Dolmas: the easy, delicious Mediterranean appetizer for making stuffed grape leaves

Also known as “dolmades,” dolmas are a delicious appetizer that's popular across the Mediterranean. Found in Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Armenia, and throughout the Middle East, dolmas are made by stuffing preserved grape leaves with a rice-based filling.

Dolmas are savory, seasoned with delicious spices, and a little tangy, thanks to the fact they're gently simmered in a mixture of olive oil, water, and lemon juice. They're a fantastic food to serve at parties and can be enjoyed warm, cold, or room temperature.

What are Dolmas?

Dolmas (pronounced dowl-muhz) are a flavorflu Mediterranean appetizer. The word dolma means “stuffed thing” in Turkish, and the dish itself has origins that stretch back for millennia. They can be made with or without meat, such as lamb or beef, seafood, or solely with vegetables.

While grape leaves are common for wrapping the filling, some cultures use preserved cabbage, kale, chard, or collard.

Dolmas Origins

The exact origin of dolmas is unknown, however, stuffed leaves have been a staple dish in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and further abroad for many centuries. Versions of this dish exist in Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, and the Caucasus region.

Stuffed Grape Leaves Ingredients

To make dolmas at home, you'll need a few key ingredients.

Used preserved grape leaves to wrap the filling. You can purchase them at specialty stores or online.

You'll also need good quality extra virgin olive oil for making the sauce, as well as lemon juice.

For the filling, pick up some short-grain rice, ground beef, pine nuts, and currants.

To season the filling, use cumin, allspice, mint, and parsley. You can mix up the ingredients if you like to suit your tastes, but consider these a starting point for making tasty homemade dolmas.

How to Make Dolmas

Whether you choose to make meat or vegetarian dolmas, it's very easy to make this tasty Mediterranean meze at home. Start by combining the lemon juice, olive oil, and sugar in a bowl, then set the sauce off to the side.

Preparing the Grape Leaves

Rinse off the grape leaves and gently dry them with a paper towel. Lay the one down on a clean, flat work surface.

Making the Stuffing

To make the dolmas filling, start by cooking the rice according to the instructions on the box. Let it cool down completely before using. Combine the rice, currants, mint, allspice, and parsley in a bowl, then set it aside.

Sauté the onions and pine nuts for several minutes until the onions soften and turn translucent. Mix the onions and pine nuts into the rice. Next, sauté the ground beef until browned and completely cooked. Drain the excess fat, then add the beef to the rice mixture.

Assembling the Stuffed Grape Leaves

Place a generous teaspoon of the filling near the bottom of the leaf. Fold the bottom of the grape leaf over the filling, then fold in the sides. Roll it tightly. Repeat with remaining grape leaves until you've used up all the filling.

Cooking the Dolmas

To cook your dolmas, line a large skillet with grape leaves. Arrange the dolmas seam-side down, then pour the sauce and water over them. Put a plate on top of the dolmas to weigh them down. Pop the lid onto the skillet, and cook the dolmas over low heat until the liquid absorbs.

Turn off the heat and let the dolmas rest for about 20 minutes. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve warm with yogurt sauce.

Can You Make Vegetarian Dolmas?

Absolutely! Simply leave out the ground beef to make vegetarian dolmas. You can add vegetables to your dolmas. Tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggplant are all delicious options.

Vegetarian dolmas are typically enjoyed at room temperature or cold. If serving them cold, pop them in the fridge for one to two hours before serving.

Tips for making Stuffed Grape Leaves

Make sure to use high-quality olive oil for your dolmas and the dolmas sauce.

For extra flavor, use chicken broth instead of water to cook your dolmas.

There are loads of variations of dolmas to try. This version uses ground beef, but you can also make them with lamb, pork, chicken, and calamari. Of course, you can also skip the meat and make vegetarian dolmas with your favorite veggies.

If you can't find preserved grape leaves, preserved vine leaves or cabbage leaves will work instead.

What to Serve with Dolmas

Dolmas are a delicious appetizer you can serve at parties or as part of a meal. Keep the Mediterranean theme and serve them with a zesty orzo salad, olives, moussaka, keftedes, and other mezze.

If you're serving your dolmas with wine, opt for a fresh, fruity Pinot Noir or a velvety Merlot. For vegetarian dolmas, choose a light, bright white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Assyrtiko, or Vermentino.

How to Store Dolmas

Keep your dolmas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can You Freeze Stuffed Grape Leaves?

Absolutely! If you have leftover grape leaves, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw them out overnight in the fridge and use them within 3 days.

Instructions

Prepare the rice according to the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, leave to cool to room temperature.

Whisk the 2/3 cup olive oil, sugar, and lemon juice to combine. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the rice, currants, mint, allspice, and parsley. Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet and sauté the onions and pine nuts for several minutes, until the onions soften and turn translucent.

Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the rice mixture.

Sauté the ground beef until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat, then add to the rice mixture.

Rinse and dry the grape leaves. Take the first leaf and lay it on a clean, flat surface.

Scoop a generous teaspoon of the rice mixture and put it near the bottom of the leaf.

Fold the bottom of the grape leaf over the filling, then fold in the sides. Roll tightly.

Repeat with remaining grape leaves until all the filling has been used.

Line a skillet with grape leaves. Place the dolmas seam-side down.

Pour the sauce and ¾ cup water over the dolmas. Place a plate on top of the dolmas to weigh them down.

Put a lid on the skillet, then cook over low heat until the liquid absorbs, about 40 to 50 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the dolmas rest for 20 minutes. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve warm.

Notes

Make sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the sauce. The flavor is far superior.