Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)

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 ground meat, fresh herbs, and rice wrapped in vine leaves.

Jump to:

• What are Dolmas?
• Fresh vs Preserved Grape Leaves
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage and Reheating
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas)

Turkish cuisine has many recipes for stuffed (dolma) and wrapped (sarma) vegetable/meat dishes such as Biber Dolmasi - Turkish Stuffed Peppers, Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef, Kabak Dolmasi - Rice Stuffed Zucchini, Karniyarik - Stuffed Aubergine with Mince, Rice Stuffed Chicken, Rice Stuffed Onions - Sogan Dolmasi, 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 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".

If you want to learn more about how to stuff cabbage leaves, check out my Lahana Sarmasi - Turkish Cabbage Rolls recipe. 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.

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.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Vine leaves - You can use either fresh grape leaves or preserved ones.

• Ground 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.

Step-by-Step Instructions

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 for making dolmas, 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 grape 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 is.

Fold the sides of the grape leaf over the filling.

Roll the grape leaf 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 hot water and pour it over dolmas, until they are almost covered. Bring it to a boil on medium-high heat.

When it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently on low heat for an hour, or until the leaves have softened and the rice is fully cooked. Let the dolmas rest before serving.

Top Tips From the Chef

• Choose fresh, tender vine leaves for wrapping the stuffing. The tougher leaves can result in tough and chewy dolmas.

• 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.

• Don't overstuff the vine leaves, as they may burst during cooking. Use just enough filling to make a small, tightly wrapped parcel.

• Use a heavy pot or casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid to cook the dolmas. This helps to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.

• When cooking the dolmas, don't let the water boil, let it simmer gently and cook it low and slow until it reaches the desired softness.

Serving Suggestions

There are many options for serving dolmas as a main dish or side dish. Some popular options include serving 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).

Storage and Reheating

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. Thaw them in the refrigerator before reheating.

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.

To reheat the leftover dolmas, place them in a saucepan. Add a small amount of water or broth to the pan to prevent sticking and to keep the dolmas moist. Cover the pan and heat over low to medium-low heat. Allow the dolmas to gently simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.

Recipe FAQs

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 Turkish meat dolmas as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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