Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves (a.k.a Dolmas or Dolmades) is a Turkish dish that is also very popular in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. This dish is known as "Etli Yaprak Sarma" in Turkey and is made with minced meat, fresh herbs, and rice wrapped in vine leaves.
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Turkish cuisine has many recipes for stuffed (dolma) and wrapped (sarma) vegetable/meat dishes such as Biber Dolmasi | Turkish Stuffed Peppers, Karniyarik - Stuffed Aubergine with Mince, Rice Stuffed Chicken, and Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant). They all are made with different ingredients and require a variety of skills.
What Are Dolmas?
Dolma is the general name of a very popular Turkish/Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dish made with stuffed leaves and/or vegetables.
You can fill (or wrap) grape leaves, chard, or cabbage leaves.
These types of dolmas are also called "Sarma" in Turkish. Sarma comes from the Turkish verb "sarmak" which means "to wrap". Check my Lahana Sarmasi - Turkish Cabbage Rolls recipe if you want to learn more about how to stuff cabbage leaves.
Dolma can be made with various vegetables such as eggplants (aubergines), onions, zucchinis (courgettes), and bell peppers.
The filling for the dolmas also varies by region or preference. Some recipes contain meat, while others are vegetarian. Some are cooked in tomato sauce, others cooked in a lemony broth.
Turkish Dolmas vs Greek Dolmades
Dolmas also referred to as dolmades, are possibly the most popular dish in the Balkans, Middle East, and the Mediterranean.
The word dolma comes from the Turkish verb "dolmak", which means to fill. Dolmas is plural for dolma in Turkish, the same as dolmades in Greek. They both are the same in principle, with only a few differences.
Turkish dolmas usually contain a small amount of tomato paste or grated tomatoes and pine nuts (vegan Yaprak Sarma) whereas Greek dolmades are usually heavy on fresh herbs and replace pine nuts with almonds.
Also, some Turkish recipes replace rice with bulgur which is not a common ingredient used in Greek dolmades recipes.
Why This Recipe Works?
- This Turkish dolma dish is not only filling and delicious but is also versatile.
- You can make a big batch of meat dolmas and freeze them for up to 3 months.
- These healthy and hearty Turkish stuffed leaves might take a bit of time to prepare but it is very easy to make them with step-by-step pictures and instructions.
- If you love healthy Mediterranean recipes like Mediterranean Green Beans (Taze Fasulye), Barbunya (Turkish Style Borlotti beans), and Mucver (Crispy Zucchini Fritters), you are definitely going to love this delicious Turkish Dolmas recipe.
- You can prepare the filling for dolma a couple of days in advance and keep it refrigerated until you need them.
- One portion of Stuffed Grape Leaves has only 467 kcal!
Ingredients and Substitutes
Fresh vs Preserved Grape Leaves
You can use either fresh grape leaves or preserved ones. If you are able to find fresh leaves, I’d definitely suggest making the dolma this way.
Although using the fresh leaves adds extra time and steps to the recipe, the flavor of dolmas is much fresher, which I prefer. If you can get hold of fresh vine leaves, wash them and blanch them for a minute or two in boiling water to soften them and make them easier to roll.
It is much easier to find preserved grape leaves and you don't need to prepare them. The only thing you need to do is to rinse them well to remove the excess salt before stuffing them.
- Minced meat - I typically use beef or lamb mince with a minimum of 30% fat content but you can use lean minced beef and add olive oil to make it lighter and healthier. Alternatively, you can use finely chopped lamb or beef meat.
- Rice - Any short-grain rice would work with this recipe. Make sure you wash the rice under running cold water to get rid of the starch.
- Onions - It adds great flavor to the meat stuffing. You can use finely diced brown, yellow or white onion. Shallots would work great as well.
- Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes and bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it from Amazon.
- Herbs - I use a mixture of dill and parsley. You can also use basil, oregano, mint, or chives.
How to Make Dolma?
Rolling grape leaves may take a little bit of time but it is very easy to make them. To achieve the best results you need to follow a few simple steps and tips:
Prepare the Grape Leaves
When buying grape leaves, make sure that the leaves are flexible enough and don’t have very hard veins.
If using fresh grape leaves, wash them thoroughly and blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes, until they are softened and easy to fold. Place them in a colander and let them cool down while you prepare the rice filling.
If using jarred grape leaves in brine, remove them from the jar and rinse well. Let them drain in a colander while you prepare the rice stuffing.
Prepare the Meat Filling
Rinse the rice under cold running water, let it drain on a colander, and then transfer it into a large bowl.
Add the minced meat, chopped onions, salt, freshly ground pepper, chili flakes (optional), tomato paste, olive oil (optional), and chopped herbs to the bowl.
Mix everything very well until all are nicely combined.
Stuff and Roll the Grape Leaves
Start preparing your Dutch oven or cooking pot by layering it with broken/unused grape leaves. You can also use sliced potatoes and/or lamb ribs to avoid the stuffed grape leaves touching the bottom of the pot from burning.
Lay the leaf flat on a cutting board with the shiny side down. Place about 1 tablespoon of the meat filling and place it in the center of the leaf, close to where the stem was.
Fold the sides of the grape leaves over the filling.
Roll the grape leave and keep tucking the sides as you roll.
Roll them tightly enough but not too tight, leaving enough room for the rice to expand as it cooks.
Arrange the stuffed grape leaves in rows neatly in your prepared dutch oven or pot. Place them seam-side down and cover the bottom of the pot without leaving any space.
Cook and Serve
Dilute 1 teaspoon of tomato paste with 600 ml water and pour it over dolmas, until they are almost covered.
Bring it to a boil and gently simmer on low heat for an hour, or until the leaves are softened and the rice is fully cooked. Let the dolmas rest before serving.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe!
Top Tip From the Chef
When cooking the dolmas, don't let the water boil, let it simmer gently and cook it low and slow until it reached the desired softness.
Recipe FAQs
Although the word itself is of Turkish origin, "Dolmas" (stuffed grape leaves) have played a role in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines for centuries. However, the exact origins of dolma (or dolmades in Greece) are unknown. This recipe is still highly popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, and the Balkans.
The best way to enjoy dolmas is to serve them with a dollop of yogurt. Alternatively, you can serve them with a bowl of Turkish Shepherd Salad (Coban Salatasi), Lebanese Fattoush Salad, or Cacik (Turkish Yoghurt with Cucumbers).
Same as the vegan version, you can store leftover stuffed wine leaves in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you have any leftover meat filling, you can freeze it for later use or stuff it in a large tomato or a courgette and add it to the pot with the stuffed leaves.
If you have any leftover grape leaves, you can keep them in the freezer for later use.
Related Recipes
For more delicious authentic Turkish Recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making these flavor-packed dolmas as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 420 g grape leaves (approx 60 - 70 leaves)
- 200 g minced meat (beef, lamb or a mixture)
- 2 onions (finely diced)
- 200 g short-grain rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon flaked chilli (optional)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, necessary if using lean minced meat)
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste (diluted in 600 ml water)
Instructions
Prepare the Grape Leaves
- If using fresh grape leaves, wash them thoroughly and blanch them in boiling hot water for a couple of minutes, until they are softened and easy to fold.
- Place them in a colander and let them cool down while you prepare the rice filling.
- If using jarred grape leaves in brine, remove them from the jar and rinse well.
- Let them drain in a colander while you prepare the rice stuffing.
Prepare the Meat Filling
- Place the rice in a colander and rinse it under running cold water to get rid of the extra starch.
- Let the rice drain on a colander, and then transfer it into a large bowl.
- Add the minced meat, chopped onions, salt, freshly ground pepper, chili flakes (optional), tomato paste, olive oil (optional), and chopped herbs to the bowl.
- Mix very well until everything is combined and set it aside.
Stuff and Roll the Grape Leaves
- Start preparing your dutch oven or cooking pot by layering it with broken/unused grape leaves. You can also use sliced potatoes and/or lamb ribs to avoid the stuffed grape leaves touching the bottom of the pot from burning.
- Lay the leaf flat on a cutting board with the shiny side down. Place about 1 tablespoon of the meat filling and place it in the center of the leaf, close to where the stem was.
- Fold the sides over the filling and roll, keep tucking the sides as you roll. Roll them tightly enough but not too tight, leaving enough room for the rice to expand as it cooks. Check the pictures above for more details.
- Arrange the stuffed grape leaves in rows neatly in your prepared dutch oven or pot. Place them seam-side down and cover the bottom of the pot without leaving any space.
- Dilute 1 teaspoon of tomato paste with 600 ml water and pour it over dolmas, until they are almost covered.
- Bring it to a boil and gently simmer on low heat for an hour, or until the leaves are softened and the rice is fully cooked.
- Let the dolmas rest before serving.
Notes
- Dolma is the general name of a very popular Turkish/Mediterranean/Middle Eastern dish made with stuffed leaves and/or vegetables.
- When buying grape leaves, make sure that the leaves are flexible enough and don’t have very hard veins.
- Don't over-stuff the grape leaves and roll tightly, making sure to allow some room for expansion.
- Use broken/unused grape leaves, sliced potatoes and/or lamb ribs to avoid the stuffed grape leaves touching the bottom of the pot from burning.
- Arrange the stuffed grape leaves in rows neatly in your prepared dutch oven or pot. Place them seam-side down and cover the bottom of the pot without leaving any space.
- When cooking the dolmas, don't let the water boil, let it simmer gently and cook it low and slow until it reached the desired softness.
- Let the dolmas rest before serving.
Nutrition
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Jillian
Love dolma! I will give it a go this weekend. Along with the vegetarian one.
Linda
A really creative way to use grape leaves! Everyone loved this recipe, especially the kids, who never knew about grape leaves! I'm sure I am making this again!
Sarra
I made this today. Very good. Took a long time to prepare, next time I think I can do it faster now I know what to do. Thank you for such a detailed recipe and step by step photos showing how to roll the grape leaves, it really helped!
Mine
Made this tonight. Came out perfect. The rice and meat came out just the way I liked it.
Lin
I followed the recipe exactly and the dolmas came out perfect! Thank you for sharing your recipe. The flavours are outstanding.
Ayla Clulee
Hi, Lin! It is my pleasure. I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Best wishes
Ayla x
Rita
Made this last night for our family, it was delicious cant wait to try more Turkish recipes.