Name: Classic Gemista with Rice and Herbs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean cuisine
Ingredients: 6 pcs bell peppers (mixed colors; tops cut off and seeds removed, reserve tops); 6 pcs tomatoes (medium; tops cut off and pulp scooped out, reserve pulp); 1 cup rice (short-grain or medium-grain rice, rinsed); 1 pcs onion (large, finely chopped); 3 pcs garlic (cloves, minced); 2 tbsp dill (fresh dill, finely chopped); 0.5 cup parsley (fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped); 4 tbsp olive oil (extra-virgin, plus extra for drizzling before baking); 2 tbsp tomato paste (adds depth to the filling and juices); 250 ml vegetable stock (hot; some reserved to pour into the baking dish); 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste); 0.5 tsp black pepper (freshly ground); 1 tsp sugar (balances tomato acidity)

Gemista

Prep: 25 min • Cook: 90 min. Bell peppers and tomatoes are hollowed and filled with a fragrant rice mixture of sautéed onion, garlic, fresh dill and parsley, then slow-baked in plenty of olive oil until the vegetables are tender and the tops are golden. This classic Greek dish is served warm, allowing the herby rice to soak up the gentle tomato juices and olive oil for a comforting, aromatic meal.

Preparation time: 25 min
Cooking time: 1 hr 30 min
Total time: 1 hr 55 min
Servings: 6
Course: Main
Complexity: Medium

Units:

Scale:

Ingredients

6 pcs bell peppers(mixed colors; tops cut off and seeds removed, reserve tops)
6 pcs tomatoes(medium; tops cut off and pulp scooped out, reserve pulp)
1 cup rice(short-grain or medium-grain rice, rinsed)
1 pc onion(large, finely chopped)
3 pcs garlic(cloves, minced)
2 tbsp dill(fresh dill, finely chopped)
1/2 cup parsley(fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped)
4 tbsp olive oil(extra-virgin, plus extra for drizzling before baking)
2 tbsp tomato paste(adds depth to the filling and juices)
8 3/7 fl oz vegetable stock(hot; some reserved to pour into the baking dish)
1 tsp salt(adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper(freshly ground)
1 tsp sugar(balances tomato acidity)

Instructions

Filling & assembly

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Rinse the rice until water runs clear and drain.
Cut the tops off the peppers and tomatoes. Scoop out and reserve tomato pulp; remove seeds and membranes from peppers.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes.
Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more, then stir in the rice and tomato paste, toasting the rice for 1–2 minutes.
Stir in reserved tomato pulp, 6 3/4 fl oz hot vegetable stock, sugar, half the parsley and half the dill, salt and pepper. Simmer gently until liquid is mostly absorbed but rice is still slightly undercooked, about 6–8 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining herbs and 1 tbsp olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning; the rice will finish cooking in the oven.
Loosely fill each pepper and tomato with the rice mixture, leaving a little room for the rice to expand. Replace the vegetable tops if desired.
Arrange the stuffed vegetables upright in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over them and pour the remaining 1 2/3 fl oz stock into the bottom of the dish to keep the vegetables moist.

Baking & finishing

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, allowing the rice to steam and the vegetables to soften.
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 25–30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and tops are slightly browned.
If the dish looks dry during baking, spoon a little extra hot stock into the dish. Once done, remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Serve warm, spooning any pan juices over the vegetables and garnishing with extra chopped parsley if desired.

Nutrition

Servings: 6
Serving size (imperial): 12.3 oz

Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g	Total (6 servings)
Calories	450.5 kcal	128.7 kcal	2,703 kcal
Protein	12.2 g	3.5 g	73.2 g
Fat	18.5 g	5.3 g	111 g
Carbs	60.3 g	17.2 g	361.8 g

Tips

Scoop tomato pulp into a sieve to remove excess liquid for a firmer filling texture.
Cover tightly for most of the bake time, then uncover to allow tops to brown and juices to concentrate.
Let gemista rest 10 minutes to settle the rice and make the stuffed vegetables easier to serve.

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Ingredients

6 pcs bell peppers(mixed colors; tops cut off and seeds removed, reserve tops)
6 pcs tomatoes(medium; tops cut off and pulp scooped out, reserve pulp)
1 cup rice(short-grain or medium-grain rice, rinsed)
1 pc onion(large, finely chopped)
3 pcs garlic(cloves, minced)
2 tbsp dill(fresh dill, finely chopped)
1/2 cup parsley(fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped)
4 tbsp olive oil(extra-virgin, plus extra for drizzling before baking)
2 tbsp tomato paste(adds depth to the filling and juices)
8 3/7 fl oz vegetable stock(hot; some reserved to pour into the baking dish)
1 tsp salt(adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper(freshly ground)
1 tsp sugar(balances tomato acidity)

Instructions

Filling & assembly

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Rinse the rice until water runs clear and drain.
Cut the tops off the peppers and tomatoes. Scoop out and reserve tomato pulp; remove seeds and membranes from peppers.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes.
Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more, then stir in the rice and tomato paste, toasting the rice for 1–2 minutes.
Stir in reserved tomato pulp, 6 3/4 fl oz hot vegetable stock, sugar, half the parsley and half the dill, salt and pepper. Simmer gently until liquid is mostly absorbed but rice is still slightly undercooked, about 6–8 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining herbs and 1 tbsp olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning; the rice will finish cooking in the oven.
Loosely fill each pepper and tomato with the rice mixture, leaving a little room for the rice to expand. Replace the vegetable tops if desired.
Arrange the stuffed vegetables upright in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over them and pour the remaining 1 2/3 fl oz stock into the bottom of the dish to keep the vegetables moist.

Baking & finishing

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, allowing the rice to steam and the vegetables to soften.
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 25–30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and tops are slightly browned.
If the dish looks dry during baking, spoon a little extra hot stock into the dish. Once done, remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Serve warm, spooning any pan juices over the vegetables and garnishing with extra chopped parsley if desired.

Nutrient

Per serving

Per 100 g

Total (6 servings)

Calories

450.5 kcal

128.7 kcal

2,703 kcal

Protein

12.2 g

3.5 g

73.2 g

Fat

18.5 g

5.3 g

111 g

Carbs

60.3 g

17.2 g

361.8 g