Yaprak Sarma - Stuffed Grape Leaves

5 from 9 votes

These Turkish vegetarian stuffed grape leaves (dolmas) are delicious, unique and packed with Mediterranean flavours.

Prep Time45

Cook Time1

Total Time1 45

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 44kcal

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.

Rinse the rice under cold running water and then let it drain on a colander.
Place a pan on medium heat and add 3 tablespoon of olive oil.
Add the chopped onions to the pan and sauté until soft and translucent.
Add the pine nuts and sauté until they turn slightly brown before adding the washed rice and black currants.
Sauté the rice until they are totally dry and then add the tomato paste, salt, freshly ground black pepper, cinnamon, paprika, dried mint, sugar, 1 cup of water, and lemon juice, mix well, and cover the pan with a lid.
Cook until the water evaporates, take the pan off the heat then add the parsley along with the dill. The rice shouldn't be fully cooked as it will continue cooking with the grape leaves.
Stir the mixture and let it cool down for 10 minutes before stuffing the grape leaves.

Start preparing your dutch oven or cooking pot by layering it with broken/unused grape leaves. You can also use sliced tomatoes or potatoes 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 rice filling and place 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.
Layer a few slices of lemons on top of the arranged stuffed dolmas.
Dilute 1 teaspoon of tomato paste with 2 cups of water and add a tablespoon of olive oil. 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 transferring on a serving plate.

To save some time, you can prepare the rice stuffing and the grape leaves a couple of days in advance and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container.

Don't over-stuff the grape leaves as the rice filling will expand as it cooks. Roll the grape leaves securely, and fold in the corners carefully giving the rice filling some space to expand while cooking.

Don't let the water boil while cooking, let it simmer gently and cook it low and slow until it reached the desired softness.
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.