Stuffed grape leaves, also known as dolmas or dolmades, are arguably the most iconic Mediterranean food out there. Homemade dolmas are one of my personal favorites, they will always remind me of my mother’s Mediterranean kitchen. I first learned to make them as a young teen in my mother’s Egyptian kitchen. It’s the sort of food that’s more fun to make in groups. So, the ladies of the family would gather around our small kitchen table, stuffing and rolling grape leaves, while catching up on life. Great memories! If you’ve tried dolams at your local Greek or Mediterranean restaurant, you’re in for a treat! I’m about to show you step-by-step how to make the BEST stuffed grape leaves in your own kitchen for a fraction of the price. And you might want to grab a few friends to help you with this fun activity.
What are Dolmas: Stuffed Grape Leaves?
The word Dolma, from the Turkish verb Dolmak, basically means “to be filled,” referring to all sorts of stuffed foods from grape leaves to stuffed tomatoes, zucchini, or even bell peppers. Now, you’ll find many variations of stuffed grape leaves recipes, from Turkey and Greece to Lebanon, and Egypt where it’s called Warak Enab (Grape Vine Paper.) Some recipes containing meat, others vegetarian. Some containing tomato sauce, others cooked in a lemony broth. I have yet to meet a stuffed grape leave, dolma, or Greek dolmades that I didn’t love, but this recipe is my absolute favorite. What’s in stuffed grape leaves? In this recipe, grape leaves are stuffed with a tasty meat and rice mixture, seasoned with warm spices (allspice and cumin) and loaded with fresh herbs in the form of parsley, dill and mint. Then, once stuffed, the grape leaves are cooked in a tasty lemony broth. I love to serve these dolmades with a side of Greek tztatziki sauce and Greek salad or tabouli for a light meal. But I have lots more ideas for you below, so keep reading on!
How to Make Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)
Step 2: Prepare the Stuffing
The stuffing here is made of rice, cooked ground beef, and a few chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, and mint). First, rinse the rice and soak in water for 20 minutes (this is an important step, read on for more tips.) Then drain well. And while the rice is soaking cook the meat. Sautee finely chopped onions, add the meat and cook until fully browned. Be sure to drain any excess fat, then season the meat with kosher salt and pepper, allspice and cumin (so tasty!) Let cool.
Combine the meat, rice, and fresh herbs. Add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek EVOO) and toss to combine. Add pinch of kosher salt.
Step 3: Stuff and Roll Grape Leaves
I like to start by preparing my cooking pot so that I can arrange the grape leaves as I stuff them. Lightly oil the pot with some extra virgin olive oil, then add a few layers of grape leaves and top with sliced tomatoes. This protects the stuffed grape leaves touching the bottom of the pot from scorching.
To stuff grape leaves, work one leaf at a time. Lay the leaf flat on a cutting board with the more textured side facing you. Cut off the stem. Take a heaping teaspoon of the rice stuffing mixture (a little bit less than 1 tablespoon) and place in the center of the leaf (close to where stem was).
Fold the sides over the filling and roll, keep tucking the left and right sides as you roll (think of this like you’re rolling spring rolls or cigars.)
Fold and roll grape leaves tightly enough but not too tight so the rice has room to expand as it cooks.
Step 4: Assemble Grape Leaves in Cooking Pot
Neatly arrange the grape leaves in rows, seam-side down, in your prepared pot, covering the circumference of the pot.
Then place a small plate inverted on top (this helps keep them in place while cooking.) Boil the water or broth and pour over the grape leaves, arriving at the top layer and somewhat covering (about 4 cups liquid, maybe a little more.)
Step 5: Cook Grape Leaves on Stovetop
Cover the pot with its lid and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Uncover and remove the plate, then pour juice of 2 lemons. Cover again with the lid (no need for the plate at this point), cook on low heat for 30 to 45 more minutes or until fully cooked. Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes, uncovered, before transferring to serving platter.
Tips for Making this Grape Leaves Recipe
I’ve been making grape leaves with my mom since my young teen years, she taught me a few important tips for making grape leaves. Here they are:
- Soak The Rice in Water Before Using in the Stuffing. Two important ingredients of our grape leaves stuffing here are cooked ground beef and rice. It’s important to rinse the rice well to get rid of excess starch which causes rice to be sticky. Then soak the rice for 20 minutes or until you can break one grain of rice by pressing it between your index finger and your thumb. This way, your rice cooks evenly as the interior of the grain actually cooks before the exterior looses its shape. (I do the same when I cook my Lebanese rice and Greek lemon rice, works every time!)
- Do NOT Over Stuff the Grape Leaves! Don’t over-stuff the grape leaves, remember that the filling is mostly of rice and it will expand as it cooks.
- Roll tightly BUT allow for room for expansion. Roll the grape leaves tightly enough, so that they don’t unravel or become undone while cooking, but again remember rice will expand as it cooks so don’t fold too tightly or the rice won’t cook properly.
- Keep the Grape Leaves from Floating or Unraveling While Cooking. To do this, make sure the grape leaves are assembled in your pot with the seam-side down. Then, add a small inverted plate on top of the assembled grape leaves in the pot to help keep them intact and prevent them from floating while cooking. Once the liquid has been absorbed, you can remove the plate to finish cooking as instructed.
- Let Cooked Grape Leaves Rest for 30 Minutes before Serving. I know, it’s so hard not to immediately dig into those tasty grape leaves! But for best results, allow them to rest for 20 to 30 minutes so that any remaining liquids are absorbed and the leaves set nicely, plus they just taste better.
Vegetarian Grape Leaves Option
Since I published this post, I’ve received a number of requests asking for a vegetarian grape leaves recipe. I plan to put out a full tutorial on that, but here is essentially what you need to make this recipe vegetarian:
The difference in vegetarian grape leaves is obviously in the stuffing mixture. You will need to omit the meat and add 1/2 cup more rice. Sautee the onions (no meat this time) until translucent. And add onions to the rice. Add spices (allspice and cumin) and pinch of salt and add the fresh herbs. Mix to combine and use this vegetarian mixture in the recipe as outlined.
Where to Find Grape Leaves?
Can I use Fresh Grape Leaves to make Dolmas?
If you’re lucky enough to find fresh grape vine leaves, by all means, you should use them to make these dolmas. To use them in this recipe, first be sure to wash them well, then blanch them in boiling hot water. Remove from water using a slotted spoon and place them in a colander to fully cool and drain. From there, you can use them as indicated in the recipe. And if you have any extra, try using them to wrap Greek meatloaf!
What to Serve with Stuffed Grape Leaves
People often ask me if they should serve dolmas or stuffed grape leaves cold or hot. And what to serve with stuffed grape leaves? Traditionally, Greek dolmas, particularly the meatless kind, are served at room temperature or slightly cooler as part of Mezze! That’s never a bad idea, and don’t forget some Tztaziki, creamy hummus, or some smoky Baba Ganoush to serve along. But, since these are stuffed grape leaves with meat, you can absolutely serve them warm as the main course with a side of Tzatziki (or plain yogurt) and Greek salad or tabouli! You can also serve them as a next to Zucchini Fritters (Kolokithokeftedes); Greek lamb; grilled lamb chops; roast chicken; or Souvlaki!
Watch the video for how to make them:
SHOP OUR ONLINE SHOP FOR QUALITY OLIVE OILS, ALL-NATURAL SPICES AND MORE! *This recipe first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2014 and has been recently republished with new media and information for readers benefit. Enjoy! 4.5 from 55 reviews Prepare the Stuffing Stuff Grape Leaves, Assemble, and Cook To Serve
