Before you cook
Background Recipe story & origin
Gemista (stuffed vegetables) is a Greek summer staple, with tomatoes and peppers hollowed and filled with herbed rice, then baked until tender. The dish has Ottoman-era origins; stuffed vegetables appear throughout the former empire (Turkish dolma, Arab mahshi). Greek gemista distinguishes itself with abundant olive oil, fresh dill, mint, and parsley in the rice filling. The vegetables are always baked together - tomatoes providing moisture, peppers adding sweetness. The rice should be partially cooked before stuffing, finishing in the oven. Potatoes often bake alongside, soaking up tomato juices. Gemista is served at room temperature, for hot Greek summers. The dish represents the Mediterranean's vegetable-centric approach and the Greek tradition of cooking vegetables until soft, almost collapsed - unlike al dente Western preferences. It's home cooking, mother's food, summer Sunday lunch.
Before you start Equipment you'll need
- baking dish — Provides structure for baking stuffed vegetables until tender and collapsed
Safety Safety & allergen notes
- Use caution with hot surfaces and oils.
- Handle knives carefully when prepping ingredients.
Non-negotiables Rules for success
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Hollow the vegetables
Cut tops off tomatoes and peppers. Hollow out, saving tomato pulp. Mix rice with onion, garlic, herb...
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Fill and bake
Stuff vegetables 3/4 full. Replace tops. Arrange in baking dish. Add water to come 1/3 up vegetables...
Prep Get set first
About 10 min of prep
- Prepare baking dish
This recipe takes about 75 minutes total.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Hollow the vegetables
Cut tops off tomatoes and peppers. Hollow out, saving tomato pulp. Mix rice with onion, garlic, herbs, pine nuts, currants, tomato pulp, half the oil.
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Fill and bake
Stuff vegetables 3/4 full. Replace tops. Arrange in baking dish. Add water to come 1/3 up vegetables. Drizzle with remaining oil. Bake at 375°F 60-75 minutes until rice is cooked and vegetables are soft.