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A bird's eye view of a Gemista casserole placed on a grey countertop.
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5 from 3 votes

Gemista (Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers)

Gemista or Yemista is a delicious traditional Greek dish of stuffed veggies. We enjoy the vegetarian version of this dish, but you can add ground meat to it as well.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time1 hr 30 mins
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean, Middle East, Middle Eastern
Diet: Gluten Free, Halal
Servings: 8
Calories: 250kcal
Author: Amira

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Large onion chopped in your food processor.
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ cup tomato puree 12oz
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon dry oregano
  • ½ teaspoon sugar

The Filling:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil more for brushing
  • 1 onion diced
  • ½ cup mushroom diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup short grain rice
  • 2 large zucchini cubed about 1 pound
  • Pulp of the tomatoes we are stuffing
  • 1 teaspoon dry oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ¾ cup of water or vegetable broth
  • ½ 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, chopped tomato flesh, 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 a large baking pan with the sauce and season with more salt & pepper, if desired.
  • Fill the vegetables with the filling we already prepared and cover with the cut tops of the tomatoes or peppers.
  • 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: 
  • 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.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 324mg | Potassium: 1143mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2925IU | Vitamin C: 124mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg