Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)

Delight your taste buds with the irresistible flavors of Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas), a timeless Mediterranean delicacy that’s both hearty and elegant. Tender grape leaves are wrapped around a fragrant filling of seasoned rice, fresh dill, mint, sautéed onions, and golden pine nuts, then slow-simmered in a bright, tangy olive oil and lemon broth. Perfect as an appetizer or a light vegetarian main course, these dolmas are bursting with rich, herbaceous notes and just the right hint of citrus. Whether served at room temperature or chilled, they pair beautifully with a wedge of lemon and make a stunning addition to any table. Prepare for a satisfying cooking experience that rewards you with a dish steeped in tradition and bursting with flavor!

Nutriscore Rating: 64/100

Prep Time:45 mins

Cook Time:60 mins

Total Time:105 mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 40 pieces grape leaves
• 1 cup rice
• 1.25 cups olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 0.25 cup fresh dill
• 0.25 cup fresh mint
• 0.25 cup pine nuts
• 0.5 cup lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups water

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This helps remove excess starch and prevent the rice from clumping.

Step 2

Finely chop the onion, dill, and mint. Set aside.

Step 3

In a large skillet over medium heat, pour in 1/4 cup of olive oil and cook the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Add the pine nuts to the onions and cook, stirring often, until they are golden brown, about 3 additional minutes.

Step 5

To the onion and pine nut mixture, add the rinsed rice, dill, and mint. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.

Step 6

Mix everything well to combine and remove from heat. Let the mixture cool slightly.

Step 7

Prepare the grape leaves by rinsing them if they are preserved in brine, and then pat them dry.

Step 8

Place one grape leaf, veined side up, on a work surface. Put a heaping teaspoon of the rice filling at the base of the leaf.

Step 9

Fold the sides over the filling and roll the leaf up tightly to enclose the filling. Continue with the remaining grape leaves and filling.

Step 10

Arrange the stuffed grape leaves snugly in a single layer in a large saucepan.

Step 11

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 cup of olive oil with the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Step 12

Pour the olive oil mixture evenly over the grape leaves, then add enough water to barely cover them (about 2 cups).

Step 13

Place a heatproof plate on top of the grape leaves to keep them snug and submerged.

Step 14

Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the rice filling is tender and the grape leaves are silky, about 60 minutes.

Step 15

Remove from heat and let the stuffed grape leaves cool in the saucepan.

Step 16

Serve the grape leaves at room temperature with lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1459.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1834.6

Total Fat 138.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 20.0g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 22.2g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 4812.2mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 142.5g	0%
Dietary Fiber 18.3g	0%
Total Sugars 39.6g
Protein 20.8g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 585.2mg	0%
Iron 13.9mg	0%
Potassium 1704.7mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 65.6%

Protein: 4.4%

Carbs: 30.0%