Dolmathes (aka stuffed grape leaves)

Dolmathes is a staple in Greece. Wonderful and flavorful little bundles of joy! You can make them with meat or just with rice. A great vegetarian option. We enjoy both but the recipe here is for meat stuffed grape leaves. You can use jarred grape leaves (any brand will do) or prepare your own with fresh grape leaves by boiling them with salt and lemon for about 10-15 minutes and then drain and rinse and leave to cool. You don’t want the leaves to fall apart, so don’t over boil them. If you are not a fan of grape leaves you can make the same filling but roll with cabbage. Just blanch the larger pieces of cabbage in boiling water until semi-tender and then drain and cool.

You can also boil your jarred grape leaves with some salt and lemon for a few minutes, if you don’t think they are tender, but you do not need to do this. Also, I use 90% lean ground beef, but you can substitute ground chicken, if you prefer, or do a 1/2 lamb and 1/2 beef mixture…what ever your taste buds desire.

The ingredients are simple. You just need:

• 1 jar of grape leaves (16oz)
• 1.5 lbs of ground beef (or your preferred substitution)
• 3/4 cup of white rice (short, medium or long grain)
• 1 medium onion, grated or finely chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped (at least 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced (or 1/3 cup grated onion)
• 2 tablespoons mint, chopped (optional)
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of salt, to taste
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of pepper, to taste
• 3 lemons (1 thinly sliced and 2 zested and juiced)
• 3/4 cups olive oil, plus a drizzle
• 4-6 cups chicken, vegetable or beef broth and/or water

Steps:

1. Rinse and drain grape leaves, set aside. Reserve about 6 to 8 imperfect leaves aside, you will need these to line the pot later.
2. Combine ground meat, rice, grated onion, chopped dill, chopped parsley, sliced green onions, chopped mint, salt and pepper and 1/2 the lemon zest in a bowl and mix well.
3. Lay a grape leave (or several at a time), vein side up and point facing away from you (stalk end towards you) on a clean flat surface (cutting board or clean counter) and put about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture towards the stalk end…give or take depending on how big the grape leave is.
4. Fold top part of the grape leave over the meat mixture and then fold in both sides and roll up from top (stalk side) to bottom. Do this until your mixture runs out or your grape leaves run out. See pictures below.
5. Line the bottom of a heavy pot with a drizzle of olive, then layer the 6-8 imperfect grape leaves on the bottom of the pot.
6. Layer the lemon slices randomly over the leaves then start arranging the rolled up stuffed grape leaves around the pot all the way into the center, in a snug fashion. Once you’ve filled one layer then start another layer, and so on until you’ve put all of them in the pot.
7. Once done layering, pour olive oil onto grape leaves, then the lemon juice and rest of the zest, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and then place a plate, that fits the pot almost perfectly, over the grape leaves.
8. Slowly pour broth and/or water onto the plate so it slowly trickles into the stuffed rolls. Keep adding liquid until you see the liquid right at the rim of the plate.
9. Turn heat to medium and bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 50-60 minutes, depending on how thick you made the rolls.

You can top your stuffed grape leaves with a simple lemon sauce, tzatziki or just squeeze some additional lemon juice onto them. See links above for recipes to those.

Kali Orexi! Means “good appetite” in Greek.

Dolmathes

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Greek

Ingredients

  

• 1 jar of grape leaves 16oz
• 1.5 lbs of ground beef or your preferred substitution
• 3/4 cup of white rice short, medium or long grain
• 1 medium onion grated or finely chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh dill chopped (at least 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 3 green onions thinly sliced (or 1/3 cup grated onion)
• 2 tablespoons mint chopped (optional)
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of salt to taste
• 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of pepper to taste
• 3 lemons 1 thinly sliced and 2 zested and juiced
• 3/4 cups olive oil plus a drizzle
• 4-6 cups chicken, vegetable or beef broth and/or water

Instructions

 

• Rinse and drain grape leaves, set aside. Reserve about 6 to 8 imperfect leaves aside, you will need these to line the pot later.
• Combine ground meat, rice, grated onion, chopped dill, chopped parsley, sliced green onions, chopped mint, salt and pepper and 1/2 the lemon zest in a bowl and mix well.
• Lay a grape leave (or several at a time), vein side up and point facing away from you (stalk end towards you) on a clean flat surface (cutting board or clean counter) and put about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture towards the stalk end…give or take depending on how big the grape leave is.
• Fold top part of the grape leave over the meat mixture and then fold in both sides and roll up from top (stalk side) to bottom. Do this until your mixture runs out or your grape leaves run out. See pictures below.
• Line the bottom of a heavy pot with a drizzle of olive, then layer the 6-8 imperfect grape leaves on the bottom of the pot.
• Layer the lemon slices randomly over the leaves then start arranging the rolled up stuffed grape leaves around the pot all the way into the center, in a snug fashion. Once you’ve filled one layer then start another layer, and so on until you’ve put all of them in the pot.
• Once done layering, pour olive oil onto grape leaves, then the lemon juice and rest of the zest, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and then place a plate, that fits the pot almost perfectly, over the grape leaves.
• Slowly pour broth and/or water onto the plate so it slowly trickles into the stuffed rolls. Keep adding liquid until you see the liquid right at the rim of the plate.
• Turn heat to medium and bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 50-60 minutes, depending on how thick you made the rolls.