How to make the best and easiest Greek stuffed grape leaves known as dolmades!
My favorite appetizer ever is Greek stuffed grape leaves, known as dolmadakia. I’ve posted several variations of this recipe on my channel, but this is an easy, updated version of the original vegetarian dolmades. They’re so light, lemony, and briny and packed with fresh, flavorful herbs. Perfect for a comforting yet refreshing snack on a hot summer day. Plus, they’re healthy, inexpensive, and so simple that kids can help make them.
Can I make these ahead of time?
This is the kind of food that gets better with time. The dolmades taste best straight out of the fridge the next day, so you can make a ton of these for entertaining or to meal-prep for the week. The cooked dolmadakia will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Why will I make these often?
Fresh, cool, earthy herbs.
Soft, pillowy, lemony rice,
Tart, tangy, tender green leafy grape leaves.
the filling grape leaves the process
What do I need to make stuffed grape leaves?
Grape leaves –here’s my favorite brand of jarred grape leaves. Rinse them well under cold water, drain, and remove the stems. Sometimes, the leaves will be small and torn, so always start with double the amount of what the recipe calls for. You can always make a quick batch of extra filling to use up extra grape leaves. The torn and small leaves can be used to line the bottom of the pot.
Long grain rice -I like basmati, but regular white, brown, or jasmine rice would be good, too.
Olive oil -a full-flavored cold pressed extra virgin adds rich flavor to the filling, and I drizzle a bit over the finish platter.
Onion -finely chopped so when you sauté them, they get buttery and meaty.
Water -so the rice gets nice and fluffy but doesn’t compete with the lemon.
​Lemon juice -always use fresh lemon juice because the bottled stuff is only for cleaning.
Fresh parsley -chopped finely for earthy herbiness.
Fresh mint -chopped for cool sweetness.
Dried dill -or 1/4 cup fresh dill for super fresh, citrusy notes.
Salt & black pepper -seasons every part of the dolmades, so every bite is delicious.
Can I use fresh grape leaves?
Of course! If using fresh grape leaves, blanch them in boiling water and drain. Be sure to cut the tough stem off.
How do I cook the rice?
​Sauté onions with 1/3 of the olive oil over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until very soft and lightly golden, not browned. Stir in the rice with one cup of water, half the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 6-7 minutes or until the rice absorbs all the liquid. At this point, the rice is only parboiled. Add all the herbs and mix well. Cool completely.
How do I prepare the grape leaves?
​Rinse and dry the grape leaves, then cut the hard stem from each leaf. Reserve the smallest and torn leaves to lay on the bottom of the pot.
How do I make Greek stuffed grape leaves?
Lay a grape leaf shiny side down and place a tablespoon of rice filling on the bottom end of the leaf, near the stem. ​Fold the stem end of the leaf over the filling. Fold the sides over and roll up snugly but not too tight. The rice will expand a bit more while cooking, so try not to overstuff the grape leaves. Repeat with all the remaining grape leaves until your filling is done.
How do I layer the rolls in the pot?
Layer half of the small, torn grape leaves in a pot to create a bed for the dolmades. ​Place the dolmades seam side down and very close together over the bed of leaves. Pour the remaining olive oil and lemon juice over the dolmades, and then place the remaining reserved small leaves over them. Pour enough water just to cover the dolmades.
How do I keep the dolmades from opening while cooking?
​Place an inverted plate over the dolmades to weigh them down and prevent them from moving around and opening while cooking. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
How long do I cook dolmades?
Reduce to simmer and cook (covered) for 35-40 minutes. Some liquid will remain in the pot. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes, and the juices will be absorbed.
How do I serve stuffed grape leaves?
​You can serve these at room temperature, but they’re traditionally served cold. Transfer them to a platter and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over them. Serve with my mom’s delicious tzatziki sauce and lemon wedges. Enjoy! Kali Orexi!
More Stuffed Grape Leaf Recipes:
- Greek Stuffed Grape leaves in Tomato Sauce: Dolmadakia me Domata
- Greek Grape Leaf Pilaf: Deconstructed Dolmadakia
- DOLMADAKIA AVGOLEMONO: GRAPELEAVES IN A LEMONY SAUCE
- DOLMADES WITH LAMB & RICE: GRAPE LEAVES STUFFED WITH LAMB AND RICE
Watch the Video:
Greek Stuffed Grape Leaves: Dolmadakia
Ingredients
- 8 ounces grape leaves from a jar, rinsed, drained, and stems removed
- 1/2 cup long grain rice
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup water
- ​2 lemons, juiced (1/2 cup or more)
- 3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon dried dill or 1/4 cup fresh dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- ​Sauté onions with 1/3 of the olive oil over medium low heat about 10 minutes or until very soft and lightly golden. Do not brown the onions.
- Add rice and mix to combine.
- ​Pour 1 cup water, half of the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 6-7 minutes or until the rice absorbs all of the liquid. At this point the rice is only par boiled.
- Add all the herbs and mix well. Cool completely.
- ​Rinse and dry the grape leaves. Cut the hard stem from each leaf. Reserve the smallest and the torn leaves to lay on bottom of pot.
- Lay a grape leaf shiny side down and place a tablespoon of rice filling on the bottom end of the leaf, near the stem.
- ​Fold the stem end of leaf over the filling. Fold the sides over and roll up snugly but not too tight. The rice will expand a bit more while cooking.
- Repeat with all of the remaining grape leaves until your filling is done.
- Layer half of the small and torn grape leaves to create a bed for the dolmades in a pot.
- ​Place the dolmades seam side down and very close together over the bed of leaves.
- ​Pour the remaining olive oil and lemon juice over the dolmades.
- ​Place the remaining reserved small leaves over the dolmades.
- Pour enough water to just cover the dolmades.
- ​Place an inverted plate over the dolmades to weigh them down and to prevent them from moving around and opening while cooking.
- Cover with lid and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to simmer and cook (covered) for 35-40 minutes.
- There will still be some liquid in the pot. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes and the juices will be absorbed.
- ​Transfer them to a platter and drizzle some olive oil over them. Serve with delicious tzatziki sauce and lemon wedges.
- ​Enjoy! Kali Orexi!
Notes
When working with store-bought grape leaves in the jar, sometimes the leaves will be small and torn so always start with double the amount than what the recipe calls for. You can always make a quick batch of extra filling to use up extra grape leaves. The torn and small leaves can be used to line the bottom of the pot.
Try not to overstuff the grape leaves. The rice will expand during cooking.
If using fresh grape leaves, blanch them in boiling water and drain.
The cooked dolmadakia will keep fresh in the refrigerator for 5 days.
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This was so good! I’ve been looking for a recipe that doesn’t have the ground beef in it and this was just perfect. Thank you for your videos that do a wonderful job at clearly explaining the steps:)
Dear Dimitra,
So excited to make this recipe with help from my 8yr old granddaughter! As Greek American, not growing up Greek, I’ve always wished I had my Yiayia to teach me. Now I have you! I’m old enough to be YOU’RE Yiayia but you have taught me so much.
One question, i used the two lemons, and I love lemon, but the leaves were super lemony. I used fresh harvested leaves from my grape vine that I did not blanch but froze until use. Could they have gone overboard absorbing the lemon?
Love to look at your recipes Dimitri. Tried the Spanakopita -twice. Delicious! & well received by guests. Dolmades & ekmek kataifi – when the pastry is delivered. Just one question – is there any way of judging the calorie content of these dishes?
Hi Carol!! Unfortunately, I do not have any way of converting the recipes to get the nutritional info but, I’m guessing that google can help with this 🙂
Is it better to cook in a smaller pot in several layers or 1 very large skillet in one or two layers
I prefer cooking it in 2 layers however, I’ve made them in a smaller pot too. Just make sure to cover them with water or broth so that they cook evenly. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing you wonderful recipes. Your instructions are easy to follow. Love the end results.
oh my goodness, these were delicious! we trimmed our backyard grapevine a few days ago and I finally got around to making these today! I’ve been consuming these from cans for years, but fresh dolmades are next level! I’ll definitely make these again, possibly tomorrow! THANK YOU, Dimitra, for another great recipe 🙂
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the fresh dolmades. There’s nothing like homemade, especially with grape leaves from your own backyard. Happy cooking, and enjoy making them again tomorrow!
Warm regards
As it happens, I have leftover cooked rice that I wanted to use for these! How would you alter the recipe to accommodate cooked rice?? Or is that taboo? Lol
Using leftover cooked rice in your Greek stuffed grape leaves is a great idea! It’s definitely not taboo. Just replace the uncooked rice in the recipe with an equal amount of cooked rice. Since the cooked rice is already tender, you can reduce the cooking time slightly for the filling to avoid overcooking.
Mix the cooked rice with the rest of the filling ingredients, and then proceed with wrapping and cooking as usual. This can save time and add a nice texture to your dish. Enjoy making your stuffed grape leaves! 😊
Can you give us your recipe for Dolmades made with meat?
Thank you
Georgia Christopher
Yes of course! glad you asked and hope you enjoy. https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/dolmades-with-lamb-rice-grape-leaves-stuffed-with-lamb-and-rice/
Vegetarian dolmadakia are my favorite. My mom always made them vegetarian
I’m so glad to hear that! Vegetarian dolmadakia are a family favorite for us too. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful Dimitra… I’ve made these many times… and your recipe conforms to mine. Except one suggestion. I usually buy the grape leaves in a jar…and they are very salty. So, I put them in a container of water for a few minutes and drain a few times. Much better that way and not as salty. I hope you include Cretan recipes on your website. We love Cretan dishes and Crete!
Thank you for the great tip about soaking the grape leaves to reduce saltiness! I’ll add that to the recipe. I’m glad you enjoy the recipes, and I’ll definitely consider adding more Cretan dishes. Thanks again!
Hi!
Can I add chopped mushrooms to this Dolmathes recipe? Do I parboil them with the rice? Your recipes are always delicious! Thanks for all your time!
Hi! 😊 Absolutely, you can add chopped mushrooms to the Dolmathes recipe! Sauté them lightly in olive oil before mixing them with the rice. This way, they’ll release their moisture and develop a deeper flavor without making the filling too wet. I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes—thank you for the kind words! 💕
Hello,
I’m wondering what I can do with the cooked leaves used as the liner, both tops and bottoms? I eat them as the stuffed leaves have finished cooking. But what else could they be added into other recipes?
Thanks!
Great question! The cooked grape leaves used as liners are packed with flavor and can definitely be repurposed. Here are a few ideas:
– **Chop and mix into rice or grain dishes** – They add a subtle tangy, herbal flavor.
– **Blend into dips** – Finely chop and stir into yogurt-based dips like tzatziki or labneh.
– **Use in soups or stews** – Add to lentil soup or a lemony avgolemono soup for extra depth.
– **Sauté with garlic and olive oil** – A quick side dish that pairs well with grilled veggies or fish.
– **Mix into a salad** – Finely sliced, they add texture and flavor to Greek salads or tabbouleh.
If you love their taste, get creative! They can be a great umami-packed ingredient in many Mediterranean dishes. 😊
I made stuffed grape leaves a long time ago, but I don’t remember the details. I don’t know how they could have been this good! I ran out of stuffing long before I ran out of grape leaves, so I am planning to make some more. I’m going to always
That’s wonderful to hear! It sounds like you really nailed it this time around—and once you get the hang of rolling those grape leaves, it’s hard to stop! You can absolutely make more filling and keep going, or even freeze the extra leaves for another day. So happy you’re planning to always keep them in your rotation—they’re such a classic and so satisfying. Bravo!
These stuffed grape leaves are so wonderful! The steps are clear and detailed, even without the video. I still have two containers in the fridge with grape leaves ready to stuff. Hopefully I will cook up another batch today. I have always thought that grape leaves taste the way that I wish spinach tasted. I steamed them instead of boiling them, but otherwise, I followed your recipe completely.
Can leftovers be frozen?
I’ve made these several times with ground lamb and they are amazing. Thank you.
I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the stuffed grape leaves — ground lamb is such a delicious choice! 💛 Yes, leftovers can be frozen. Just let them cool completely, place them in a single layer on a tray to firm up, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. They’ll keep well for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and warm gently in a covered pot with a splash of broth or lemon water.
Rice can sometimes soften a little after freezing, but since it’s wrapped tightly and mixed with the meat and herbs, it usually holds up nicely. If you know ahead of time that you’ll want to freeze some, you can undercook the rice just slightly before rolling — it will finish cooking perfectly when reheated.
how to add lamb to stuffed grape leaves
You can easily add lamb to stuffed grape leaves. Just replace some or all of the ground beef with ground lamb. I usually recommend using half lamb and half beef so the flavor is rich but not overpowering. Prepare the filling the same way, mixing the meat with the rice, herbs, onion, olive oil, and seasonings, then roll and cook as directed. The lamb adds a deeper, more traditional flavor and works beautifully in dolmadakia.