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Greek Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers (Yemista)

This is a traditional recipe for Greek stuffed tomatoes & peppers, the way I grew up eating them - just one of these is a dinner made in heaven!
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A food blog about Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers, made with minced ground meat, rice, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and spices.

Prep

20 Min 

Cook

45 min

Servings

8

Made with minced ground meat, rice, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and spices – this recipe is very common in Greek cuisine, and is called Gemista (or stuffed tomatoes & peppers).

It is a perfect meal to prepare for dinner or lunch, and tastes amazing! My secret ingredient for this recipe is cilantro. While, traditionally this recipe calls for mint and parsley, I’ve tested again and again with different herbs, and cilantro is my all-time favorite. 

Serve the stuffed tomatoes and peppers with a side of feta cheese dripped with olive oil & sprinkled with oregano, olives, and/or tzatziki sauce. I like to eat mine with grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Let me know in the comments below if you tried the recipe and if you have any variations you’d like to share 🙂

Greek Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers (Gemista) | How to Make Traditional Stuffed Peppers & Tomatoes

RECIPE

Greek Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers (Yemista)

Ingredients

For the Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers:
  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 4 peppers
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 diced onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 cup of soaked rice
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup of cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1/3 cup of canned tomato sauce
  • 1/2 lb of ground beef
  • 1/2 lb of ground pork
  • 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
For the Tomato Sauce:
  • 10 oz of tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

Directions

For the Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers:
  1. Remove the tops of the tomatoes and scoop out the inside pulp & juices
  2. Blend the pulp & juices and keep to the side
  3. Remove the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds from inside
  4. Add olive oil and diced onion to a cooking pot over medium heat
  5. After 5 minutes, add minced garlic
  6. Cook for another 2 minutes and add the rice
  7. Mix the rice with the onions and garlic to toast for a minute in the oil
  8. Add in the blended pulp and water to the pot
  9. Let the rice boil in the pot for 7 minutes over medium heat, or until most of the water has evaporated
  10. Make sure to occasionally stir so that the rice does not burn at the bottom of the pot
  11. Turn off the heat and add in thyme, parsley/mint/cilantro, seasonings, tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, and minced meat
  12. Mix the contents thoroughly and stuff the tomatoes and peppers with this filling (Make sure to leave space in the tomato & pepper as the rice will grow further in size during the cooking process)
  13. Add the stuffed tomatoes & peppers to a baking pan with high edges
  14. Douse the stuffed tomatoes & peppers with the tomato sauce mixed with all of its ingredients
  15. Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil and put in the oven at 350 degress Farenheight
  16. Let them cook for no more than 45 minutes and then they’re ready to serve
NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING)

Calories: 400| Total Fat: 24 g | Cholest: 35 mg | Total Carb: 34 g | Protein: 14 g

Click here for full nutrition label

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

 
 

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Hi, I'm Ophelia! Step into my kitchen where I take you on a delightful journey through the flavors of Eastern Europe. Experience my recipes with simplicity from step-by-step instructions and videos.

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