Yemista Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.My Yemista Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers are a comforting vegetarian dish I love to make with ripe tomatoes, sweet peppers, and rice. The combination fills my kitchen with the smell of roasted vegetables and fresh herbs. This is a simple, wholesome recipe my family always looks forward to.
It all started on a Friday night when I was craving something familiar. I had a basket of ripe tomatoes on the counter and some sweet peppers in the fridge, and I knew exactly what I wanted to make. Yemista was one of those dishes I grew up with, and now it’s one I love sharing with my own family. It’s comforting and perfect with a side of vegan Tzatziki or whatever healthy bread brand you have in your pantry to soak up all the juices.
This Greek stuffed vegetables recipe is also a great choice for meatless Monday. You can prep it ahead in the morning and bake it when you’re ready to eat, which helps on busy days. I love serving it with a crisp Greek salad for a complete and satisfying meal.
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
Before I tell you why I love this recipe, I want to give you some context on what exactly Yemista is. Yemista (or Gemista), pronounced yeh-MEE-stah, is a traditional Greek dish made with peppers and tomatoes stuffed with rice, herbs, and spices. The word translates to “stuffed” or “filled with” in Greek. It’s a staple in Mediterranean cuisine and is often served as a main dish or as part of a mezze spread.
Since you might have already noticed, I’m absolutely obsessed with all things Greek food. I’m really happy to share my traditional family recipes with a vegan and healthy approach that fits my lifestyle, and these Greek stuffed peppers and tomatoes are hands down my favorite. My kids love the potatoes nestled in the dish, and I love that it’s packed with vegetables and herbs, all gently roasted in the oven with olive oil.
My recipe works so well because it uses real ingredients that speak for themselves. The filling is made with long grain jasmine rice, sweet onions, fresh herbs, and optional extras like pine nuts or currants for a hint of texture and contrast. The veggie broth helps everything simmer together while keeping it light. I’ve made this for quiet family dinners, shared it with friends, and even packed it up for lunch the next day. It’s a healthy, homemade take on a traditional Greek dish that feels familiar but still exciting. I hope you give it a try and enjoy it as much as we do!
🥘 Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make my Greek stuffed vegetables recipe. I like to add finely chopped kale for some extra greens and a handful of currants for a little twist on the traditional version. Both are totally optional and easy to leave out.
Vegetables: Ripe tomatoes and bell peppers are the base of this recipe. The tomatoes bring moisture and flavor to the filling, while the peppers act as sturdy, slightly sweet vessels. I like using red, yellow, or orange peppers for their natural sweetness.
Grains and Greens: I use long grain jasmine rice for its fluffy texture. Sweet onion and finely chopped kale add texture, and nutrients.
Herbs and Seasonings: Parsley and mint give the filling a herby brightness. Salt and black pepper are essential, season generously and adjust to taste.
Pine Nuts, Currants: I love the flavor and texture both of these ingredients add to the filling. Pine nuts bring a soft, buttery crunch, and currants add just a touch of sweetness to balance the tomato’s acidity.
Veggie Broth: I use broth instead of water to enhance the overall depth and umami of the rice mixture.
Potatoes: I like to tuck potato pieces around the stuffed veggies before baking.
Olive Oil: I use this for sautéing the veggies and for brushing the tops of the peppers. If you want to go oil-free, use veggie broth instead!
🔪 How To Make
These Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers are one of my favorite healthy dinner options. Just follow my step-by-step instructions below to get them just right every time.
Prep Peppers: First, I cut the tops off of the tomatoes and peppers and remove the insides, keeping the tops reserved.
Make Filling: Then, I chop the tomato pulp and set half of it aside for later. I mix the rest with the kale, parsley, and mint. In a pot, I sauté the chopped onions until they turn soft and translucent, then stir in the rice. I add the broth, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently. Once the liquid is mostly absorbed, I stir in the tomato mixture along with the pine nuts, currants (if using), salt, and pepper.
Stuff Peppers: When the filling is ready, I place the hollowed tomatoes and peppers in a baking dish, then fill them about three quarters of the way with the rice mixture and cover them with their tops. I like to arrange peeled and cut potatoes in the spaces between, they soak up all the flavors and turn this into a one-pan meal. Then I sprinkle the reserved chopped tomato pulp over the potatoes and drizzle everything with a bit of olive oil.
Bake: I bake everything until the vegetables are tender and the rice is fully cooked. I like to check the rice as it bakes and add a little warm broth if things start to dry out. Once the rice is done, I pull the dish out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Then it’s ready to enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to partially pre-cook the rice. Raw rice won’t cook evenly inside the stuffed veggies, and using fully cooked rice can make the filling too soft or mushy. I always simmer the rice until it’s about halfway cooked before stuffing the peppers to get the perfect texture every time.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Prepping The Tomatoes: When removing the insides of the tomatoes, be careful not to scrape too much. If the walls are too thin, they can collapse while baking. But you’ll still need to scoop out enough to make space for the filling.
- Use A Food Processor: I like to chop the tomato pulp in a food processor. It gives just the right texture with small, even chunks and releases enough juice for the filling. You can also toss in the kale and herbs for easy, uniform chopping.
- Type Of Rice Matters: If you use long grain brown rice, you’ll need more broth when precooking and may need to keep adding as you go until the rice is cooked halfway. Long grain rice gives a sturdier, more al dente bite, while short grain rice tends to be softer and chewier.
- Check On The Broth While Baking: I always check the peppers while they bake to make sure there’s still enough liquid in the pan. If you need to add more broth, make sure it’s warmed up first so it doesn’t slow down the cooking.
- Let the Yemista Rest Before Serving: Once they’re done baking, I let the stuffed vegetables rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps everything settle so they don’t fall apart when you slice into them.
📖 Variations
The main way I like to switch up these Greek stuffed peppers and tomatoes is through the filling. You can really customize it in so many ways. Here are some of my favorite ingredients to add or swap out:
Chopped Mushrooms: I like to add about half a cup of chopped mushrooms for a savory flavor and a little extra texture. They blend in perfectly with the herbs and rice.
Grated Carrot: A quarter cup of grated carrot adds a nice touch of natural sweetness and a pop of color. It’s a simple way to sneak in more veggies for the kids.
Cooked Quinoa: I sometimes swap the rice for one cup of cooked quinoa to make it gluten-free and boost the protein.
Protein Packed Option: If I’m making this for someone who wants meat, I’ll add half a pound of ground lamb or beef. I cook it first, then stir it into the filling before stuffing the veggies.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
I like to serve Yemista either at room temperature or chilled, on its own or paired with other tasty dishes and sauces. It makes a refreshing option for picnics, potlucks, or as part of a mezze platter. Three of my favorite ways to serve this dish are alongside:
Dips and Sauces: I love serving Yemista with a spoonful of homemade marinara sauce or a scoop of creamy Greek hummus.
Salads: This dish goes really well with my lentil feta salad or a chilled vegan farro salad. They make the whole meal feel light and satisfying.
Other Greek Recipes: Sometimes I serve it with Greek lentil soup, my delicious tempeh gyros, or a slice of vegan pastitsio.
🧊 Storage Directions
My recipe for Greek stuffed peppers can be prepared partially or completely ahead of time, and leftovers can easily be stored for later.
Refrigeration: Once they’re baked, I let them cool, then place the stuffed vegetables in airtight containers or wrap each one in plastic wrap. If you can prep them ahead and bake right before serving, even better, but storing them after baking works just fine too. They keep well in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Freezing: I follow the same steps as refrigeration but store them in the freezer instead. They freeze well for up to 3 months.
Reheating: If I froze them before baking, I let them defrost in the fridge, then bake as directed. If they’re already baked, I warm them in the oven until heated through or use the microwave for a quicker option.
❓Recipe FAQs
Can I make this recipe in advance?
Yes, Yemista can be prepared in advance. You can stuff the vegetables and refrigerate them before baking. Or, even better, you can deseed the peppers and scrape out the tomatoes, then prepare the filling, then store separately in the fridge or freezer until ready to bake. When you’re ready to serve, simply bake them in the oven according to the recipe instructions. See above for more details on how to prep Yemista and for storage tips.
How do I keep the stuffed vegetables from getting too soft or falling apart?
I recommend choosing firm, ripe tomatoes and bell peppers so they hold their shape, and to not scrape them out too much so they maintain some structure. You also want to make sure that they aren’t overstuffed because the rice will need a little room to expand while cooking.
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📋 Recipe Card
Yemista Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers
My Yemista Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers are a comforting vegetarian dish I love to make with ripe tomatoes, sweet peppers, rice, and mint. The combination fills my kitchen with the smell of roasted vegetables and fresh herbs. This is a simple, wholesome recipe my family always looks forward to.
Servings: 4
Calories: 458kcal
Ingredients
- 4 large ripe tomatoes
- 4 large red, yellow, green, or orange peppers
- ¾ cup long grain Jasmine rice , see note
- 1 large sweet onion , finely chopped
- 4-6 leaves kale , finely chopped (optional, see note)
- ½ cup parsley , chopped
- 3 tablespoons mint , optional
- ½ cup pine nuts , see note
- ½ cup currants , optional
- ½ cup veggie broth , low sodium if needed (see note)
- 2 large potatoes , peeled and cut into two inches pieces
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt , plus a few pinches (see note)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper , plus a few pinches
- ¼ cup olive oil , or use ½ cup broth or water to keep oil free
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C).
- Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and peppers and remove the insides. Save all of the tops to cover them later, but discard the inside of the peppers and keep the inside of the tomatoes. Sprinkle the cavity of the tomatoes and peppers with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Chop the tomato pulp well, I like to use a food processor but you can use a knife if you prefer. Take out half and set aside for later.
- Add the kale, parsley and mint (if using) into the processor. Chop again until everything is mixed well. You can also chop these on your cutting board.
- In a pot, pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil (or 1/4 cup broth if not using oil) and sauté the chopped onions on medium heat. You may need to add more broth/water if not using oil.
- When the onions look transparent, add the rice. Mix with the onion.
- Add 1/3 cup broth (use 2/3 cup if using long grain brown rice), cover and simmer over low heat until the liquid is absorbed, about 5-7 minutes. This may take longer with brown rice.
- Add the chopped tomato pulp that has been mixed with the kale, parsley, and mint. Add pine nuts, currants (if using), ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
- Let it simmer until most of the liquids have evaporated, about 3 minutes. Taste and make sure the rice is half cooked, and add more broth if needed and cook longer if it is not half cooked.
- In the meantime, peel the potatoes, cut them into 2 inch pieces, and sprinkle them with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Arrange the tomatoes and peppers in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Stuff them with the half cooked rice mixture until they are 3/4 of the way full. Cover them with the saved tops and brush the top with olive oil if using oil.
- Arrange the potatoes between them. Sprinkle the remaining chopped tomato pulp over the potatoes. Drizzle with the leftover olive oil if using.
- Make sure there is enough liquid from the chopped tomatoes to cover the bottom of the pan, add the leftover broth if needed.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes, checking periodically to see if more liquid is needed, you don’t want the bottoms to burn. If you need to add broth, make sure you heat it first (you can use the microwave or pot on the stove). Taste as you go to check the rice, if the rice is cooked then pull them out of the oven. If using brown rice you may need to cook it longer.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to partially pre-cook the rice. Raw rice won’t cook evenly inside the stuffed veggies, and using fully cooked rice can make the filling too soft or mushy. I always simmer the rice until it’s about halfway cooked before stuffing the peppers to get the perfect texture every time.
- Prepping The Tomatoes: When removing the insides of the tomatoes, be careful not to scrape too much. If the walls are too thin, they can collapse while baking. But you’ll still need to scoop out enough to make space for the filling.
- Use A Food Processor: I like to chop the tomato pulp in a food processor. It gives just the right texture with small, even chunks and releases enough juice for the filling. You can also toss in the kale and herbs for easy, uniform chopping.
- Type Of Rice Matters: If you use long grain brown rice, you’ll need more broth when precooking and may need to keep adding as you go until the rice is cooked halfway. Long grain rice gives a sturdier, more al dente bite, while short grain rice tends to be softer and chewier.
- Check On The Broth While Baking: I always check the peppers while they bake to make sure there’s still enough liquid in the pan. If you need to add more broth, make sure it’s warmed up first so it doesn’t slow down the cooking.
- Let the Yemista Rest Before Serving: Once they’re done baking, I let the stuffed vegetables rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This helps everything settle so they don’t fall apart when you slice into them.
Nutrition
Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 1704mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 11250IU | Vitamin C: 263.4mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 7.9mg
