Vegetarian Grape Leaves (Dolmades)
User Reviews
4.7
126 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
20 mins
-
Cook Time
40 mins
-
Total Time
1 hr
-
Servings
25 servings
-
Calories
106 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Mediterranean
Vegetarian Grape Leaves (Dolmades)
Report
Vegetarian Grape Leaves (Dolmades) are stuffed with a sautéed mixture of pine nuts, rice, onions, fresh dill, and mint, seasoned with lemon juice and zest. The partially cooked rice filling is cooled and wrapped in large grape leaves, which provide a slightly tangy and tender outer layer. The filling remains al dente to maintain texture inside the leaves, resulting in a balanced dish with nutty and herbal notes.
Description
This recipe for Vegetarian Grape Leaves (Dolmades) begins by toasting pine nuts until golden and sautéing minced onion in olive oil. The rice is added and cooked partially in vegetable broth until half done. Fresh dill, mint, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, and zest are stirred in for flavor. The mixture is seasoned with salt and pepper and cooled.
Large fresh or jarred grape leaves are prepared by trimming stems and any tough veins to make wrapping easier. The cooled filling is then wrapped in the grape leaves to form small parcels. This dish is traditionally served as an appetizer or side, showcasing a combination of earthy pine nuts, fresh herbs, and a bright citrus accent enclosed in tender grape leaves.
Essential tools for the process include a medium pot, a deep sauté pan, and a large pot for blanching and cooking the dolmades. These steps ensure the rice texture remains firm and the grape leaves are pliable without tearing.
Share:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
- 1 onion medium, minced
- 1/2 cup dill fresh minced
- 1/4 cup mint fresh, minced
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed, divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth yellow broth is best, divided
- 50 grape leaves large; fresh or jarred
- salt
- black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- mint leaf fresh mint leaves, lemon slices, and olives for garnish, optional
- lemon
- olive
Instructions
- Pour the pine nuts into a skillet and lightly toast them over medium heat till golden brown. Reserve.Pour ¼ cup of olive oil into a medium pot and heat it over medium. Add minced onion to the pot and sauté until soft. Add the rice to the pot and stir to combine. Sauté for another minute. Pour in ¾ cup vegetable broth and lower the heat; simmer the rice uncovered for about 10 minutes till the liquid is absorbed and the rice is half cooked. Do not cook the rice fully, or you’ll end up with mushy grape leaves! Just cook it to an al dente texture. Remove pot from heat.
- Add the minced dill, mint, toasted pine nuts, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to the pot of rice. Stir till all ingredients are well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. As the water is heating, trim the leaves by cutting the stems off, flush with the leaves. Trim any large, hard veins from the leaves. Place the leaves in the boiling water and let them soften for 3-5 minutes till they become pliable (fresh leaves may take a bit longer to soften than jarred).
- Drain, then cover the leaves with cold water. Drain the leaves again and pat them dry.Note: If using fresh leaves, try to use younger leaves (medium size)—they’ll be more tender than the very large leaves.
- Place a grape leaf shiny (smooth) side down, vein (bumpy) side up, on a flat surface like a cutting board.
- Place 2 tbsp of rice filling at the base end of the leaf, near where the stem was.
- Fold the stem end up over the filling.
- Fold the edges of the leaf inward.
- Continue rolling the leaf till it forms a neat rolled package. Do not roll too tightly; the rice will expand a little during cooking, and if you roll it too tight the leaf will unravel as it cooks.
- Squeeze the roll gently to seal.Repeat the process with the remaining leaves till all of the filling is gone.
- As you roll the leaves, you may find some leaves that are damaged or have large holes. Place those damaged leaves into the bottom of your saute pan to line it and create a bed for the stuffed leaves.
- Place the stuffed leaves in the bottom of the saute pan. Don’t be afraid to pack the leaves snugly; this will help keep the leaves intact as they cook. Make a single layer on the bottom of the pan. When you run out of room, make a second layer on top.
- Pour 1 cup of broth, ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, and ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice over the stuffed grape leaves. Heat the pan over medium until it begins to simmer (don’t boil, or the leaves will start to fall apart).Cover the pot. Let the grape leaves cook for 30-40 minutes. The leaves are finished cooking when they are fork-tender.
- Stuffed grape leaves can be served warm or cold, as-is or topped with a variety of sauces. I like serving them with fresh tzatziki or tahini sauce—recipes for both can be found on my blog. Store them in the refrigerator; they will keep for about 1 week.
Notes
- Prepare a medium pot, a sauté pan with high sides, and a large pot before starting to manage each cooking step efficiently.
- Trim grape leaf stems flush with the leaf and remove large veins for easier wrapping and better texture.
- Use yellow vegetable broth if possible for added flavor depth in the rice.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
106kcal
(5%)
Carbohydrates
11g
(4%)
Protein
1g
(2%)
Fat
6g
(9%)
Sodium
67mg
(3%)
Potassium
64mg
(1%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Vitamin A
1780IU
(36%)
Vitamin C
3.6mg
(4%)
Calcium
29mg
(3%)
Iron
0.5mg
(3%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 25servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 106 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 106kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Sodium | 67mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 64mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 1780IU | 36% |
| Vitamin C | 3.6mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 29mg | 3% |
| Iron | 0.5mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
126 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
