Baked Gemista with Herbed Rice and Feta

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-22 · Updated 2026-05-22

Traditional Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers filled with aromatic herbed rice and topped with crumbled feta cheese, baked until tender and flavorful. This greek (vegetarian) ready in about 75 minutes pairs large ripe tomatoes, large green bell peppers, long grain rice for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 large ripe tomatoes
• 4 large green bell peppers
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice the tops off 4 large ripe tomatoes and 4 large green bell peppers, reserving tops and scooping out seeds and pulp to create hollow shells.
2. Step 2: In a medium skillet, heat 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 medium finely chopped yellow onion and 3 minced garlic cloves, sauté for 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 cup long grain rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to toast the rice lightly.
4. Step 4: Add 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until rice is partially cooked and liquid absorbed.
5. Step 5: Remove skillet from heat and gently fold in 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese.
6. Step 6: Stuff the hollowed tomatoes and peppers evenly with the rice mixture, then place them in a baking dish standing upright.
7. Step 7: Drizzle remaining olive oil over the stuffed vegetables and cover loosely with foil. Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes, removing foil in the last 10 minutes to brown tops lightly.
8. Step 8: Let cool for 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and the filling to set.