Stuffed Grape Leaves

 

     If you have been following me for any length of time, you might have come to the conclusion that I love food. Well, you wouldn’t be wrong about that. I don’t just love food, I love experiencing food from any and every culture I encounter. I even have an entire bookshelf devoted to cookbooks that include recipes from around the world and from ancient history. Some of my favorite recipes come from the Middle East, and this is one of my favorites. 

     In Greece, they are called Dolmades, in Turkey, they are called Dolmas, and in Lebanon, they are called Warak Enab. But here, we simply refer to this amazing appetizer as Stuffed Grape Leaves. Traditionally, these are served either hot or cold and for just about any occasion. I like to keep them in my fridge for a healthy and savory snack. But they do take a lot of time and effort. Though if you recruit your friends and/or family to help roll them, it goes by much faster. 

     Basic Recipe for Stuffing Grape Leaves

1 jar Grape Leaves about 60-70 in brine

Stuffing of your choice (recipes below)

½ cup Olive Oil

5-6 cups Water

¾ cup Lemon Juice

Prep Grape Leaves & Stuffing

    1. Remove the grape leaves from the jar, and soak them in a large bowl of boiling hot water for a few minutes. Drain the grape leaves in a colander and stack them on a plate.

    2. Prepare your stuffing (recipes below).

    3. Don’t forget to soak your rice in water for 15 minutes before preparing your stuffing.

Stuff & Wrap Grape Leaves

    1. To stuff and roll the grape leaves, lay a grape leaf flat on a cutting board, scoop out a little less than 1 teaspoon of the rice mixture into the center of the grape leaf.

    2. Carefully fold in the sides and loosely roll it like you would when making a wrap. Repeat until all the stuffing has been used and place the wrapped grape leaves on a tray while wrapping. It will make about 60 rolls.

Cook the Stuffed Grape Leaves

    1. Line the bottom of a large pot with sliced tomatoes (sliced potatoes are also a good option) and season with salt/pepper.

    2. Neatly arrange the stuffed and rolled grape leaves in rows, alternating directions, to completely cover the circumference of the pot. Make sure to tightly pack them in the pot to prevent them from floating up and unwrapping during cooking.

    3. Drizzle each layer with olive oil (you’ll need about ½ cup for the whole opt) and season with salt and pepper to taste.

    4. Place a plate upside down on top of the grape leaves in the pot. Next use something to weigh it down (a second plate works well or a bowl full of water). This will hold down the grape leaves in place, and prevent floating while they are cooking.

    5. Add enough water (about 5-6 cups) to completely cover the grape leaves and the plate. Then cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked.

    6. Add ¾ cup lemon juice on top of the grape leaves, then cook on low heat for an additional 45 minutes.

    7. Remove from heat and let rest for 30 minutes. Transfer to a dish and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

My Tips  

Rice- Most people use white rice for their grape leaves because it doesn’t take as long to cook. Using brown rice risks overcooking the leaves. If you want to give brown rice a go, try Thai or Basmati Brown Rice, both of which have shorter cooking times.

Fresh Grape Leaves- If you’re lucky enough to know someone that grows grapes, or are able to harvest your own. Blanch fresh leaves in boiling water for 5 minutes. This will make them much easier to roll.

Stuffing the Leaves- Don’t roll your leaves too tight or add too much stuffing. You’re rolling uncooked rice which will expand as it cooks. While we all love the stuffing, we don’t want it to expand too much and cause a huge mess.

Lining the Bottom of the Pot- Don’t forget to line the bottom of your cooking pot before putting the grape leaves in to cook. If you don’t then you risk burning the bottom layer of grape leaves. Some traditional things used to do this include sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, sliced potatoes, more grape leaves, and the occasional rack of lamb (obviously not a vegetarian option).

Aren’t These Usually Made With Meat?- Yes and no. Each Mediterranean country has it’s own variety of traditional recipes for this dish. Some countries have multiple recipes. I prefer the Lebanese styles, both the traditional vegetarian stuffing and the traditional lamb/beef stuffing, so that’s what I based these recipes on.

And now, on to the stuffing recipes!

     

1. Traditional Vegetarian Stuffing

     Made with short-grain rice, tomatoes, parsley, green onions, green peppers, garlic and crushed red pepper, with lemon juice and olive oil. There are quite a few variations of this recipe from different countries, but this traditional Lebanese recipe is my favorite.

Traditional Vegetarian Stuffing

2 cups Short Grain Rice, pre-soaked for 15 minutes

1 large Tomato, finely chopped

1 bunch Parsley, finely chopped

1 bunch Green Onions, finely chopped

¼ Green Pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

¼ cup Olive Oil, divided

Instructions:

     Combine the rice, tomatoes, parsley, green onions, green peppers, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle 1/4 cup of the olive oil over the mixture. Toss well to combine. 

2. Some Like It Hot!

     Spicy food can be such a treat! This recipe is such a great alternative to the traditional one without losing any of the traditional flavors. This one is especially great served with plain Yogurt.

Hot and Spicy Stuffing

2 cups Short Grain Rice, pre-soaked for 15 minutes

1 large Tomato, finely chopped

1 bunch Parsley, finely chopped

1 medium Red Onion, finely chopped

1 Jalapeno (or try a hotter pepper for more heat), finely chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

½ teaspoon Cayenne, ground

Salt and Pepper to taste

¼ cup Olive Oil, divided

Instructions:

     Combine the rice, tomato, parsley, red onion, peppers, garlic, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle 1/4 cup of the olive oil over the mixture. Toss well to combine. 

3. Lovely Lentils

     This version uses Lentils to give a nice protein boost. 

Lentil Stuffing

1 cup Short Grain Rice, pre-soaked for 15 minutes

1 cup Green Lentils, pre-soaked for 15 minutes

1 bunch Parsley, finely chopped

1 medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon Cumin, ground

¼ teaspoon Cayenne, ground

Salt and Pepper to taste

¼ cup Olive Oil, divided

Instructions:

     Combine the rice, lentils, parsley, yellow onion, peppers, garlic, cumin, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle 1/4 cup of the olive oil over the mixture. Toss well to combine. 

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Stuffed Grape Leaves

     Grapes are grown as a staple food source throughout the world. Most people are familiar with the fresh fruit, and even the dried raisins. These are a great snack for people of all ages, and they're considered to be the best fruit to use for wine making. However, the leaves are also edible, and no one knows how to cook them like the Mediterranean cultures. Dolmades, dolmas, Warak Enab, these amazing little stuffed grape leaves go by a number of different names and have quite a few variations. All of which are absolutely delicious! Almost all Mediterranean countries have a version (or 10) of stuffed grape leaves, some with meat, some without. I'm going to share a few of my favorites with you today!

     Before I introduce you to the recipes, I want to talk about the most tedious, and sometimes difficult, part of this dish. Rolling the grape leaves. If you're working with fresh grape leaves, you may want to parboil them for 3-5 min. This leaves them nice and supple, and MUCH much easier to roll. Most of the canned leaves you may encounter at the store are already nice and pliable, but you may still want to dip them in some boiling water for a minute or two just to make sure the brine is all washed off. You want to make sure that the leaf is laid out flat with the veins facing upwards (some people prefer to roll the other way, do what makes you happy!). Make sure you trim off the stem, you don't want that bad boy poking through and ripping a hole in your leaf. Depending on the size of your leaves, you only want to put 1-2 tablespoons of stuffing in each. The rice will continue to expand in the cooking process and you want to make sure to leave enough room for that to happen. Place the stuffing close to where the stem was, in the center of the bottom section. I like to start with the right side, but you can start with the left if you prefer. Bring up the lower, right section of the leaf, over the stuffing towards the center. Repeat with the left side. It's ok if you see a little of the stuffing, it'll all be covered soon. Fold in the left section of the leaf over the lower left section you just folded. Then bring in the right side. Now, pretend you have a tiny burrito and start your roll. Start rolling from the bottom, keep it snug, but not too snug, you're still saving room for that rice. Plus, you don't want to rip it. When you've got it completely rolled up, give it a good, but gentle, squeeze in the palm of your hand. Just make sure that you place your rolls with the seam down while you cook them. This will keep them from unraveling in your pan. Lynn Livanos Athan has a good little tutorial on this at The Spruce Eats. There's also a trick you can use that may make the rolling a bit faster. You can find the video here.

     Once you've rolled all your grape leaves, then you need to put them in your pot to cook. Make sure you put something on the bottom first, either tomato slices, onions, slices of potatoes, or just some left over grape leaves. But if you don't do this, your beautifully rolled grape leaves will stick to the bottom of your pot.

As always, the following recipes are gluten free and vegan friendly.

1. Back to the basics!

Traditionally, grape leaves are stuffed with a combination of rice, herbs, and the option of ground beef and lamb. So here's a good traditional recipe, leaving out the meat. If you want to add that in, feel free to do so. Also, if you're trying to avoid Olive Oil, try using Avocado oil or Sunflower oil instead.

Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves

60 Grape Leaves, drained and rinsed twice

2 cups Rice

2 cups Olive Oil

2 large Onions, finely chopped

4 cups Water

juice of 3 Lemons

3 tbsp fresh Dill, chopped

1 ½ cup fresh Parsley, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tomato, sliced thick

1 Onion, sliced thick

3-4 Grape Leaves

Water to cover

Instructions:

Prepare your grape leaves. If you are lucky enough to find fresh ones, follow my instructions above. If you are using canned leaves, make sure you rinse them 1-2 times, the brine tends to be super salty. Lay them flat, on a plate, with a wet towel over them so they don't dry out.

For the stuffing, in a pan, over medium-high heat, saute the onions with 1 cup olive oil. Saute until they are just translucent. Rinse the rice and add rice to the onions. Saute for an additional 1 minute, then add in 4 cups of water and the juice of 1 lemon. Simmer this mixture for about 7 minutes. Add in all the herbs, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir. Remove it from heat and allow it to cool.

Line a large pot with 3-4 grape leaves, the sliced tomatoes, and sliced onions. Roll your grape leaves using my instructions from above. Place the rolled grape leaves, seam down, inside the pot, make sure to pack them in tight for each layer, to help prevent them from coming unrolled. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over your rolls, and add in a bit more salt and pepper if you want. Place an inverted plate on top of the grape leaves to keep them from floating up in the cooking process. Pour in the remaining lemon juice and enough water to just barely cover your rolls. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for an additional 30 minutes.

Traditionally, these vegetarian grape leaves are served cool or room temperature, with a squeeze of fresh lemon and some yogurt. However they're also delicious hot. Enjoy!

2. Lentils and Chickpeas.

I love using lentils and/or chickpeas in my grape leaves. They add a boost of protein and texture that just takes these delicious rolls to the next level. In the following recipe, I used lentils, but you can use chickpeas, fava beans, kidney beans, or really any cooked bean in place of the lentils.

Lentil Stuffed Grape Leaves

60 Grape Leaves, drained and rinsed twice

1 lb cooked Lentils

2 cups Rice

2 cups Olive Oil

2 large Onions, finely chopped

4 cups Water

juice of 2 Lemons

2 tbsp Zaatar

¼ tsp Allspice

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Potato, sliced thick

1 Carrot, sliced thick

3-4 Grape Leaves

Water to cover

Instructions:

Prepare your grape leaves. If you are lucky enough to find fresh ones, follow my instructions above. If you are using canned leaves, make sure you rinse them 1-2 times, the brine tends to be super salty. Lay them flat, on a plate, with a wet towel over them so they don't dry out.

For the stuffing, in a pan, over medium-high heat, saute the onions with 1 cup olive oil. Saute until they are just translucent. Rinse the rice and add rice to the onions. Saute for an additional 1 minute, then add in 4 cups of water and the juice of 1 lemon. Simmer this mixture for about 7 minutes. Add in all the lentils, herbs, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir. Remove it from heat and allow it to cool.

Line a large pot with 3-4 grape leaves, the sliced potatoes, and sliced carrots. Roll your grape leaves using my instructions from above. Place the rolled grape leaves, seam down, inside the pot, make sure to pack them in tight for each layer, to help prevent them from coming unrolled. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over your rolls, and add in a bit more salt and pepper if you want. Place an inverted plate on top of the grape leaves to keep them from floating up in the cooking process. Pour in the remaining lemon juice and enough water to just barely cover your rolls. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for an additional 30 minutes.

Traditionally, these grape leaves are served hot. They are also delicious at room temperature. I personally love eating these with fresh tomato slices and a bit of lemon juice. Enjoy!

3. Add in the good stuff!

This is my absolute favorite stuffed grape leaves recipe. There are so many good things added into the stuffing that it cannot be called “basic.” If you don't like one of these ingredients, simply substitute something you do like. For instance, if you don't like tomatoes in your grape leaves, try using green peas or corn instead. You could even chop up some boiled eggs, or tofu, and add that into the stuffing. The most important thing about any of my recipes, is that you have fun making it and you enjoy eating it!

Vegetable Stuffed Grape Leaves

60 Grape Leaves, drained and rinsed twice

1 Large Tomato, finely chopped

1 Zucchini, finely chopped

1 Medium Carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1-2 ribs of Celery, finely chopped

¼ Green Bell Pepper, finely chopped

3-4 Green Onions, finely chopped

2 cups Rice

2 cups Olive Oil

1 Large Red Onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp Minced Garlic

4 cups Water

juice of 2 Lemons

1 cup fresh Parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp Crushed Pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tomato, sliced thick

1 Onion, sliced thick

3-4 Grape Leaves

Water to cover

Instructions:

Prepare your grape leaves. If you are lucky enough to find fresh ones, follow my instructions above. If you are using canned leaves, make sure you rinse them 1-2 times, the brine tends to be super salty. Lay them flat, on a plate, with a wet towel over them so they don't dry out.

For the stuffing, in a pan, over medium-high heat, saute the red onion, garlic, celery, and carrots with 1 cup olive oil. Saute until the onions are just translucent. Rinse the rice and add rice to the onions. Saute for an additional 1 minute, then add in 4 cups of water and the juice of 1 lemon. Simmer this mixture for about 7 minutes. Add in all the remaining vegetables, herbs, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir. Remove it from heat and allow it to cool.

Line a large pot with 3-4 grape leaves, the sliced potatoes, and sliced carrots. Roll your grape leaves using my instructions from above. Place the rolled grape leaves, seam down, inside the pot, make sure to pack them in tight for each layer, to help prevent them from coming unrolled. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over your rolls, and add in a bit more salt and pepper if you want. Place an inverted plate on top of the grape leaves to keep them from floating up in the cooking process. Pour in the remaining lemon juice and enough water to just barely cover your rolls. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve these either hot or cold. With or without lemon juice and yogurt. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy these Stuffed Grape Leaves! Let me know what you think down below!