How to Make Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves

The humble stuffed grape leaf goes by many names: Warak Enab in Lebanon, Dolma in Turkey, and Dolmades in Greece, just to name a few. Whatever you call it, the stuffed grape leaf has a long cultural history in Mediterranean countries. It's been a tradition for countless households, with the earliest accounts dating back over two millennia. Today, stuffed grape leaves are a staple in Mediterranean cuisine as a mezze (a small dish similar to an appetizer). 

Below, we’ll share a simple vegetarian recipe for stuffed grape leaves with rice, traditional Lebanese spices, and vegetables. We’ll also explain how to roll the leaves properly and share some tips on how best to serve them.

Authentic Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves Recipe

You’ll need a large workspace for this recipe, such as a wide-set cutting board, a cookie sheet, or a clear countertop. Wrapping grape leaves is also somewhat time-consuming, so having a helper is best. This recipe makes about 30 stuffed leaves, so be prepared to get wrapping!

Ingredients:

• 30 pickled grape leaves 
• 1 cup of rice 
• ½  beefsteak tomato, finely chopped
• ½ beefsteak tomato, sliced
• ¼ cup of fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped mint 
• ¼ cup of red onion 
• ⅔ teaspoon of seven spices 
• ⅛ tsp cinnamon 
• Salt 
• Pepper
• 1 cup Olive oil
• ½ cup of lemon juice 
• 1 medium potato, thinly sliced

Process

1: Slice a single, large beefsteak tomato in half. Finely chop one half and thinly slice the other. 

2: Chop parsley, and onion.

3: Add rice, chopped ingredients, ¼ cup of lemon juice, seven spice, cinnamon, 1 tsp of salt, ¼ tsp of pepper, and ¼ cup of olive oil to a large bowl. Stir and then set aside. 

4: Remove about 30 grape leaves from the jar. 

5: Rinse leaves in cold water. 

6: Remove the large central stem from each leaf. 

7: Roll filling into each leaf: 

• See “Rolling” below.

8: Place tomato slices in a large cooking pot until the bottom is covered. 

9: Place potato slices on top of tomato slices until covered. 

10: Place the grape leaf rolls side by side in layers atop the potatoes.

• Apply a thin olive oil, salt, and pepper coating between each layer.

11: For about 1 cup of rice, add about 2.5 cups of water and cook until tender. 

12: Drizzle the remaining lemon juice once cooked. 

13: Plate and serve

Rolling

1: Place the leaf vein side up (the shiny side should be down).

2: Add about one tablespoon of filling in a thin line from left to right along its center. 

3: Tightly fold the left and right sections of the leaf inward.

4: Roll the bottom of the leaf inward, tightly tucking the end under the filling. 

5: Tightly roll upward, tucking the sides in as you go.

Tips for Making Great Stuffed Grape Leaves 

Don’t Overstuff: Finding the right filling amount can be tricky. Too little, and the leaves won't wrap tightly; too much, and they’ll burst when the rice expands. Between one and two tablespoons is about right for most grape leaves. But grape leaves aren't perfectly consistent, so use your best judgment and don't be afraid to adjust if it doesn't feel right when wrapping. 

Rinse Your Rice: Always rinse your rice! Rinsing rice removes excess starch and creates a looser, fluffier result. It also helps prevent that sticky film that can ruin the texture of your filling.

Let The Rolls Rest Before Serving: Resting allows the leaves to cool, absorb the remaining juices, and settle. 

Avoid Brown Rice: Brown rice takes longer to cook; this extra stewing time can result in overcooked leaves. 

Want Wrapped Grape Leaves for Your Next Celebration?

Wrapped grape leaves are some of the most popular mezze in our catering department. If you want to try some stuffed grape leaves, you can order them at Saladelia’s main location in Durham, NC. Or, if you want some stuffed grape leaf hors d'oeuvres for your next event, you can contact our catering department.