Greek Stuffed Peppers
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5.0
18 reviews
Excellent
Greek Stuffed Peppers
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Greek Stuffed Peppers, or Gemista, are packed with rice, beef, herbs, and tomato. Blanching the peppers before stuffing ensures a softer texture and a flavor that doesn't overpower the dish. You'll love this delicious make ahead meal!
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Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers any color, or 6 smaller peppers (I used a mix of sizes, see notes)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion diced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 lb. ground beef or lamb, turkey, or your choice of ground meat or vegan substitute
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 1 tablespoon dried
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup red wine (optional)
- 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes or a 15 oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes, or more marinara sauce
- ½ cup converted rice, such as Ben's Original (see notes for other kinds)
- ¼ cup grated romano cheese or parmesan or Kefalotiri
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce or canned tomato sauce
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Instructions
- Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds with a paring knife, leaving the stem intact. Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (unless making ahead of time).
- Make the stuffing. In a large skillet, sauté the diced onion and chopped parsley (¼ cup) in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until softened and starting to brown. Add the ground beef (1 lb.) and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the chopped fresh mint (2 tablespoons), kosher salt (1 ½ teaspoons), black pepper (½ teaspoon), red wine, if using (½ cup), and chopped tomatoes (1 cup).
- Add the converted rice (½ cup) to the skillet and stir to coat. Pour in 1 cup (see notes if using another kind of rice!) of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until rice is cooked almost completely.
- Meanwhile, go back to the bell peppers. Once the large pot of water is boiling, add the halved peppers to the water and blanch them for 5 minutes. While they are cooking, spoon ½ cup of marinara sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish (or similar size). Spread out to cover the bottom. Remove the peppers with tongs and shake off any excess water and add them to the baking dish, cut side up.
- Once the stuffing is done, add it into the halved peppers. You should be able to pack a lot in there - use it all up! Spoon the rest of the marinara sauce onto the tops of each pepper and spread it out (about 2 tablespoons per pepper). Sprinkle evenly with the grated cheese, if using. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- At this point, you can bake immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours until you're ready to cook. Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish around the peppers. If the peppers have been in the fridge, place them on top of the oven to warm up a bit while it preheats.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes - 1 hour, depending on if they were cold from the fridge or not. Allow the peppers to cool for a few minutes before serving. The sauce at the bottom of the pan is delicious - spoon it on top of the peppers or any sides like rice or mashed potatoes that you're serving it with!
Equipments used:
Notes
- I used bell peppers from my garden so it was a mix of sizes. Don't worry too much about this - just use as many as will fit in your baking dish (cut in half).
- Rice: I used converted, or enriched rice (Ben's Original). You can use any kind you want, but keep in mind, different rices have different cooking times and require different amounts of water to cook fully. Basmati or other long grain white rice takes a short time and uses less water; arborio or brown rice will take longer and require more water. Just use your best judgement here - if there is too much water, let it simmer uncovered for a while, and if there isn't enough, just add some more!
- Other veggies: The Greek word Gemista refers to stuffed veggies, not just peppers. You can use this same stuffing mix to stuff large hollowed out tomatoes (no blanching required), zucchini, or in cabbage rolls.
- Too much stuffing? I always pack the peppers very full so I don't have leftovers, but if you happen to, you can save it for another purpose. It's delicious on it's own, or in a bowl with chopped up cucumbers, some feta cheese, etc.
- Slow cooker instructions: This is a great seasonal summer recipe but heating up the oven in the summer is tough! If you prefer to cook them in the slow cooker, SKIP blanching them, follow the steps for assembling them, and place them in a crockpot instead of a baking dish. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. Keep in mind- you may not be able to fit as many in a slow cooker.
Nutrition Information
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Serving
1stuffed pepper half
Calories
291kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
17g
(6%)
Protein
13g
(26%)
Fat
18g
(28%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
44mg
(15%)
Sodium
735mg
(31%)
Potassium
512mg
(15%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
799IU
(16%)
Vitamin C
58mg
(64%)
Calcium
72mg
(7%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 291 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1stuffed pepper half | |
| Calories | 291kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 44mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 735mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 512mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 799IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 58mg | 64% |
| Calcium | 72mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
18 reviews
Excellent
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