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Wrapped Grape Leaves Dolma / Sarma on a white platter with a black trim piled ontop of each other with stuffed peppers and lemon slices accenting dolma with a white plate with garlic yogurt or sour cream dipping sauce with tomato, white vase with green flower, glass ornament pomagranet display in background, wooden tray with black handles, canisters, glass oil jar in background.

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolma / Samra)

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Description

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolma / Samra)

This Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolma / Sarma) is one of my favorite Dolma recipes EVER! It’s stuffed with beef, spices, fresh herbs, and a sweet taste of pomegranate molasses. These flavorful grape leaves were made from a homegrown grapevine but don’t worry you can make them from jarred leaves, too!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Meat Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs (96% Lean) Ground Beef
  • 1 large Onion
  • 1 1/2 cups of white Rose Rice
  • 8 oz chopped Italian Parsley
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Paprika
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Allspice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 3 teaspoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses

Tomato Broth Ingredients:

  • 32 oz Water
  • 1 tablespoon Salt
  • 3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 2 teaspoons Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Olive Oil

Vegetables

  • 50 Grape Leaves (Fresh or Jarred)
  • Baby Sweet Peppers (optional)
  • 1 small Eggplant (optional)

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle salt over grape leaves and soak in hot water and soak leaves for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine meat, rice, seasonings, onion, parsley, and pomegranate molasses.
  3. Rinse your rice and soak for 10 minutes (please don’t skip this step). As you wait for your rice to soak, start chopping your parsley and grate your onions. Next, in a large bowl, place meat, onions, parsley, all your meat spices, tomato paste, and pomegranate molasses. Drizzle oil and mix this for 10 minutes. (This will help tenderize your meat and mix the flavors in better).
  4. Place some olive oil in your pot and place the torn-up (damaged) grape leaves at the bottom of the pot. Fold both bottom parts of the leaf over the meat mixture, fold in both sides, tuck in and fold again from the sides, and roll over until closed. (see photos above) Don’t fold too tight! It needs space to allow the rice to cook and rise.
  5. Start stuffing mini peppers and eggplant. But first, remove the core seeds of the peppers and the inside of the eggplant before stuffing your meat mixture. Remove the cores carefully with a knife or a potato peeler. Place the stem back on top of the veggies over the peppers and eggplant and arrange your dolma as tight as you can get them into your pot.
  6. Begin to make your tomato broth by adding tomato paste, oregano, and salt to your water and pour over your Dolma. Place a plate upside down over your Dolma and push it down to release the extra air bubbles. Place the lid on the pot and set it to simmer on the stove-top at medium heat for 40 minutes to an hour. The way you’ll know when it’s ready is when you taste-test it and check if your rice has cooked fully. 
  7. Once cooked, allow your dolma to rest before removing them from the pot to serve. This helps to handle the Dolma easier when serving. When it’s too hot, they tend to fall apart easily. Ready to serve, enjoy!

Notes

  • Wash your fresh grape leaves one leaf at a time, and rinse a few more times until your water has cleared. Then carefully place boiling water over and let it sit for 10 minutes in salt water. Strain and it’s ready to cook with! (If you use jarred grape leaves in brine, you only need to rise and completely pat dry before using).
  • If using jarred grape leaves, make sure to rinse with water before using them.
  • Rinse your rice and allow it to soak for 10 minutes. This helps remove the extra starch and it shortens the length of cooking time quite a bit!
  • Mixing your meat mixture for 10 minutes will help tenderize your meat and mix the flavors in better.
  • Layer the bottom of the pot with leaves before arranging Dolma. The bottom layer of leaves will protect your wrapped grape leaves while cooking. Some use potatoes and sauteed onions around the base as well.
  • Don’t overstuff your grape leaves, leave them slightly loose to allow the rice to cook and expand.
  • Place the plate over your Dolma. This step is important because it will hold everything in place while it cooks.
  • Keep in mind that the top layer does not tend to cook thoroughly sometimes. I would recommend taste-testing the second layer. If the rice is still undercooked, place it to cook in increments of 10 minutes each time you taste it.

*** Our Nutrition information is estimated, so please make sure to check your own calculation to fit your diet.

  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stove-top
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keywords: Dolma, Sarma, Wrapped Grape Leaves, Stuffed Peppers, Stuffed Eggplant

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Find it online: https://galoreofflavors.com/stuffed-grape-leaves-dolma-samra/