Middle Eastern Stuffed Potatoes (Batata Mahshi)
Batata Mahshi (or Batata Mahshiyeh) translates to “stuffed potatoes”, a beloved dish in Middle Eastern cuisine.
These tender potatoes are filled with a flavorful mixture of rice and meat, then slow-cooked in a tomato sauce infused with lemon and dried mint. The combination of savory, tangy, and aromatic flavors makes this dish truly irresistible—one that will have your family coming back for more!
Enjoy this classic Batata Mahshi recipe below—a flavorful Middle Eastern dish of stuffed potatoes baked in a fragrant tomato sauce!
Middle Eastern Stuffed Potatoes (Batata Mahshi)
Ingredients
- 18-20 small to medium size potatoes
- 500 gr ground beef
- 185 gr rice round
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 875 gr passata (pureed tomatoes)
- 3-4 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon dry mint
- 8 garlic cloves (2 grated, 6 whole)
- juice from half a lemon
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Prepare the potatoes: Wash and peel them. Using an apple corer or melon baller, hollow out the potatoes, leaving a thin shell and cutting a small base so they can stand upright.
- Season the potatoes: Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile prepare the filling.
The filling
- In a small pan, sauté the chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until softened. Let it cool.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, grated garlic (2 cloves), 2 tablespoons of passata, chopped parsley, rice, salt, and pepper. Add the cooled sautéed onions and mix well by hand until thoroughly combined.
- Stuff the potatoes: Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly. Fill them three-quarters full with the meat mixture to allow room for the rice to expand while cooking.
Assemble the dish
- Grease a baking dish with softened butter.
- Arrange the stuffed potatoes upright in the dish and scatter the remaining whole garlic cloves between them.
Prepare the sauce
- In a jug, combine the remaining passata, dried mint, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir well.
- Pour the sauce over the stuffed potatoes.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Serve hot straight out of the oven with a simple arugula salad (dressed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice).
Notes:
- Be careful not to overfill the potatoes, as the rice will expand while cooking.
- For a richer flavor, substitute part of the passata with beef or chicken stock.
- You can also use lamb instead of beef for a more traditional Middle Eastern taste.
Notes
Related: Karnıyarık: Turkish Stuffed Eggplant
Related: Dolma: Turkish Stuffed Grape Leaves
Related: Gemista: Greek Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers
Related: İmam Bayıldı (Ottoman Stuffed Eggplants)
Related: Cheese-Stuffed Kebabs (Kaserli Kebab)
