Flavorful Greek Stuffed Vegetables for a Quick and Tasty Meal

If you are looking to make an easy and healthy recipe that is high in protein, this Greek stuffed vegetables recipe is the best choice. This recipe has simple ingredients such as bell peppers, tomatoes, dried oregano, and spices.

The meaning of Gemista is stuffed and is a popular dish in the Mediterranean Region. Gemista is commonly made in summer with bell peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes. You can add this recipe to your menu as a main course or a side dish. Let us look at the method involved in making these Greek stuffed vegetables.

Ingredients You Need for Greek Stuffed Vegetables

This recipe is easy and needs fresh vegetables and simple herbs from your kitchen. You’ll need these.

Vegetables and Other Ingredients

• Bell peppers (green or red)
• Tomatoes
• Baby potatoes
• Onion
• Garlic
• Fresh herbs
• Feta cheese

Pantry

• Rice
• Dried oregano
• Paprika
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Crushed tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil

How to Make Greek Yemista

Although Greek yemista is a one-pan meal, it has a fancy look and is perfect for a weekend night. The steps involved are;

Filling the Vegetables

Preheating your oven: The first step is preheating your oven to 190°C. Then oil a large baking dish ( around 10×12)

Preparing Bell Peppers: Cut the top of the peppers to make a lid and keep it aside. Then, scoop the insides and discard them. Place the peppers on the prepared dish.

Preparing Tomatoes: Repeat the same procedure as bell peppers, scooping the inside and keeping it for later use. Place tomatoes with peppers and add potato wedges between the vegetables. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and olive oil on the oil and mix them. 

Preparing Rice Filling: Add scooped tomatoes in a bowl, add ¾ cup of rinsed rice, two ground garlic cloves, one onion, half a cup of feta cheese, and one tablespoon of olive oil. Add half tsp paprika, dried oregano, a pinch of salt and pepper, and ½ cup freshly chopped parsley and mint for seasoning. Mix well to combine all ingredients.

Stuffing Peppers and Tomatoes. Using a spoon, add this filling to the scooped bell peppers and tomatoes, stuffing them about ¾ of the way, leaving space for the rice to expand when it cooks.

Baking and Presenting

Adding Sauce: Place the sliced-off lid of peppers and tomatoes on top. Add one spoon of crushed tomatoes and half a cup of water to the stuffed vegetables. Add 1 tsp dried oregano, a pinch of salt and pepper, and two minced garlic cloves and mix the sauce all together.

Baking: Bake stuffed vegetables in a preheated oven for about one hour covered with foil. After an hour remove the foil and bake for another thirty minutes.

Presenting: Serve Gemista or Greek-filled vegetables at room temperature or when they’re warm, along with salad and bread, and enjoy.

Nutrition

How to Store Gemista

You can keep the stuffed vegetables in the refrigerator for a few days and reheat in the oven before eating. 

Plan Ahead

You can easily make these Greek stuffed vegetables by planning and preparing the day before. Rinse and cut all the vegetables according to the given instructions.

Make filling and stuff the vegetables, then put them in the fridge. The next day you can take the prepared vegetables out and bake them. 

What to Serve with Yemista?

There are many options when it comes to serving yemista. You can add feta cheese to your vegetables, Greek sausage, and peppers, or a Cheese Pie.

Preparation Time

Preparing vegetables. 15 minutes

Cook Time. 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings. 6 Persons

Important Note

You can use any in-season vegetables that match your preferences for this recipe. You can use combinations of bell peppers and tomatoes, eggplants or tomatoes, or peppers filled with minced meat. For a medium-sized vegetable, you have to add 1 TBSP of rice. If the vegetable is large, then add one and a half TBSP of rice to it.

Summary

Now that we have discussed the Greek Stuffed Vegetables recipe in detail you can easily make it. This recipe is easy to make but has a delicious and hearty taste. This recipe has many serving options, and it can be used as a main or side dish according to your preference. For a Vegetarian Recipe, you can add rice with tomato filling, but if you want to add ground meat, you can also do so.