Greek · Dinner

Gemista (Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers)

Name: Gemista (Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 4 large ripe tomatoes; 4 medium red or yellow bell peppers; 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 small zucchini, coarsely grated; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 3/4 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted; 1/4 cup golden raisins; 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley; 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in wedges; 1 lemon, juiced; 1 cup hot water

Summer tomatoes and sweet peppers filled with herbed rice, zucchini, pine nuts, and raisins, baked with lemony potato wedges in olive-oil tomato juices.

About 2 hr 15 minTotal

About 2 hrActive

$$Cost

AdvancedDifficulty

Makes 4 servings

Equipment

Use another sturdy metal roaster; transfer the drippings if it is not stovetop-safe.
Best versatile roasting pan
Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 16-Inch Roasting Pan with Rack · MCPS117-16BRP1
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use another sturdy metal roaster; transfer the drippings if it is not stovetop-safe.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched whole-chicken capacity, removable rack, tri-ply construction, stovetop suitability for pan gravy, current model MCPS117-16BRP1, manufacturer UPC, ownership burden, and exact Amazon identity. Kwilt has not roasted with this pan.
Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 16-Inch Roasting Pan with Rack · MCPS117-16BRP1: The broad stainless cooking surface can move safely from oven to stovetop for the Recipe's pan gravy, while the removable rack and generous capacity also make it useful for larger poultry and roasts. Trade-off: It is expensive, weighs about ten pounds before food, and its wide handles require more oven and cabinet clearance than a basic metal roasting pan.
Another workable path: Use another sturdy, flame-safe metal roasting pan that fits the chicken without crowding; transfer the drippings to a saucepan if the pan is not safe over a burner.
Sources
Cuisinart MCPS117-16BRP1 specifications
Crate & Barrel model and oven-limit specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 4 servings

4 large ripe tomatoes
4 medium red or yellow bell peppers
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small zucchini, coarsely grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in wedges
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup hot water

Instructions

Cut lids from tomatoes and peppers. Scoop tomato pulp into a bowl and blend until coarse; remove pepper seeds and membranes. Season vegetable cavities with 1/2 teaspoon salt and stand them snugly in a .
Cook onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil for 6 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic for 2 minutes, then rice and tomato paste for 1 minute. Stir in half the tomato pulp, pine nuts, raisins, parsley, mint, dill, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper; remove from heat.
Fill each vegetable only three-quarters full so rice can expand and replace the lids. Toss potatoes with lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining salt; wedge them between the vegetables.
Whisk remaining tomato pulp, hot water, and remaining olive oil and pour around the vegetables, not into the fillings. Cover tightly and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.
Uncover and bake 30 to 35 minutes more until vegetables slump and brown, potatoes are tender, rice is fully cooked, and the center of the filling reaches 165°F. Rest 15 minutes and serve warm, not scorching hot.

GreeceGreek household cooking

From the table

About this recipe

Gemista are Greek vegetables filled with herbed rice and baked slowly in tomato and olive-oil juices; underfilling and a covered first bake allow the rice to expand without splitting the vegetables.

Gemista means filled vegetables. Meatless, olive-oil-rich versions are everyday Greek ladera cooking, not a side-dish compromise. Tomatoes and peppers vary by household; rice, their own pulp, fresh herbs, and potatoes make this version a complete summer dinner. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Follow the 519-vote vegetarian household pattern, retain pine nuts and raisins as a traditional optional family-style direction made explicit here, and write moisture controls that make stuffed vegetables dependable.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe