Greek Grape Leaves with Rice (Dolmadakia)

A completely plant-based take on the traditional Greek/Middle Eastern favorite, these Greek grape leaves are rolled and stuffed with fresh herbs, rice and a hint of lemon.

Becoming more plant-based has become a fun journey of exploration and adventure as my hubby and I (figuratively) travel the world in our cooking. We have so much fun trying new things but we always come back to the foods we grew up on: homemade Greek food. These Greek grape leaves are melt-in-your-mouth luscious rolls of rice and herbs for an extraordinary flavor.

The Mediterranean Diet

Presently, when you think of Greek food, a lot of our minds will conjure up images of a lamb on a spit, gyros, or big blocks of feta cheese. However, the stereotypical Greek image that is developing is losing. This new image is neglecting so many of the foods that make the Mediterranean “diet” one of the healthiest in the world.

The Mediterranean “diet” consists of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, whole grains and some fish, meat and dairy. It’s a mostly plant-based diet. Sitting around the kitchen table, you’d often hear how many of our ancestors grew up poor and thus, thrived on “peasant” foods like beans, grains and vegetables. They couldn’t afford meat – to them, it was more of a luxury. Coincidentally (or is it?), these “peasant” meals are made up of what are considered some of the healthiest food items.

We’re bringing back plants to the Mediterranean diet.

The Origins

While I am using a recipe that I have been making with my family for many years, dolmadakia/dolmades/dolma (which means “stuffed with”), stuffed grape leaves are not just attributed to Greek cuisine. Dolma have been documented in ancient Greek cooking but they are also documented with Middle Eastern origins. Grape leaves can be found in Greece, Lebanon, Syria, Israel and many more places in the Middle East. You can many variations of this dish, some vegetarian and some stuffed with rice and ground meat, some with nuts and some with not, and more. These slight variations make this dish extra fun!

The Ingredients

The grape leaves. First, the grape leaves that you use do matter. I have tried several brands and the one that never disappoints is Yergat. I usually get my jar of grape leaves at a local Mediterranean market but if you don’t have one, you can find Yergat grape leaves here!

The rice. Not all rice cooks the same! This is incredibly important because the type of rice you use will absolutely impact cooking time. For example, a more whole grain rice like red or brown takes much longer to cook. They also don’t absorb as much water so your water requirement may be impacted. I use jasmine rice and I highly recommend it for this dish.

The other reason I like to use white rice in this dish is because of it’s absorption. This rice absorbs the flavors of the herbs, lemon and olive oil unlike brown and red rice. When you bite into the grape leave, you want that tangy melded explosion of flavor!

The herbs. I do not recommend substituting with dried herbs. Fresh herbs are key in this recipe! Many grape leaves are made with meat. During the cooking process, the fat and flavor of the meat leaches out and gets absorbed by the rice. In this plant-based recipe, we want our rice to absorb the fresh earthy flavors and aromas of the herbs. The herbs are a multi-faceted experience of taste and smell. I use a combination of Italian parsley, dill and mint.

These grape leaves are so worth the time!

Some of my most favorite Greek meals, while they are plant-based and healthy, are NOT quick. Greek grape leaves are one such food but I promise, they are so worth it! Please read the entire recipe, directions and recipe notes before making.

Lastly, for help with rolling the grape leaves, I’ve included a video at the bottom of this post.

I dare you to jump in and make these with me – they will easily become a favorite and pretty soon, you’ll be rolling grape leaves like a pro!

Greek Grape Leaves with Rice (Dolmades)

Stella Scaramangos

A completely plant-based take on the traditional Greek/Middle Eastern favorite, these Greek grape leaves are rolled and stuffed with fresh herbs, rice and a hint of lemon.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Greek

Servings 50 grape leaves

Equipment

• Large oven-safe dish
• Skillet
• Large pot
• Measuring cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Cooking Spoons
• Cutting Board
• Chopping Knife
• Aluminum Foil

Ingredients

  

• 16 oz jar of grape leaves
• 1 1/2 cups white rice jasmine, preferably
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill or 1/2 bunch
• 1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley or 1 full bunch
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 large onion white
• 1 red onion
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 2 lemons
• 3-5 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 cup olive oil plus extra for drizzling
• salt + pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1.5 cup water

Instructions

 

• Thoroughly wash and then finely chop the parsley, dill, mint, scallions/onion and garlic.
• Sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil about 2-3 minutes. Then add the fresh herbs and scallions. Sauté all together for another 2 minutes until all have softened.
• Add the rice, salt and pepper, the juice from 1 lemon, and water. Sauté all together for about 3-5 minutes, until well incorporated and most of the water has been absorbed. Set aside to cool.
• Carefully take the grape leaves out of the jar. Gently open up and rinse the brine from the grape leaves. Gently separate the grape leaves, laying them out on a plate or pan.
• Preheat your oven to 425.
• Set a large pot of water on your stove top to boil while you roll grape leaves.
• Take a grape leaf and open it up. The vein of the grape leaf should be facing up to the ceiling (not facing your countertop). Take ONE teaspoon of rice filling for large leaves (size of your palm) and place towards the widest part of the grape leaf at the bottom. Begin to roll forward, gently tucking in the sides as you go. (Grape leaves will be rolled like little cigars with the ends tucked in).
• Lay them into the pan, packed tightly against each other so they don't move. You can use a glass pyrex or steel oven-safe pan (shape doesn't matter), as long as it's fairly deep, at least 2 inches.
• Once they're all packed on, drizzle a healthy dose of olive oil, add salt and pepper, and the juice from 1 lemon. Then pour BOILING water over your grape leaves until they are just covered.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 425 for 1 hour or until the water is almost completely gone and the rice is soft/cooked through. Best way to determine if it's cooked through is to try one! Uncover and place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes to get a little color.
• Serve and enjoy! You can serve cold or warm. I like to serve with a fresh drizzle of olive oil and a fresh lemon wedge.

Notes

1. Grape leaves can be delicate. You’ll want to handle with care, especially when first taking them out of the jar.

2. I would NOT subsitute the fresh herbs for dried herbs. Fresh herbs truly make the difference here because that is what is providing the most flavor for your dish.

3. When you’re rolling, you will come across grape leaves of all sizes. The average grape leaf needs only 1 teaspoon of filling (remember that rice expands when cooked!). For smaller leaves, drop down to half a teaspoon.

*** If your leaves are overfilled, they will unroll and open as the rice cooks.

4. If you have left over rice filling, you can simply lay it in a small pile in with the grape leaves and it will cook in the oven or cook separately in a saucepan as you would normally cook rice.

5. One jar will make roughly 50 grape leaves.

6. Do not fully cook the rice before baking. If you completely cook the rice, it will become very mushy in the oven.

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