stuffed tomato recipe

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. Perfect as a main dish with Greek salad and Tzatziki sauce or as a stunning side next to lamb or lemon chicken. 

BEST Greek Stuffed Tomatoes (Gemista) 

rice

Extra virgin olive oil

red onion halved, mince 1/2 of the onion and slice the other

garlic cloves,

lb lean ground beef (you can use ground lamb or

Kosher salt and black pepper

tsp cumin

oregano

tsp allspice

nutmeg

tomatoes

white wine

water

parsley

spearmint

Rinse the rice well, place in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes until you are easily able to break one grain of rice between your fingertips. Drain.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. And begin working on the stuffing mixture.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and heat until just shimmering but not smoking. Add chopped onions (but not the sliced onions) and garlic, toss briefly until fragrant (do not brown the onions and garlic.) Add the ground meat, season with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, allspice and nutmeg.  Cook the meat for about 5 minutes or until fully browned and cooked through (use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart to avoid large chunks.)

When meat is fully browned, add drained rice it to the meat mixture in the skillet. Add crushed tomatoes, white wine, and water (a pinch of salt if you like.) Bring the saucy mixture to a boil, turn the heat down and let simmer for for just 10 minutes or so (the simmering is an optional step, but it is helpful to get the rice cooking a little bit.) When ready, stir in the fresh herbs. Season with kosher salt to taste.

Meanwhile, prepare tomatoes for stuffing. Cut tomato tops (about 1/2 inch from top). Set the tops aside (they will be used later). Take a small pairing knife and carefully go around the edges of the tomato to loosen/separate the flesh. Then using a spoon, carefully scoop out the tomato flesh. Chop the flesh into large pieces and set it aside of later use (see photo in the tutorial above).

Prepare a 9 x 13 baking pan (this is the one I used). Oil the bottom of the baking pan with extra virgin olive oil. Spread chopped tomato flesh and sliced onion the bottom of the baking dish and add the chopped tomato flesh and sliced onion to make a bed for the stuffed tomatoes.

Now, spoon the saucy meat and rice mixture into the empty tomato shells. Arrange the stuffed tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Cover the stuffed tomatoes with the reserved tops. From one of the corners of your baking dish, carefully pour about 3/4 cup of water. Add a little pinch of salt and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in heated oven for about 30 to 45 minutes, then uncover and cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour or so (a total of 1 1/2 hours or until the rice is fully cooked. The tomatoes will collapse well and become super tender.) Be sure to check during baking and add a little water if needed.

My family and I got back from a Euro trip almost two weeks ago. Greece (Athens &amp; Imerovigli, Santorini) was one of the countries we visited and we had so much good food there. After visiting the Acropolis, we stopped by a restaurant in Plaka and I ordered their Gemista and it was delicious. I loved it so much I just had to try and make them myself. I would rate my culinary skills somewhere along the lines of beginner. This recipe was easy to prep and cook and the end result was... well we were quiet while eating and enjoying the flavors. Plates were cleaned, bellies full, and happiness followed.

I ended up using four huge tomatoes I found that were the size of grapefruits. While in the oven, the tomatoes were sweating so much, it filled half the pan. I thought I might have ruined it or made a mistake somewhere but I ended up serving the tomatoes in a soup plate and spooned the left over juices.  So delicious.

Suzy, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all of your recipes!!! Can I use brown rice in place of white for this recipe, stuffed peppers or really any of your recipes calling for rice? Thank you in advance!

I'm making this tonight!  it's amazing how this recipe differs from Greek to Greek LOL. Respectfully however I feel that your recipe is more complicated than it needs to be. For instance, I have found that you do not need to precook the ground meat and associated ingredients before stuffing your vegetables, be they tomatoes or peppers. I do my mixture:  rice, raw ground meat and associated ingredients including spices and olive oil (I prefer to use pork or even ground turkey) mix everything together well, and then stuff the veggies prior to cooking.  

Also, I use the guts of the tomato, chopped up finely and added to the same meat mixture for added moisture - it helps cook the rice and keeps the meat tender if you're using something leaner. I personally do not use strained tomatoes in my mixture as I find them too overpowering due to their concentration. 

The length of time that they are in the oven more than cooks the meat through, and the rice plumps up nicely as well with the added moisture of the chopped, fresh tomato guts in the mixture. Lastly, I add some roast potatoes around the stuffed veggies and roast them at the same time. Just give them a quick toss in some salt and pepper, smoked paprika and olive oil and nestle them in between.

I grew up in Greece and have been cooking yemista for years, but never soaked the rice! I appreciate this tip!

Your recipe is delicious!

Super Simple and Easy Baked Keto Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe with Bolognese Sauce that gives you a Perfect Blend of Aroma is one Grilling Idea for your Keto BBQ Night. Fully Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Low Carb and perfect for Diabetics, these Healthy Stuffed Tomatoes can be served hot or cold, depending on your Taste Buds.

Keto Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Tomatoes

(1 Cup) Minced Beef

(1/2 Cup) Diced Bacon

Cup (2 Stems), Diced Fresh Celery

(1 small) Onion

Garlic Cloves

(1/3 Cup) Tomato Sauce

(1/2 Cup) Heavy Cream

Tablespoon Fresh Oregano

Tablespoon Fresh Marjoram

Prepare all of your ingredients beforehand.

For Bolognese Sauce, dice your onion, garlic, bacon,...

For Bolognese Sauce, dice your onion, garlic, bacon, and celery.

Start with your onion and garlic. Place them...

Start with your onion and garlic. Place them into a cooking pot sprinkled with olive oil and caramelize for few minutes.

Once caramelized, add bacon and minced meat, mix...

Once caramelized, add bacon and minced meat, mix and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Add diced fresh celery, herbs, salt &amp; pepper,...

Add diced fresh celery, herbs, salt &amp; pepper, and mix and cook for another 10 minutes.

As of last add tomato sauce and heavy...

As of last add tomato sauce and heavy cream and fully combine.

Cover with the lid and cook for approximately...

Cover with the lid and cook for approximately 40 minutes at a medium temperature.

Cut top or the head of each tomato....

Cut top or the head of each tomato. Do not throw it as you will use it later to close the tomato.

Using a small spoon, hollow out each of...

Using a small spoon, hollow out each of the tomatoes.

Scoop out all of the seeds as well...

Scoop out all of the seeds as well as all the liquid, which will avoid tomatoes being too watery after baking.

Again, using your spoon, fill each of the...

Again, using your spoon, fill each of the tomatoes with bolognese sauce up to the top of the cut tomato.

Top it up with Grated Cheese.

Bake in the oven at 200C or 400F...

Bake in the oven at 200C or 400F for approximately 30 minutes.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/e9cbedd8qcuz7lhqxjpu.mp4

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