Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas) are simple a delicate leaves stuffed with a variation of ingredients that can be made with meat or enjoyed as a vegetarian option. Most commonly stuffed with a mixture of a meat and rice or rice and herbs for a more simple approach. They are commonly found in Greek and Mediterranean restaurants and are a wonderful addition to any dish or simply can be enjoyed alone.
If you have never tried Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas), you are in for quite a surprise. While it can be an acquired taste, when you love them, you really love them. Delicate leaves wrapped around a blended mixture of ground meat and rice mixture infused with lemony and warm flavors. Bring home a Mediterranean feel right to the comfort of your home. Enjoy these with a side of homemade Hummus, Garlic Sauce, Tzatziki and some warm Pita Bread or Naan. Stay tuned to soulofacook to learn some simple recipes on variations of Hummus and Garlic sauces that can be enjoyed with any of your favorites proteins and sides.
I have recreated Stuffed Grape Leaves after trying them several times. The flavors were simple enough to decipher. Tweaking it to my version made it even more worthwhile in creating them. I do enjoy the addition of meat with the rice as well as the vegetarian version and having an option to choose. I decided I wanted a bit more sustenance in every bite so meat it is. If you are looking for a meatless version then omit it and add some additional herbs. Easy fix. While it may seem like a complicated and difficult process to create this wonderful tasting recipe, it is quite simple to accomplish. The recipe is easy enough to follow and the only suggestion I would make would be as follows:
Make lots of them!
Make lots of them!
When you think you made enough, make more!
When you have your first bite.. you are definitely going to follow with another one and another. I promise!
Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)
Equipment
- Deep Pan with Lid
- Cutting Board
- Mixing Bowl
- Pot
- Knife
Ingredients
Protein
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef May use Ground Lamb or mixture of both in place of Ground Beef.
Produce
- 1 Onion Minced and sautéed until softened. Set aside to cool down.
- 1/4 cup Cilantro Chopped
- 1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 Lemons Sliced thinly.
Rice
- 1 cup Partially Prepared White Rice Cook until starts to soften but still has texture. Al dente. Partially preparing lessens the cooking time. Be sure so cool down prior to use.
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp Garlic Herb Seasoning
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Thyme May use fresh or dried.
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Oil
- Olive Oil
Other
- 1 Jar of Grape Leaves Should yield 30-35 Grape Leaves depending on the brand. Depending on how many you are making, you may need additional jar to line the pan prior to stacking Stuffed Grape Leaves.
- 2 cups Vegetable/Chicken Broth
Instructions
Grape Leave Preparation
- Gently remove Grape Leaves from jar and place in Colander. Rinse leaves well. Using a Sharp Knife, remove any stems that are sticking out away from the leaves. Set aside any torn ones as these can be used to line your pan.
Meat and Rice Mixture
- In a mixing bowl, add Ground Beef (or Lamb if using), Onion, Cilantro, Rice, Garlic Herb Seasoning, Onion Powder, Cumin, Thyme and a couple generous pinches of Salt & Pepper. Using a large mixing spoon or your hands, combine all ingredients together being sure everything is mixed up well.
Assembling Stuffed Grape Leaves
- Using the broken leaves if any and additional leaves, line the bottom of your pan with them.
- Lay your Grape Leaf down in front of you, shiny side down. Depending on the size of your leaf, place 1-2 tablespoons of Meat/Rice filling in the middle of leaf but closer to bottom. Gently fold the bottom over the Meat/Rice mixture. Fold over the sides and continue rolling the leaf up. Do not fold too tight but still a little snug as the Meat/Rice mixture will expand as is cooks and may break open the leaves. Place stuffed Grape leaf seam side down in pan on top of leaf layer.
- Repeat until all the leaves are stuffed and lined close together in pan. Depending on how many you are creating, you may have two layers. If I have additional leaves left over, I place then over the sealed grape leaves as well.
- Fill pan with Vegetable/Chicken Broth, add the lemon juice and add additional water to bring liquid up to barely cover Grape Leaves.
- Place sliced Lemons over the Grape Leaves.
- Drizzle with a little Olive Oil right over top.
- Place an inverted plate over the Grape Leaves to help prevent them from floating around and unwrapping.
- Bring to a boil then lower cooking temperature to medium to allow to simmer. Cooking process may vary between 1 hour or longer until leaves are tender and filling is cooked through.
- Remove from heat and set aside for 15-20 minutes to cool down.
Serving Instructions
- Grape Leaves (Dolmas) may be served along side your favorite Mediterranean dish, Hummus, Pita bread or all of thee above. You may enjoy these cold or hot as both options deliver a delicious option. Enjoy!!!
