Perime të Mbushura (Albanian Stuffed Vegetables)

  • Prep and Stuffing - 30 minutes
  • Baking - 75 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Country: Albania
Baked stuffed tomatoes and zucchini with a browned top and herbs, submerged in a tomato sauce.

Perime të Mbushura literally means 'stuffed vegetables'. The Albanian version is particularly generous with herbs like mint and parsley, which give the filling a fresh, summer flavor. This dish is best served warm but is also delicious cold.

A key step is hollowing out the vegetables and then using the pulp in the sauce, which enhances the natural flavor of the dish. Rice is added to the filling raw and absorbs the juices and flavor during baking.

Ingredients

I. Vegetables and Sauce

  • 4 pcs Large, firm tomatoes
  • 2 pcs Zucchini (medium, thick)
  • 3 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 200 ml Water/Broth
  • 50 ml Olive Oil

II. Filling

  • 200 g Ground Meat (beef, veal, or mix)
  • 80 g Rice (short-grain, uncooked)
  • 1 small Onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Mint, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing Vegetables and Filling

Preheat the oven to 185 °C (365 °F).

Cut the tops off the tomatoes (like 'hats') and carefully scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Chop the pulp. Similarly, hollow out the zucchini.

Rinse the rice thoroughly and let it drain. Mix the ground meat with the chopped onion, garlic, rice, parsley, and mint.

Add half of the chopped tomato/zucchini pulp. Mix the mixture thoroughly by hand and season generously with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Stuffing and Baking

Stuff the vegetables with the meat mixture. Do not fill them all the way to the top, as the rice will expand. Optionally, cover with the tomato 'hats'.

Pour the rest of the chopped pulp into the baking dish. Mix the tomato paste with water/broth and a little olive oil, and pour this sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.

Place the stuffed vegetables in the sauce and drizzle the tops with the remaining olive oil.

Bake for approximately 70-80 minutes at 185 °C (365 °F) until the vegetables are soft and the rice has absorbed all the liquid. You may add a little more water during baking if necessary.

Step 3: Serving

Let cool for a while for the flavors to meld. Serve warm or at room temperature. Traditionally served with white bread and yogurt.