Yemista (Greek Stuffed Bell Peppers)
Yemista is a classic Greek favourite — bright, sweet bell peppers hollowed out and generously filled with a fragrant mixture of fluffy rice, minced plant‑based protein, ripe tomatoes, herbs, and aromatic seasonings. Slowly baked until the peppers become beautifully tender and their skins soften to a rich sweetness, while the filling absorbs all the wonderful flavours and becomes perfectly cooked. A colourful, satisfying meal that looks impressive yet is wonderfully simple to make — naturally vegan and absolutely delicious!
Shared by jessy
Time
70 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
medium
đź›’ Ingredients
- 4 large red bell peppers.. 1 cup long‑grain rice, rinsed
- 150 g plant‑based mince or finely chopped lentils
- 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped.. 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.. ½ cup hot vegetable broth
- ÂĽ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped.. 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped.. 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste.. Extra olive oil for drizzling
👩‍🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Cut the tops off each bell pepper and set them aside as lids. Carefully remove the seeds and white membranes from inside each pepper, then arrange them upright in a baking dish. Lightly sprinkle the insides of the peppers with a pinch of salt.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the plant‑based mince or lentils and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 3
Add the rinsed rice, chopped tomatoes, dried oregano, salt, and plenty of black pepper. Stir well and cook for 3–4 minutes until the tomatoes soften slightly. Remove from heat, then stir in the fresh parsley, mint, and dill.
- 4
Spoon the filling mixture into each pepper, leaving about 1 centimetre of space at the top so the rice can expand as it cooks. Pour the hot vegetable broth into the space around the peppers in the baking dish. Place the pepper lids back on top.
- 5
Drizzle the peppers generously with extra olive oil. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes until the peppers are soft and the rice inside is fully cooked. Serve warm.