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Close-up shoot of a portion of rice filling with 3 grape leaf rolls next to it
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5 from 4 votes

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolma)

Stuffed Grape Leaves, my take on the Middle Eastern Dolma Recipe, a fantastic dish that brings the whole family around the table. It's a simple vegetarian that uses a filling of rice and vegetables cooked in a vegetable broth of lemon, olive oil and tomato paste. It might be suitable for a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, but even meat lovers will love it!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Servings: 26 rolls
Calories: 70kcal
Author: Daniela Apostol

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 large carrot
  • 2 green onions
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 tomatoes
  • ½ cup chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • juice from 2 lemons
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cups water
  • 26 grape leaves (I used a 800 g jar of grape leaves in brine)
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Wash the rice under cold water until the water runs clean.
  • Finely chopped the green onions, carrot, tomatoes and parsley and mix with the rice.
  • Season with salt, pepper and paprika.
  • Rinse the grape leaves with cold water, then arrange one leaf at a time on a chopping board.
  • Add a tablespoon of the mixture in the middle of the leaf, bring the corners together, and roll it tightly.
  • Repeat with the remaining mixture and leaves.
  • Arrange the rolls onto a large sauce pan.
  • Mix 4 cups of boiling water with the lemon juice, olive oil and tomato purée and pour over the rolls.
  • Place a plate on top of the rolls to prevent them from unrolling while boiling.
  • Boil on a low to medium heat until the rice is cooked and the vegetables are soft, for at least 30-35 minutes.
  • Add more liquid if needed.

Video

Notes

  • To see the measurements in cups and ounces, please click on the US CUSTOMARY link.
  • The amount of ingredients listed can be adjusted depending on the number of servings you need, just click on the number next to SERVINGS.
  • Fresh leaves can be used, however, it's way easier to grape leaves from a jar, as they have been preserved in a brine to keep their freshness. Do rinse the leaves before using, just to get rid of the extra saltiness.
    You can use some more seasoning if you with, with mint or cumin being some good additions too, depending on your taste buds.

Nutrition

Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1483IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg