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Recipe & Video: Greek Stuffed Tomatoes for Vegetarians & Vegans


A table set with all the ingredients to make Greek stuffed tomatoes plus the finished dish.
A hearty, healthy and comforting food to enjoy year-round. Pair it with feta and yogurt or substitute tofu for a vegan twist.

Video: Greek Stuffed Tomatoes—Domates Gemistes

Let’s get cooking!


Recipe: Greek Stuffed Tomatoes

Main meal—A gemista & ladera vegan meal

Serves: 6

PJ KABOS High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil used: PJ Kabos Family Reserve Organic—Medium Taste 


Ingredients

  • 12 ripe tomatoes, medium size

  • 1 cup basmati rice, or whichever rice is preferred

  • 1 cup parsley, chopped

  • 2 medium onions, chopped

  • 4 tablespoons PJ Kabos Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for covering the bottom of a large baking pan

  • 6 tablespoons PJ Kabos Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for sautéing the onions

  • 2 tablespoons PJ Kabos Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for coating the potatoes

  • 1 cup water, cold

  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus some for sprinkling the potatoes and the inside of the tomatoes

  • ¼ teaspoon pepper, plus some for sprinkling the potatoes and the inside of the tomatoes

  • 12 slices feta cheese (optional); for vegan option, use marinated tofu ‘feta’

  • ½ cup bread crumbs (optional)

  • 7 tablespoons PJ Kabos Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for pouring over the prepared tomatoes and potatoes before cooking

  • Note: The total amount of PJ Kabos Extra Virgin Olive Oil used is 19 tablespoons. That is, 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons but more or less may be used.

For Serving

  • 3 cups strained Greek yogurt (optional); for vegan option, use tofu ‘yogurt’

Preparation

Over the bottom of a large baking pan spread 4 tablespoons of PJ Kabos Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Wash the tomatoes. Remove their tops (but keep them) and scoop out the pulp from each tomato. Place the pulp, including seeds, in a large bowl or blender. Place each tomato, with its lid sitting next to it, in the prepared baking pan; the tomatoes sides should touch one another. Sprinkle the insides of each tomato with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover with kitchen paper and place in the refrigerator.

 

Using either a knife or a blender, chop up or pulverize the pulp of the tomatoes and the cleaned parsley. (Note: Although chopping up the ingredients by hand or using a blender results in a delicious dish they do lend a different texture to the finished product. If you have the time to prepare the dish as our great grandparents did use a knife and chop it all up. It’s worth the effort. If you lack preparation time, feel free to use a blender. It’s every bit as delicious!)

 

Place a large pot, which has a cover, on the stove top; add 6 tablespoons of PJ Kabos Extra Virgin Olive Oil and slowly heat. Chop up the onions and lightly sauté in the pot. Add the tomato pulp, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir. Add the cold water and bring to a boil. Add the rice. Cover and simmer on low until the rice is almost done (the rice will finish cooking when in the tomatoes in the oven so it’s not necessary to cook the rice all the way; but it’s okay if you do), stirring occasionally so that the rice doesn’t stick, about 20 minutes (Note: Check the package instructions for the cooking time for the rice you are using). Taste the liquid and stir in more salt and pepper if desired. Let cool a bit.

 

Meanwhile, clean and cut into large, bit size pieces three potatoes. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of PJ Kabos Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

 

Filling the tomatoes: When sufficiently cooled (so you don’t burn your hands!) fill each tomato with the rice mixture, a little bit more than ¾ full. Place a slice of feta (or tofu) on the tops of each tomato. Cover with their tops. Place the potatoes among those tomatoes whose side aren't touching. Carefully pour over all the tomatoes and potatoes 7 tablespoons of PJ Kabos Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or a little bit more!). Do not add extra water to the pan; the tomatoes have plenty.

 

Place the pan on a lower rack in the oven and cook at 180°C (350°F) for about 1½ hours, until done (the ripeness of the tomatoes determines the exact time, but 1½ hours is normally the perfect amount of time to cook the tomatoes and potatoes).

 

Turn off the oven and let the tomatoes rest in the oven. They can be eaten immediately but it’s nice to cook this dish early and eat it later when all the flavors have had a chance to mingle.

 

To serve: Serve alongside a dollop of strained Greek yogurt (for vegan option, use tofu ‘yogurt’) and a bowl of seasonal fruit for dessert…and imagine yourself in the land of PJ Kabos, where the very olive oil used in this dish originates!

 

Kali Orexi—Happy Eating!

 

Your thoughts please

  • Tell us what you think of this recipe here?

  • Does it make you want to make stuffed tomatoes for your friends and family?

  • Do you have a variation that you would like to share?

  • And if you have made stuffed tomatoes before, what memories or special occasions come to mind when you think of sharing this meal with loved ones or friends? We think of warm summer or fall days by the sea and cozy Christmastime holiday meals under the lights of a twinkling Christmas tree!

A pan of PJ Kabos stuffed tomatoes ready to be eaten with a view of the sea as company.
Perfect for a warm summer or fall day by the deep blue sea or a cold winter or spring day by a cozy fire!

 

The Following is a selection of


(Gold Bottle)
PJ Kabos Family Reserve Organic "Phenolic shot." It has an extremely high phenolic content and is very bitter - but good for you.

PJ KABOS “Phenolic Shot” (1000+ mg/kg), 2024/25 Harvest, USDA Organic Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Highly Bitter & Pungent Taste, Greece, Cold Extracted, 16.9 fl oz Bottle.

PJ Kabos Family Reserve Organic—"Phenolic Shot," is possibly the highest phenolic content available in a true extra virgin olive oil today. Meant to be taken as a shot or to drizzle over meals like salads, roasted vegetables, toast, fava, etc. to amplify both flavor and health benefits.



 

(Black Bottle)

An elegant & protective black bottle of PJ Kabos High Phenolic Robust Extra Virgin Olive oil with olives scattered around it. A finishing oil, cooking and baking oil and a phenolic shot.
PJ Kabos Family Reserve--Robust. It has a very high phenolic content.

PJ KABOS VERY HIGH PHENOLIC (600+ mg/kg), USDA ORGANIC Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kosher, Greece, Cold Extracted, 16.9 fl oz Bottle

PJ KABOS Family Reserve Organic - Robust, is an extra virgin olive oil that is very high in polyphenols and adds depth, character and great health benefits to every meal.



 

(White Bottle)

An elegant & protective white bottle of PJ Kabos Medium High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil with olives scattered around it. Finishing oil, cooking oil and a phenolic shot.
PJ Kabos Family Reserve Organic - Medium. It has a high phenolic content.

PJ KABOS 2024 Fresh Harvest, HIGH PHENOLIC (400+ mg/kg), USDA ORGANIC Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Kosher, Greece, Cold Extracted, 16.9 fl oz Bottle

PJ KABOS Family Reserve Organic - Medium, is an extra virgin olive oil that is high in polyphenols and adds a lovely taste and great health benefits to every meal.


 
(White Tin)
Tins of PJ Kabos High Phenolic Medium Extra virgin Olive Oil showing all sides of the easy-to-store & protective tin. A finishing, cooking oil and a phenolic shot.
PJ Kabos Family Reserve - Medium. It has a high phenolic content.

PJ KABOS 2024 Fresh Harvest, High Phenolic (400+ mg/kg), Premium Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Origin Greece, Kosher, Cold Extracted, 16.9 fl oz Tin

PJ KABOS Family Reserve - Medium, is an extra virgin olive oil in an easy-to-store tin that is high in polyphenols and adds a lovely taste and great health benefits to every meal.


 

Please enjoy having a look around our websites and PJ Kabos Amazon Store for more about our many high-phenolic olive oils, recipes, history, etc..

And follow along with us on Instagram for photos concerning olive oil production, our groves in Greece, articles about olive oil, family history and more.



 
PJ Kabos High-Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil: For those who want to be good to their bodies.

 

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