We often ate dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) growing up, but once a year we went to the effort of making them specially from scratch. It was a labor of love that taught me that sometimes the magic of the kitchen comes from time and patience.
With our Test Kitchen-approved dolmades recipe, you can impress your guests with Greek stuffed grape leaves that are beautiful and delicious. Enjoy them as an appetizer, a mezze platter addition or a side dish to any of your favorite Greek recipes. (And learn more about foods in a Mediterranean diet here.)
What are Greek dolmades?
Greek dolmades is a classic Mediterranean dish that consists of cooked rice and/or ground meat, all wrapped in grape leaves. Typically filled with ground beef or lamb, or just rice and herbs, these little packets are cooked until tender, then served with a delicious lemony sauce (avgolemono) or tomato sauce.
You may come across stuffed grape leaves called “dolmas.” These are similar to but a bit different than dolmades. The word “dolmades” usually refers to the Greek dish, and “dolmas” refers to the Turkish version. The two versions often contain different herbs or spices in the filling mixtures, depending on which region each is prepared. The root word “dolma” basically means “something stuffed.”
Ingredients
- Grape leaves: You can find these sold by the jar at any Middle Eastern store. The jarred grape leaves are preserved in a vinegar brine so they’re softened and ready to eat.
- Ground beef: Beef is the traditional meat for the dolmades filling. Dolmades are also delicious stuffed with ground lamb.
- Brown rice: Rice is quintessential to dolmades. As the base of the filling, it takes on all the delicious flavors, and it expands in the grape leaves while cooking to form a perfect little log. This recipe calls for brown rice, but you can also substitute long- or short-grain white rice. You can also try adding a touch of saffron for a saffron-rice filling.
- Eggs: Eggs are a key ingredient in avgolemono, the tricky but delicious white sauce used in different Greek dishes. The sauce is thick, creamy and tangy, and it’s often used in soups and sauce to add bright flavor and velvety texture.
Directions
Step 1: Make the filling
In a large bowl, mix together the onion, broth, uncooked rice, parsley, egg, tomato sauce, olive oil, melted butter, mint, salt and pepper. Use your hands to crumble the beef over the top, then mix lightly but thoroughly.
Step 2: Roll the dolmades
Pat the grape leaves dry with paper towels. Line the bottom of a Dutch oven with eight of the leaves. Place about 1 tablespoon beef mixture on the center of each remaining grape leaf, shiny side down, toward the stem end. Fold in the long sides of the leaf over the filling and toward the center, then roll up from the bottom. Arrange assembled dolmades, seam side down, on the grape leaves in the Dutch oven.
Step 3: Cook the dolmades
Place a heavy plate directly on top of the dolmades. Add enough water to the Dutch oven to just cover the plate. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
Step 4: Make the avgolemono sauce
Meanwhile, make the avgolemono sauce. In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Finely grate zest from lemons into a small bowl. Cut the zested lemons in half crosswise, and squeeze the lemon juice into bowl with zest. Whisk in the eggs, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add the egg mixture to the broth in the saucepan, going slow and whisking constantly as not to curdle the egg. Cook and stir over low heat until slightly thickened, four to five minutes, making sure not to boil.
Editor’s Tip: If you still have a bit of time before the dolmades are done cooking, you can keep the sauce warm over low heat, covered, until ready to serve. You could also wait until the dolmades are ready to serve before you start cooking this sauce, if you’d prefer!
Step 5: Finish the dolmades, and serve
Uncover the Dutch oven, and remove the plate. Remove the dolmades using tongs, and drain the excess liquid. Serve with the avgolemono sauce.
Editor’s Tip:Â If you like, you can let the cooked dolmades cool for 30 minutes or so before you serve them. This will give time for the rice filling to set, letting the dolmades firm up a bit for a satisfying bite.
Recipe Variations for Dolmades
- Make vegetarian dolmades: Dolmades are easy to make vegetarian, and just as tasty! Skip the beef, and make more rice for the filling, then use water or vegetable broth instead of the beef broth. You can also add some chopped herbs or chopped tomato to the rice filling for more flavor.
- Try it with white rice: Dolmades are usually made with long- or short-grain white rice, though we use brown rice in this recipe. Try it with white rice for a more traditional version of the dish.
How to Store Dolmades
Dolmades are a great dish to make ahead of time. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three or four days.
Can you freeze cooked dolmades?
Dolmades can be frozen, layered in a freezer-safe bag, for up to three months. To serve, let them thaw in the fridge overnight, then gently reheat in a bit of water on the stove or microwave. Of course, you can always serve them cold!
Dolmades Tips
Where can you find grape leaves?
You can find jars of grape leaves at any Mediterranean or Middle Eastern grocery store.
What can you serve with dolmades?
Dolmades can be enjoyed on their own as a snack or alongside other Mediterranean foods for a delicious meal. Try some traditional Greek food, like this spiced rack of lamb or a Greek salad, to fill out your meal.
