Greek Meze and Appetisers
Piperies Florinis Gemistes Recipe (Stuffed Florina Peppers)
Πιπεριές Φλωρίνης γεμιστές pee-peh-ree-ES floh-REE-nees yeh-mee-STES · Piperies Florinis gemistes
In short
Piperies Florinis gemistes are roasted Florina peppers, the sweet, thin-walled red peppers grown around Florina in northern Greek Macedonia, stuffed with a feta and herb filling and baked until the cheese softens and the peppers turn tender and sweet.
Florina, a town in Greek Macedonia near the Albanian and North Macedonian borders, gives its name to a specific variety of red pepper grown across the surrounding region, thin-walled, notably sweeter and less bitter than a standard bell pepper, and sold jarred and roasted well beyond Greece's own borders as a genuinely well-regarded regional product.
Stuffing them with feta and baking is one of the simplest and best ways to show them off, letting the pepper's own sweetness and the cheese's salt do almost all the work. It is a meze dish through and through, small enough to eat in two or three bites and built to sit alongside olives and bread rather than as a full plate on its own.
Jarred whole roasted Florina peppers, already skinned and ready to fill, make this a genuinely quick dish; roasting fresh ones yourself takes longer but gives a fresher result if Florina peppers are in season where you are.
Key preparation steps
- Roast fresh peppers until charred, or use jarred whole roasted Florina peppers.
- Mix a simple feta and herb filling.
- Stuff the peppers carefully, keeping them intact.
- Bake until the cheese has softened and turned lightly golden.
Fresh peppers versus jarred
If using fresh Florina peppers, char them whole under a hot grill or over a gas flame until the skin blisters black all over, then seal in a bowl covered with a plate for ten minutes, which loosens the skin for easy peeling. Slit one side to remove the seeds, keeping the pepper otherwise whole.
Good quality jarred whole roasted Florina peppers, well drained, are a genuinely acceptable and much faster alternative, and are widely available even outside Greece given how well regarded the product is internationally.
The filling
Feta, mashed with a fork rather than left in a solid block, mixed with a little olive oil to loosen it, chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or dill, and a crack of black pepper, is the traditional filling. Some versions add a little cream cheese or Greek yoghurt to make the filling softer and easier to pipe or spoon in.
Season the filling with pepper rather than salt, since feta is salty enough on its own, and taste before adding any.
Stuffing and baking
Spoon the filling carefully into each pepper through the slit, being gentle since roasted peppers are delicate and tear easily. Arrange them slit-side up in a baking dish so the filling does not spill out.
Bake in a hot oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes, until the cheese has softened and turned lightly golden on top. Serve warm rather than piping hot, since the peppers hold their shape better once they have had a few minutes to settle.
Tips from my kitchen
Handle roasted peppers gently
They are delicate and tear easily once skinned. Support each one in your hand while spooning in the filling.
Jarred peppers are a genuine shortcut, not a compromise
Good quality jarred whole roasted Florina peppers are widely respected and save real time over roasting your own.
Season with pepper, not salt
Feta already carries plenty of salt. Taste the filling before adding any more.
Piperies Florinis Gemistes Recipe (Stuffed Florina Peppers)
Πιπεριές Φλωρίνης γεμιστές · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 25m
- Cook
- 30m
- Total
- 55m
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
- If using fresh peppers, char them whole under a hot grill until blackened, seal in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel. Slit one side and remove the seeds, keeping the pepper whole.
- Heat the oven to 200C fan 180C.
- Mash the feta with a fork, then mix in the olive oil, chopped herbs and a good grinding of black pepper until well combined.
- Carefully spoon the filling into each pepper through the slit.
- Arrange the stuffed peppers slit-side up in a baking dish, drizzle with a little extra olive oil, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is soft and lightly golden.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving warm.
Nutrition, per 2 stuffed peppers
- Calories
- 168
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Sat fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Piperies Florinis gemistes
What are Florina peppers?
A sweet, thin-walled red pepper variety grown around Florina in Greek Macedonia, notably sweeter and less bitter than a standard bell pepper, and well regarded as a jarred roasted product internationally.
Can you use regular red peppers instead?
Yes, roasted regular red bell peppers work as a substitute, though they will be slightly less sweet and thicker-walled than genuine Florina peppers.
Can you make these ahead?
Yes, stuff them up to a day ahead and refrigerate, then bake just before serving rather than baking and reheating, which can make the peppers watery.
