I prefer fresh herbs. Mint, parsley, oregano, basil, dill and cilantro are among the herbs you can use
- You can add ground beef/chicken/turkey/sausage to the filling for a non-vegan option.
💬 FAQs
No, the veggies will cook wonderfully in the oven when you wrap it tightly at first with parchment and foil.
Tomatoes, green bell peppers or any peppers of your preference, zucchini, onions, eggplant, zucchini flowers and whatever you can think of can be used! Beef steak tomatoes are great to use as they are bigger tomato but any will suffice.
I do, however, I have heard that some say the peel adds even more flavor. After washing and scrubbing the potatoes, cut them with the peel on and add them to the baking dish.
The ground meat is added at the start of making the filling. Before sautéing the onions, brown the ground meat and then continue on making the filling.
📣 More Recipes From the Blog
- Kousa Mahshi, stuffed zucchini in a delicious garlic and yogurt sauce. One of the many variations for the traditional Arabic Mahshi recipe.
- These stuffed onions are cooked to perfection in the slow cooker. Stuffed with a delicious rice and ground meat filling.
- Warak Enab or stuffed grape leaves one of our favorite especially during holidays.
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Gemista (Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers)
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Large onion chopped in your food processor.
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cup tomato puree 12oz
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste
- 1/2 tsp dry oregano
- 1/2 tsp sugar
The Filling:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil more for brushing
- 1 onion diced
- 1/2 cup mushroom diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup short grain rice
- 2 large zucchini cubed about 1 pound
- Pulp of the tomatoes we are stuffing
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup of water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh mint chopped
- 4 Tablespoons fresh dill chopped
For the veggies:
- 3 large tomatoes
- 4-5 bell peppers any color
- 3 potatoes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
Make the cooking sauce:
- In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil and sauté diced onions until. tender. Add crushed garlic and continue for another 30 seconds.
- Pour in the pureed tomatoes, stir in the spices.
- Cook the sauce until reduced and thickened for about 10-15 minutes.
- Take the sauce out and spread it at the bottom of your baking dish.
Prepare the vegetables:
- Cut the top part of the bell peppers and trim any white or seeds from the inside.
- Cut the top of the tomatoes and core, keep the pulp.
- Dice the tomato pulp liberally with a sharp knife and set aside.
Make the filling:
- On a skillet sauté onions in olive oil until translucent.
- Add diced mushrooms and keep stirring for another minute.
- Add garlic and stir in rice.
- When the rice is a bit translucent add zucchini, tomatoes and the spices and mix everything together.
- Pour water and reduce heat to medium.
- Wait until the liquid is absorbed then turn heat off.
- Add the fresh herbs and stir everything well, taste to adjust seasoning.
Arrange the dish:
- Peel potatoes and cut into wedges, wash with some water and drain.
- Place the potato wedges at the bottom of the dish with the sauce and season with more salt & pepper, if desired.
- Fill the vegetables with the filling w already prepared and cover with the cut vegetable top.
- Arrange the stuffed veggies on your baking dish and if there is any leftover filling you can place them it in the baking dish as well.
- Drizzle the vegetables or brush with a little extra olive oil.
- Cover with parchment paper then aluminum foil and place the baking tray in the center rack of your oven.
- Bake the Gemista for 45 minutes covered then uncover and bake for another 30-45 minutes or until done to your liking.
Notes
- Feel free to stuff any veggies you have like zucchini, onions, eggplants, zucchini flowers or green peppers. It is like Mahshi works great with almost any vegetables.
- You can use yellow or red onion.
- You can use tomato sauce or tomato paste if you like.
- You can prepare Gemista with any rice long or short grain; they both work well.
- Use any Herbs you like or herb combinations fresh or dried but personally I prefer fresh herbs.
- You can add ground meat to the filling for a non-vegan option.
- Serve with:
- Tzatziki sauce or Melizanosalata or any green salad as well. Kofta and grilled chicken goes well with this dish too.
- Some people like to serve it topped with some feta cheese and pine nuts.
- Serve hot or room temperature.
- Store:
- Store any leftovers in a container in the refrigerator for up a week. I find that peppers can hold on longer but tomatoes tend to go bad quicker so keep that in mind too.
- Reheat in the microwave or in the oven covered and add a little extra water.
- Make ahead:
- You can bake the dish then wait for it to cool down completely and refrigerate or prepare the dish and refrigerate for one day before baking. Cooked yemista can stay in the fridge for up to a week.
It's an amazing dish. Thank you for introducing it.