Dolmades (Greek Stuffed Grape Leaves)
This traditional Greek Dolmades recipe makes the most delicious, tender grape leaves stuffed with rice and fresh herbs. They can be made vegetarian or with ground meat for a delicious appetizer.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef or lamb (Can omit for vegetarian dolmades)
- 1 cup rice uncooked and rinsed
- salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup mint
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley and basil (can also use dill)
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 70 grape leaves fresh or jarred
Sauce (optional)
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion. Saute until they begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for another minute or so.
- Add the ground beef and brown it, breaking up any large pieces as it cooks.
- Once the meat is browned, add the fresh herbs, rice, and lemon juice and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Prepare fresh grape leaves by bringing a pot of water to a simmer and gently blanching them for a few seconds.
- Working with one grape leaf at a time, lay it out on a cutting board with the veins facing up (this will become the inside of the dolmades). Scoop about a tablespoon of the rice mixture into the center of the grape leaf. Fold in the sides of the grape leaf first and then, starting at the bottom of the leaf, begin to roll it up to form the dolmades. Repeat with the remaining dolmades.
- Arrange the dolmades into the bottom of a large pot. You can do this in multiple layers if you like. Fill with enough water to cover the dolmades and then place an inverted (upside down) plate on top (the plate will hold the dolmades together so that they do not open up while they cook).
- Simmer for 30 minutes or until they are cooked through.
- To make the optional sauce, mix the lemon juice and corn starch in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the juice from the dolmades (the water) and mix it together. Then pour it over the dolmades. Serve with slices of lemon. [Note: dolmades can also be served with avgolemono sauce or tomato sauce. For notes on how to do this, read the blog post above.]
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
Calories: 38kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 5mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 835IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.3mg
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
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