Dolmades: Greek Stuffed Grape Leaves with Rice
After making the best stuffed grape leaves with meat with my mom, I couldn’t resist making the meatless version too. Dolmades (or Dolmathes) are Greek stuffed grape leaves with rice, flavored with lots of herbs. They're best enjoyed as a meze with some tzatziki sauce on the side, and good company!
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 588kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups short grain rice see note#1
- 1 onion grated
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup lemon juice fresh
- ½ eggplant grated, you can also use artichoke
- 1 zucchini grated
- 1 carrot grated
- 1 potato small, grated
- 1 ½ tomato large, grated
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil divided in half
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- ⅔ bunch parsley finely chopped
- ⅔ bunch dill finely chopped
- ⅔ bunch spearmint finely chopped, or mint
- 120 grape leaves drained, see note#2
Instructions
- First, transfer the rice to a large sieve and rinse well until the water runs clear. Alternatively, soak it in a large bowl of water for 15 minutes.
- Using the coarse side of a box grater, grate the onion into a large bowl. Add the salt and lemon juice, and mix well.👉 This step helps mellow the onion and gives it a sweeter taste.
- In the same bowl, grate the eggplant, zucchini, carrot, potato, and tomato.
- Add half of the olive oil, the black pepper, and the rice, and mix well. Finely chop the green onions, parsley, dill, and spearmint. Add them to the rice mixture and mix again.
- Line the bottom of a pot with grape leaves (use any torn ones here). Alternatively, you can cover the bottom with thin slices of potato.
- Take one leaf and lay it flat with the vein side up (shiny side down). Place a spoonful of the rice filling near the stem and fold the part of the leaf near the stem over the filling. Fold in the sides and roll from stem to tip. Roll with medium pressure — not too tight, but not too loose — since the dolmades will expand as the rice cooks.👉 Use about 12–15 grams of filling for medium-sized leaves, and a bit more for larger ones.
- Arrange the dolmades seam-side down, packed snugly in the pot. Pour the remaining olive oil over the dolmades and add enough water to just cover the top layer halfway. If you like your dolmades tangy, you can also squeeze half a lemon over the pot.
- Place an inverted, heat-safe plate over the dolmades to keep them from unrolling. Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Check for doneness 30 minutes after boiling begins. If needed, add a splash of boiling water and continue cooking until the rice is al dente.Let them rest for 20 minutes to firm up before serving.
Video
Notes
Note #1: Risotto rice such as Arborio or Carnaroli works great. If you're in Greece use Karolina or Nyxaki varieties.
Note #2: 120 grape leaves (jarred) are approximately 21 oz (600 gr) drained.
Serve with tzatziki or this simple Greek yogurt dip for veggies.
If you love food wrapped in grape leaves don't miss the BEST Dolma: Stuffed Grape Vine Leaves with Meat.
A similar dish worth trying is this easy recipe for Gemista (stuffed peppers and tomatoes).
👉 Something went wrong with the recipe? Check out the troubleshooting guide below ⬇️, for how to fix the most common dolmades problems!
Nutrition
Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 1194mg | Potassium: 869mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 22974IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 310mg | Iron: 6mg
