stuffed vegetables

These stuffed vegetables are packed with authentic flavors from Lebanon, Turkey and Syria. Give it a try, it's not too hard. Watch the video- it helps!

Middle Eastern Stuffed Vegetables 4-Ways

zucchinis

tomatoes

bell peppers, any color

baby eggplants

onion

beef

rice

parsley

mint, optional (has a strong flavor)

baharat spice mix

tomato

salt

black pepper

tomato paste

garlic, crushed

water

Salt

A traditional Greek meal of stuffed vegetables

Yemista

12-15 vegetables to stuff (assortment of peppers, tomatoes, small eggplants, zucchini)

olive oil

yellow onion, chopped

tbsp minced garlic

onions

dill

paprika

zucchini, eggplant

tsp pepper

sugar (if using store bought tomatoes)

tomato sauce

vegetable oil

Potatoes (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Start by washing and preparing your vegetables

Hollow out your peppers by removing seeds and ribbing.  Keep lids to the side. Place peppers and lids in a bowl and cover with boiling water for approximately 10 minutes.  This will help soften the vegetables

Prepare tomatoes by cutting off lids and scooping out the insides.  Blend the tomato you have scooped out, measure, and set aside.  Add enough crushed tomatoes (from a can) to make 1 1/2 cups.

Prepare zucchini.  Cut off the stem ends and then with a small pairing knife cut out a pyramid shaped piece of zucchini.  These will act as “stoppers” to keep the filling from falling out.  Set aside.  With a spoon or butter knife or apple corer, begin to carefully cut through the zucchini, being careful not to pierce and break the skin.  (If you do…it’s really not the end of the world).  Follow the same procedure for the eggplant.  Place the zucchini and eggplant shells in a bowl, cover with boiling water for approximately 10 minutes.  

Finely chop the zucchini and eggplant innards, and place in a bowl.  Grate 1 medium size carrot, add to the bowl and measure everything.  You will need a total of 2 cups.  If you fall short (which you likely will), shred some zucchini and carrots until you reach the desired amount of 2 cups.

To prepare filling, heat olive oil in a large pot and add onion.  Cook over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes and until the onion is softened, being careful not to burn it.

Combine the parsley, garlic, green onions, dill, paprika, shredded and chopped zucchini/eggplant/carrots, crushed tomatoes, rice, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Stir well to combine, add to the pot with onions and cook until just heated through.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Begin stuffing vegetables with filling. Be careful not to pack the filling in too tightly or to the top, and ensure that there is some liquid from the filling added to each vegetable stuffed.  When stuffing tomatoes, add 1/2 teaspoon white sugar to the bottom of each tomato shell before stuffing it.  According to our folks, this is essential when the tomatoes are not fresh from the garden.

Once the vegetables are stuffed, top them with their lids and stoppers.  Place vegetables in a roasting pan. If you find that you have extra space between vegetables, fill it with potatoes that you have peeled and cut into thick chunks.

Mix tomato sauce with vegetable oil and pour into roasting pan. We use a 15 inch round roasting pan.  Add enough water so that there is at least 1/4 inch of liquid in bottom of pan.

Cover with tin foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for about one hour. Remove foil and continue to bake for another hour or until rice is cooked.  If you find that the liquid in your pan has evaporated during the cooking process, add some more water.

Let cool and serve.

Enjoy.

These Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are the BEST EVER! With chicken, breadcrumbs, cheese &amp; red pepper, this will become your go-to recipe.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

portobello mushrooms

chicken breasts (or 2 cups leftover cooked chicken)

red pepper, diced

red onion, diced

breadcrumbs

garlic,

salt & pepper

fresh parsley, chopped

cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 400 F. Add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to chicken and season with salt &amp; pepper. Bake for 15 minutes until chicken is just barely cooked through. Let cool then shred or chop into small pieces.

While chicken is cooking in the oven, de-stem and scrape out the portobellos, reserving inside mushroom gills and disposing of stems.&nbsp;

Add mushroom gills to a large bowl and toss with cooked chicken, red pepper, red onion, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, salt &amp; pepper, parsley and half the cheese. Change oven temperature to 350 F.&nbsp;

Add filling to mushroom caps then top with remaining cheese. Bake in oven for 18-20 minutes until mushroom caps are cooked through and cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsIsBqIzm6M

This Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms recipe is the BEST EVER way to stuff mushrooms! With shredded chicken, breadcrumbs, cheese and red peppers, this will become your go-to method. 

• 313 calories/2 freestyle points per serving! •

PRINT RECIPE: https://thegirlonbloor.com/best-ever-stuffed-portobello-mushrooms

This gemista, or Greek stuffed peppers and tomatoes, is a staple meal in Greek households. Almost every home has its own recipe. My version is super tasty, with minced beef, lots of herbs and spices and a delicious tomato sauce spooned over the top. Don&#039;t forget to serve with big wedges of feta cheese!

The tastiest gemista (Greek stuffed peppers and tomatoes)

tomatoes (or 6 slightly smaller ones)

green peppers (Australia: capsicum, US: bell peppers)

olive oil (plus a little more for cooking)

tomato puree (US = paste)

garlic

honey ((or 1 teaspoon sugar))

pepper

zucchini ((UK: courgette) grated)

carrot (grated)

garlic ((crushed with a garlic crusher

oregano

allspice

cinnamon

rice (Risotto/Arborio rice is best)

tomatoes ((1 can))

parsley (chopped)

mint

potatoes

feta cheese

Scoop flesh out of tomatoes

Slice the top of the tomatoes off (keeping each top close to its corresponding tomato), then scoop the flesh out of them using a teaspoon. Leave enough around the edge so that the tomato ‘shell’ stays intact. Put the tomato flesh straight into a food processor.

Make tomato sauce

Add the olive oil, tomato puree, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Pulse to combine and make a sauce.

Prepare peppers

Now slice the tops off the peppers (keeping the tops close by) and scoop out the pith and seeds. Arrange the empty peppers and tomatoes in a large baking dish (keeping the tops close by).

For the vegetables and tomato sauce

Begin cooking filling

Pre-heat the oven to 200C / 390F. Heat up a big drizzle of olive oil in a large saucepan and add the grated onions, zucchini, carrot and garlic. Cook and stir for a few minutes until softened, then add the beef. Cook and stir again until meat is browned (another few minutes).

Add dried herbs and spices.

Add the oregano, allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper and stir for about another minute.

Add rest of filling ingredients and simmer

Add the rice, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and about 1 cup of water. Mix well, then cover and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes, until the rice is partly cooked.

Add fresh herbs

Stir through the parsley, mint, salt and pepper.

For the filling/stuffing

Stuff the vegetables with the filling

Use a dessert spoon to fill tomatoes and peppers with the stuffing. Put the tops back on.

Add potato wedges

Tuck the potato wedges in between the peppers and tomatoes.

Pour over tomato sauce and water

Pour the tomato sauce that you made in the food processor all over the tomatoes and peppers and potatoes. Then pour over 1 cup (250ml) water.

Cover and bake

Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and bake for 1¼ hours or until the potatoes are cooked and the tops of the vegetables are starting to brown. Remove the foil half way through cooking.

Serve

Serve a half to a whole tomato and a pepper and a few potato wedges for each person. Spoon over some of the tomato sauce. Serve with a wedge of feta.

To assemble the dish

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/c6lbq5qf4edlotbeescv

Wow your guests with these super tasty and easy Greek stuffed peppers and tomatoes (gemista). It's a perfect healthy and delicious one pan meal to wow your guests with, or make them for yourselves and have leftovers for days!

These stuffed bell peppers make a super simple dinner or next day lunch and are a great way to sneak in some extra veggies!

Spicy Beef Bell Peppers with Cheese, Mixed Greens &amp; Cilantro Dressing

cilantro

green bell peppers

lb beef

mozzarella cheese

red chili peppers

(5 oz) pkg spring mix (mixed greens)

balsamic vinegar

chili powder

cumin, ground

extra virgin olive oil

garlic powder

Preheat oven to broil on high and position rack about 6-inches from the top.

Wash and dry the fresh produce. (Skip the mixed greens if they came pre-washed.)

Trim, seed, and halve bell peppers lengthwise. Transfer to a baking sheet pan, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, then arrange cut-side down.

Place baking sheet in the oven and broil until peppers are tender and charred, 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

While the skillet heats up, quarter chili peppers lengthwise; seed and remove ribs with a spoon. Finely dice. (Be careful with chili peppers; do not touch your eyes and ensure you wash your hands after handling or wear gloves while preparing.)

Once the skillet is hot, add the ground beef and chili pepper; cook, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until the beef is browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes.

While the beef is cooking, shave cilantro leaves off the stems; discard stems and mince the leaves. Place half in a medium bowl and set aside (reserve remaining cilantro for the next step).

Add reserved cilantro and spices to the skillet with the beef; stir to combine and remove from the heat.

Divide beef mixture between pepper halves and top with cheese. Return baking sheet to the oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, add oil, vinegar, and spices to the bowl with the cilantro; stir to combine the dressing.

Add mixed greens to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine the salad.

To serve, divide stuffed peppers and salad between plates. Enjoy!

The iconic Greek recipe for spanakopita is all about a timeless combination of ingredients, and these definitely find a place beyond being nestled between layers of crispy phyllo pastry. Here, an embellished combo of Greek feta and spinach crown sweet potatoes thus morphing into a dish both festive and good for every day, the perfect example of delicious Mediterranean Diet flavors that are both indulgent and healthy. I serve this often on Thanksgiving, but love it for a weekend meal, too.

Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Spanakopita

sweet potatoes (about 8 to 10 oz each, unpeeled and scrubbed clean)

extra virgin Greek olive oil

spinach

olives

oregano oregano (chopped)

Greek feta cheese

nutmeg

Sea salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place them in a shallow baking dish and bake until the sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a knife and cooked through, about 45-60 minutes depending on size. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.

While the sweet potatoes are baking, make the spanakopita topping: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onion until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach just to wilt. Set aside to cool. Mix in remaining ingredients and set aside until the sweet potatoes are done.

Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise down the center to expose cooked insides, top with spanakopita mixture and serve.

A simple how-to for flavor-packed Greek rice-stuffed vegetables (Gemista/Yemista). This &quot;one size fits all&quot; recipe works wonders for Greek stuffed peppers, zucchini, eggplant, onion, and tomatoes! Best of all, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and packed with color, flavor, and nutrients!

Greek Stuffed Vegetables with Rice (Gemista/Yemista)

eggplants

zucchini

bell peppers (red, green,

rice (short

oz onions (2 medium-sized; white

tsp salt

oz parsley or dill (or a bit of both)

Wash and dry the vegetables well.

Core them, scooping out their flesh and transferring it to a bowl.To core the peppers, tomatoes, and onions (peel or leave unpeeled), first slice off the top and then use a spoon to scoop out the middles (ensuring you don&#39;t pierce the veggie &quot;walls&quot;). For the zucchini, slice them in half lengthwise and then use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving a thin &quot;wall.&quot;

For the eggplant, I recommend pre-baking it (without coring). Slice the eggplant in two, score lightly down the middle of each half, and then bake for about 15 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC.You can also optionally fry the zucchini and onions before stuffing them to tenderize and &quot;brown&quot; them slightly.  However, I skip this &quot;extra step&quot; to save time and still love the results.

Once all the vegetables are prepared, oil them (inside and out) and lay them on a large baking tray.

Step 1: Core the vegetables

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and finely dice the onions (if you&#39;re making stuffed onions, you can use the scooped-out flesh without needing any extras). At the same time, mince the herbs, and rinse the rice (until the water runs almost clear).

Add the chopped onions to the pan and cook, stirring often, until translucent (3-4 minutes). Then add all the remaining vegetable pulp (roughly chopped), the tomato paste, and salt, mixing well.

Add the rinsed rice and water, mix well, and then cover and cook until around 90% cooked (follow the package instructions, minus about 4 minutes). Just before it&#39;s ready, add in the minced herbs and dried mint and stir to combine.

Step 2: Prepare the tomato &quot;sauce&quot;

Stuff the vegetables with the rice mixture, making sure not to overfill, as the rice will still slightly expand when baking in the oven. Once filled, add all the &quot;lids&quot; to the vegetables.

Bake for between 30-35 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC, or until the vegetables are tender with a cooked rice filling.The open-faced veggies (zucchini and eggplant) can &quot;dry out&quot; slightly while baking. To avoid this, you can bake the stuffed vegetables covered in tin foil (the entire pan) for the first 20 minutes before removing it for the last ten minutes.Optionally, you can broil the vegetables at the beginning (before stuffing) or at the end of the baking process for more of a char on the veggies.

Remove the Greek stuffed vegetables from the oven and serve optionally topped with extra herbs, cheese (like feta or vegan feta), tzatziki, or a dollop of yogurt (dairy or dairy-free), and some lemon wedges. I also recommend further drizzling with high-quality extra-virgin olive oil before serving.

Step 3: Bake the stuffed vegetables

Make ahead: you can core and stuff the vegetables up to a day in advance and store them, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator until you&#39;re ready to bake them. You can also freeze the rice-stuffed vegetables pre-baking (be aware that certain vegetables – particularly tomatoes - are more likely to &quot;collapse&quot; when thawed and baked. They won&#39;t look great but will taste amazing, still) for between 2-3 months. Store: once baked, allow the stuffed vegetables to cool and then store in an airtight container for up to four days.Reheat: you can reheat the baked stuffed vegetables either in the microwave or in the oven, in a large baking pan filled with around a cup of water at 400ºF/200ºC, until thoroughly warmed.

How to Make Ahead and Store

How to make delicious vegetarian Greek stuffed tomatoes with a tender, juicy onion and rice filling! Even better, these baked stuffed tomatoes are gluten-free and can be enjoyed vegetarian or vegan.

Vegetarian Greek Stuffed Tomatoes (GF + Vegan Optional)

4.4 lb large tomatoes (heirloom or other ripe large tomatoes; I used 4 large beefsteak tomatoes)

oz onions (2 small; white

thyme

2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, dill, etc, your favorite)

lemon

Wash and pat the tomatoes dry.

Carefully core the tomatoes. To do this, I used a sharp knife to slice the top off of each tomato, then used a spoon to scoop out the insides, leaving the outer wall intact. Transfer the tomato pulp to a small bowl for now.

Place the tomatoes on a lightly oiled or parchment-lined baking tray and set aside.

Step 1: Prepare the tomatoes

Peel and dice the onion. Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and cook for several minutes, stirring often, until translucent. Then add the tomato pulp, tomato paste, and salt (and pepper, if preferred).

Step 2: Sauté the ingredients

Add the rice and water to the pan, stirring well, and then cover and cook until just below al dente (around 90% cooked). To do this, I recommend following the package instruction for the rice minus 2-3 minutes.

While it cooks, finely chop your herbs of choice, then add them to the pan at the end of the cooking process, mixing until well combined. Then remove the rice mixture from the heat.

Step 3: Par-cook the rice

Using a spoon, scoop the rice mixture into your tomatoes (right to the top) and cover with their &quot;lids.&quot;

Bake in a preheated oven for around 30 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC. When ready, the tomatoes should be soft and slightly &quot;shriveled&quot; looking, with a tender rice filling.You can optionally broil the tomatoes for a short while at the end if you want a more blackened, slightly smoky &quot;top&quot; of the tomatoes.

Remove the tomatoes from the oven, allow them to cool for just a few minutes, then remove the lid and top with some lemon zest, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and optionally some feta cheese. For a truly delicious Greek stuffed tomato, I recommend serving with an extra glug of extra virgin olive oil - enjoy!

Step 4: Bake the stuffed tomatoes

Make ahead: you can prepare these Greek stuffed tomatoes ahead by preparing the filling and stuffing them but then covering them tightly in clingfilm for 1-2 days before baking. You can also freeze the unbaked stuffed tomatoes and bake from frozen. Add a few extra minutes to the cooking time (until bubbly and tender), though they won&#39;t hold their shape well upon thawing.Store: once baked, allow the stuffed tomatoes to cool and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You may also be able to freeze the leftovers, though I never have. If you do, let me know in the comments how it went. Reheat: you can reheat the baked stuffed tomatoes either in the microwave or in the oven, in a large baking pan filled with around a cup of water at 400ºF/200ºC, until fully warmed.

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Top Tags

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The most viewed stuffed vegetables recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine