Name: BEST Greek Stuffed Tomatoes (Gemista)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1/2 cup long grain rice; Extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek olive oil); 1 large red onion halved, mince 1/2 of the onion and slice the other; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 lb lean ground beef (you can use ground lamb or turkey); Kosher salt and black pepper; 1 tsp ground cumin; 3/4 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp allspice; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes; 1/2 cup white wine; 1/4 cup water; 1 cup chopped fresh parsley; 1/2 cup chopped fresh spearmint; 6 large tomatoes

BEST stuffed tomatoes you will come across! This stuffed tomato recipe is prepared Greek-style with a hearty, flavor-packed stuffing mixture of ground meat, rice with onions, garlic, fragrant spices like cumin, oregano, and nutmeg, and fresh herbs. A generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil helps these stuffed tomatoes as they bake to delicious, tender perfection.

The step-by-step tutorial here walks you through exactly how to make these! And yes, you can prepare stuffed tomatoes a bit in advance. Serve them as a stunning side dish, but they can totally stand on their own as a main. Lots of ideas below!

It is not possible to talk about tomatoes, Greek recipes, or the Mediterranean diet without mentioning gemista--Greek stuffed vegetables like peppers, onions, or stuffed tomatoes! And, if you haven't tried stuffed tomatoes the Greek way before, you are in for a treat.

Three secrets to this amazing stuffed tomato recipe: a hearty, flavor-packed stuffing; sufficient amount of good extra virgin olive oil; and baking until the tomatoes collapse to tender perfection and the stuffing mixture inside is fully cooked through. Greek yiayias will tell you, if the stuffed tomatoes look too perfect, they're probably not very tasty!

These delicious, perfectly baked stuffed tomatoes may be considered a side dish in some Greek households; maybe served next to some lamb. But to me, these are delicious and hearty enough to stand on their own

I know these can be just a bit of a labor of love, but they are not complicated to make (and you can prepare them a little bit ahead of time.)

What's in these Baked Stuffed Tomatoes?

There are so many variations of gemista (or yemista) Greek stuffed tomatoes. The variations are mostly in what makes up the stuffing. This stuffing is made of a mixture of ground meat (lean ground beef, lamb, or turkey will work), rice, with crushed tomatoes. It's a simple and hearty mixture with a few flavor makers--cumin, oregano, allspice, nutmeg and fresh herbs.

To non-Mediterranean standards, it may seem that this stuffed tomato recipe has a lot of extra virgin olive oil. I use a bit more than ⅓ cup of our Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil, but trust me, some recipes call for even more! Like my Greek green beans, this is another Lathera dish, meaning “ones with oil." It's a whole category of Greek dishes where vegetables are meant to literally swim in quality extra virgin olive oil. Mmm so good!

Good extra virgin olive oil here helps beyond your expectations. It's what really makes these stuffed tomatoes so deep with flavor and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Step-By-Step Tutorial for Gemista Greek Stuffed Tomatoes

First, rinse the rice and soak it in water for about 15 to 20 minutes until you are able to easily break one grain of rice between your finger tips. Drain rice.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add extra virgin olive oil (I use about ⅓ cup. Don't skimp, it makes a big difference in flavor). Add chopped onions and garlic, cook briefly (do not brown)Add the ground meat (beef, lamb or turkey will work), season with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, allspice and nutmeg (should smell like heaven). Cook meat until fully browned.

Now, add drained rice, crushed tomatoes, white wine and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer about 10 minutes or so (the simmering is optional, but it does help the rice to cook better in the oven.) Season with kosher salt to taste.

Prepare tomatoes for stuffing. First, cut the tomato tops (about ½ inch from the top). Do not discard tops. To loosen the flesh, go around the tomato edges with a pairing knife.

Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the tomato flesh

Now, tomatoes are fully emptied and the tomato "shells" are ready for stuffing. Do not discard the beautiful flesh, chop it up for later use in the baking pan

Prepare a 9" x 13" baking pan (this is the one I use here). Oil the bottom with some good extra virgin olive oil and add the chopped tomato flesh and sliced onions to make a bed for the stuffed tomatoes. A sprinkle of salt if you like.

Spoon the saucy meat and rice mixture you prepared earlier into each tomato shell. Arrange them on the bed of tomatoes and onions in the baking dish. Cover tomatoes with their tomato tops (I left one without a top here in this picture just to show you the inside)
From one of the corners of your baking dish, carefully pour about ¾ cup of water. Sprinkle some salt and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes

Cover and bake in 375 degrees F heated oven for about 30 to 45 minutes, then uncover and bake another 45 minutes to an hour (a total of 1 ½ hours should do it or until the rice is fully cooked.) Check to see if a little water might be needed.

Turn these Stuffed Tomatoes into a Greek dinner!

If you're going for a big Greek feast, you can totally use these as a stunning side to grilled lamb leg or slow-cooked lamb, chicken souvlaki, lemon chicken, or even pan-seared trout...the possibilities are endless.

But, I often serve these stuffed tomatoes as the main course next to things like tzatziki sauce, traditional Greek salad, grilled zucchini salad or Greek green bean salad. If we're looking for more out of our little meal, I might even do some Greek bean soup to start.

Can I prepare these ahead of time?

Yes, you have a couple options for to prepare this stuffed tomato recipe ahead of time...

You can fully prepare and cook the stuffed tomatoes one evening in advance. Take them out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for a bit, then add a little bit of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover and warm through in a medium-heated oven.
You can prepare the tomatoes and stuff them but do not bake them. Cover and refrigerate in a refrigerator-safe dish. Take them out a bit before baking so they are not too cold. Assemble in the baking dish as instructed and bake accordingly.

Leftovers?

Leftover stuffed tomatoes will keep well in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days, if properly stored in tight-lid containers. Serve at room temperature.

Other stuffed vegetable recipes: Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini; Stuffed Peppers; Spanish-style stuffed tomatoes with tuna; and Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls....oh and breakfast stuffed peppers.

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