Greek Stuffed Zucchini (Kolokithakia Gemista) with Rice, Herbs & Avgolemono
- Margaret Pahos
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
There’s nothing more comforting than a pot of Greek Stuffed Zucchini (Gemista) gently simmering away on the stove. This traditional Mediterranean recipe features tender hollowed zucchinis filled with aromatic rice, fresh herbs, and creamy feta, all finished with a silky egg-lemon (avgolemono) sauce that gives the dish its signature brightness. It’s the kind of meal that feels like it came straight from yiayia’s kitchen. Simple ingredients, nourishing flavours, and a whole lot of heart. Naturally gluten-free and surprisingly easy to prepare, this authentic kolokithakia gemista is perfect for weeknight cooking, family dinners, or anyone who loves Greek food that’s fresh, comforting, and full of flavour. Let's start cooking!
Story Behind the Recipe
This is one of those dishes I grew up with, the kind that always appeared on the table without anyone thinking twice about it. So later in life, when I made it for guests, I honestly expected everyone to know it already. But no one had ever tried it, and the more people I asked, the more I realised that almost no one in my circle had ever made stuffed zucchini with avgolemono like this.
Even my mum couldn’t remember who taught her. It was just something our family always cooked, the kind of recipe that quietly becomes part of your routine without ever being written down or talked about. And that’s exactly why I wanted to share it here.
It’s simple, comforting, full of flavour, and deserves far more attention than it gets. If you’ve never made it before, I think you’ll love how wholesome, bright, and satisfying it is, and I hope it becomes one of those dishes that naturally finds a place in your own home too.
Helpful Tips for Perfect Greek Stuffed Zucchini
Choose medium zucchinis – Smaller zucchinis don’t hold enough filling, and oversized ones can become too soft. Medium-sized (about 10 cm long) hold their shape best.
Use a small spoon or your fingers to stuff – This gives you the most control and helps you gently guide the filling into the hollowed centres without tearing the zucchini.
Keep everything upright – Nestling potato pieces between the zucchinis helps keep them standing and also absorbs flavour beautifully.
Use short-grain rice – It becomes tender and creamy without turning mushy. Long-grain rice won’t give the same texture.
Don’t skip the herbs – The mint, dill, parsley, and green onions give the dish its signature bright, fresh flavour.
Let the avgolemono rest – After adding it to the pot, a few minutes of gentle simmering (not boiling) keeps the sauce silky and prevents curdling.
Taste the broth – The cooking liquid becomes part of the sauce, so adjust the seasoning before adding the avgolemono if needed.
Make ahead friendly – The zucchinis actually taste even better the next day as the flavours develop and the sauce thickens slightly.
Watch How to Make It
Other Recipes that use Zucchini
Greek Stuffed Zucchini (Kolokithakia Gemista) with Rice, Herbs & Avgolemono
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
Serves 4-5
Pot 18cm in diameter
INGREDIENTS
For the zucchini:
10 medium zucchinis, approximately 10cm in length and 4-5cm in width (approximately 1.5kg total weight)
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 6 pieces each
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper (to serve)
For the filling:
¼ cup olive oil
1 brown onion, grated or finely chopped
⅔ cup (130g) short grain rice
½ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
½ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
100g Greek feta, crumbled
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup water
For the egg-lemon sauce (Avgolemono):
1 large egg
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 cup reserved cooking liquid from the zucchini
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare the zucchini
Trim the ends of each zucchini straight so they sit flat. Using an apple corer, carefully hollow out the centre of each zucchini, leaving a thin layer of flesh next to the skin without piercing through. Finely chop ½ of the scooped-out flesh and set aside (Don’t discard the remaining flesh, it’s perfect for adding to an omelette or frittata).
2. Make the filling
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened. Add the reserved zucchini flesh and increase the heat. Add the rice, mint, dill, parsley, green onions, garlic and water. Season with onion salt, sea salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high until all the water is absorbed, then remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add the feta and combine well until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
3. Assemble in the pot
Drizzle a little olive oil on the bottom of a pot that will fit all the zucchini and potatoes. Arrange the hollowed zucchini shells upright in the pot, fitting them snugly side by side. Nestle the potato pieces in and amongst the zucchini to hold them steady and upright.
4. Stuff the zucchini
Using a small teaspoon, carefully fill each zucchini shell with the rice mixture. Drizzle each generously with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
5. Cook
Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Carefully pour boiling water into the pot until it reaches half way up the zucchini. Place the pot over high heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Make the egg-lemon sauce
Carefully ladle 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid from the pot into a heatproof jug. Then, in a tall, narrow container, use an immersion blender to blend the egg until frothy. Add the lemon juice and cornflour, then blend again. With the blender running, slowly pour in the hot cooking liquid. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the egg lemon sauce back into the pot, over the stuffed zucchini and cover. Simmer on low for a couple of minutes, then remove from heat and allowing the zucchini and potatoes to absorb the flavours of the sauce.
7. Serve
Carefully transfer the zucchini to serving plates, and add a few potato pieces to each plate. Generously spoon the egg-lemon sauce over the zucchini and potatoes. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
Have you tried this recipe?
Please leave me a rating or share it with me at @CreateCookShare
Margaret Pahos @CreateCookShare
