Koupepia Gemista (Stuffed Vegetables)
A hearty and flavorful dish of vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, or eggplants) stuffed with a seasoned rice and herb mixture, often with the addition of minced meat. This is a vegetarian variation of the popular koupepia.
🧂 Ingredients
- 6 medium Tomatoes(cored and insides scooped out)
- 3 medium Bell peppers(any color, tops cut off and seeds removed)
- 3 medium Zucchini(halved lengthwise and hollowed out)
- 2 medium Eggplants(halved lengthwise and hollowed out)
- 1.5 cups Rice(short-grain or medium-grain, rinsed)
- 1 cup Fresh parsley(chopped)
- 0.5 cup Fresh mint(chopped)
- 1 medium Onion(finely chopped)
- 3 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 0.5 cup Olive oil
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 cups Water or vegetable broth
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the vegetables: Core tomatoes, cut off tops of peppers, and halve/hollow out zucchini and eggplants. Reserve the scooped-out flesh from tomatoes and eggplants to chop and add to the filling if desired.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the rinsed rice, chopped parsley, chopped mint, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, tomato paste, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- 3
Stuff the prepared vegetables with the rice mixture, filling them about three-quarters full to allow for expansion during cooking.
- 4
Arrange the stuffed vegetables snugly in a large, deep baking dish. You can place any remaining scooped-out vegetable flesh around them.
- 5
In a separate bowl, whisk together the water or vegetable broth with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Pour this liquid around the vegetables in the baking dish.
- 6
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- 7
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 60-75 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the rice is fully cooked. Check halfway through and add more liquid if the dish seems dry.
- 8
Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, drizzled with extra olive oil and lemon juice if desired.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Don't overstuff the vegetables, as the rice will expand.
- ✓If using eggplants, you can salt them after hollowing and let them sit for 30 minutes to draw out bitterness, then rinse and pat dry.
- ✓The scooped-out tomato and eggplant flesh can be finely chopped and added to the rice filling for extra flavor and texture.
🔄 Variations
- Add 200g of minced lamb or beef to the filling for a non-vegetarian version.
- Incorporate other chopped vegetables like potatoes or carrots into the filling.
- A pinch of cinnamon or allspice can add a warm, aromatic note to the filling.