Healthy Greek Stuffed Vegetables
Gemista
Gemista (pronounced "ye-MEE-sta") is a beloved Greek dish celebrating summer’s bounty—ripe tomatoes, bell peppers, and zucchini stuffed with a fragrant rice filling, baked until tender, and bathed in olive oil and tomato sauce.
This healthy version cuts excess oil without sacrificing flavor, using fiber-rich brown rice, toasted pine nuts for crunch, and a rainbow of fresh herbs. Perfect for meal prep or gatherings, gemista is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and packed with vitamins A and C from sun-ripened vegetables. Serve it warm or at room temperature with a dollop of tzatziki for a taste of the Mediterranean!
Recommended Occasions: Summer garden parties, Meal-prepped lunches, Vegetarian holiday mains (Easter, Christmas), Potlucks or picnics (served at room temperature).
Ingredients
Vegetables:
Fillings:
Sauce:
Optional Ingredients
Instructions
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Prep vegetables:
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Cut tops off tomatoes, peppers, and zucchinis; reserve tops. Scoop out pulp (save tomato pulp for filling). Lightly salt insides and place upside-down on a towel to drain excess moisture.
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Toss potatoes (if using) with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper.
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Make filling:
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Sauté onion in 3 tbsp olive oil until soft (5 mins). Add garlic, carrot, and tomato pulp; cook 7 mins.
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Stir in rice, tomato paste, broth, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 mins until liquid reduces (rice should be par-cooked). Off heat, mix in herbs, pine nuts, and nutritional yeast.
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Stuff & bake:
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Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush a 9x13" baking dish with olive oil.
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Fill vegetables ¾ full with rice mixture (rice expands!). Place tops back on. Arrange in the dish with potatoes between them.
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Whisk sauce ingredients; pour around vegetables. Drizzle remaining olive oil over tops.
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Cover tightly with foil. Bake 45 mins. Uncover; bake 30 mins until rice is tender and vegetables charred at edges.
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Rest 20 mins before serving.
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Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 348kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 16g25%
- Saturated Fat 2.5g13%
- Sodium 320mg14%
- Potassium 780mg23%
- Total Carbohydrate 48g16%
- Dietary Fiber 7g29%
- Sugars 12g
- Protein 8g16%
- Vitamin A 950 mcg
- Vitamin C 120 mg
- Calcium 90 mg
- Iron 3 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Herb swap: Use dill instead of mint.
- Low-carb: Substitute rice with cauliflower rice (reduce baking time by 20 mins).
- Potatoes: Omit for fewer carbs; replace with extra zucchini wedges.