Mediterranean🥬 Vegetables

Greek Stuffed Vegetables (Gemista)

Name: Greek Stuffed Vegetables (Gemista)
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 4 large bell peppers; 4 large tomatoes; 6 Yukon gold potatoes; ¾ cups basmati rice; 1 yellow onion; 4 cloves garlic cloves; ½ cup fresh parsley; ½ cup fresh mint; 1½ tsp dried oregano; ½ tsp paprika; ½ cup crumbled feta cheese; ~½ cup extra virgin olive oil; to taste kosher salt; to taste ground black pepper; 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes; ½ cup water

⏱ 105 min🍽 Serves 4

A classic Greek comfort dish featuring stuffed large bell peppers and tomatoes filled with a fragrant herb and rice mixture. Served with potato wedges and baked in a tomato sauce until tender and caramelized. A traditional Greek vegetarian and vegan recipe.

Adapted from a video by The Mediterranean Dish

Greek Stuffed Vegetables (Gemista) | Vegan Recipe

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

large bell peppersany color4
large tomatoes4
Yukon gold potatoescut into wedges6
basmati ricewell-rinsed and drained¾ cups
yellow onionlarge, chopped1
garlic clovesminced, divided (some for stuffing, some for potatoes)4 cloves
fresh parsleychopped½ cup
fresh mintchopped½ cup

Steps

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1
Peel the potatoes and keep them in water to prevent browning, then cut them into wedges.
2
Choose large bell peppers and cut a wide opening at the top, twist off the cap, then remove seeds and ribs, keeping the cap to use as a lid later.
3
Brush the baking dish with a little olive oil.
4
Choose large, firm-but-not-too-firm tomatoes, cut open the top and scoop out the flesh carefully without piercing the skin, reserving the flesh for the stuffing and keeping the tomato cap.
5
Add the rinsed and drained basmati rice to a large bowl, draining off any excess liquid so the filling doesn't turn out soggy.
6
Mix in the chopped onion, parsley, mint, some of the minced garlic, paprika, and some of the oregano. Optionally fold in crumbled feta (omit for vegan), season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and mix well to make the stuffing.
7
Stir the reserved tomato flesh into the stuffing mixture as well.
8
Stuff the peppers and tomatoes with the filling, filling only about three-quarters full to leave room for the rice to expand and cook evenly. Add extra feta on top if desired, then replace the caps.
9
Arrange the potato wedges in the gaps between the stuffed vegetables, and season them with salt, the remaining garlic, and oregano.
10
Pour the crushed tomatoes and water evenly over the vegetables, then finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
11
Tent the dish loosely with foil, avoiding contact with the vegetables, to trap steam. Bake covered in a 375°F (190°C) oven for about 1 hour.
12
Uncover and continue baking for another 30–45 minutes until the peppers are soft, collapsed, and lightly charred, and the rice filling is fully cooked and not sticky.

Greek Stuffed Vegetables (Gemista)

Ingredients

Steps

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