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Greek · Mediterranean

Dolmadakia (rice-stuffed vine leaves)

Vegetarian

Ντολμαδάκια γιαλαντζί · Dolmadakia yalantzi

Small vine-leaf parcels of rice, herbs and spring onion, gently simmered in olive oil and lemon and served cool as a meze. Naturally meat-free.

Dolmadakia (rice-stuffed vine leaves) is a Greek starter, ready in about 2 hours 45 minutes and made with grape (vine) leaves in brine and short-grain rice. It serves 6 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
Close-up of traditional Greek dolmades on a plate with lemon wedges and a fork.
Photo: eat kubba / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
50 min
Cook
55 min
Rest
1 h
Total
2 h 45 min
Serves
6
Level
Intermediate
Calories
382

Ingredients

6 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rinse the vine leaves (opens in a new tab) and blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes until pliable; drain and snip off any stems.

    • 5 min
    • high heat

  2. Step 2

    Soften the onion (opens in a new tab) and spring onion (opens in a new tab) in 4 tbsp of the oil for 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, herbs, pine nuts (opens in a new tab), half the lemon juice (opens in a new tab), salt and pepper (opens in a new tab) and cook 2 minutes more.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Lay a leaf shiny side down, place a teaspoon of filling near the stem end, fold in the sides and roll up firmly — the rice swells, so don't overfill.

    • 35 min

  4. Step 4

    Line a wide pot with spare leaves and pack in the rolls seam-side down in tight layers. Pour over the remaining oil, lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and the hot water, weigh down with a plate and simmer gently for 45–50 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed.

  5. Step 5

    Cool in the pot for at least 1 hour. Serve at room temperature with yogurt.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Not attributed to one place · Origin disputedStuffed vine leaves are shared by Greek, Turkish, Levantine, Armenian and Balkan cuisines; this lemony herb-and-rice version is a Greek meze staple.Also popular in Greece, Türkiye, Cyprus
Dish
Lunch · Snack · Appetizers & starters · Finger food
Cooking method
Simmered, Steamed
Taste
herby, citrusy, fresh, mild
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free
Without the optional extras: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-free, No nut ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Portable / lunchbox
Cook more with
Grape (vine) leaves in brine · Short-grain rice · Onion · Spring onion · Dill · Mint
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Steaming · Blanching

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom greek yogurt
  • Contains, can be adapted: Tree nutsfrom pine nuts
  • May contain: Sulphitesfrom grape (vine) leaves in brine

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

382 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 215 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 4%
  • Carbohydrate 41%
  • Fat 55%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy382 kcal178 kcal
Protein4.3 g2 g
Carbohydrate39.5 g18.3 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre——
Fat23.6 g11 g
Saturated fat3.3 g1.5 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium1155 mg536 mg
Salt equivalent2.9 g1.3 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
114 mg
Calcium
102 mg
Iron
1.6 mg
Magnesium
20 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
11 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
37 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: pine nuts, greek yogurt.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • A heatproof plate on top keeps the rolls from unravelling as the rice swells.

Common mistakes

  • Overfilling or rolling too tightly: the rice swells and splits the leaves.

Food safety

  • Cooked rice dishes served cool should be cooled within 1 hour and refrigerated; don't leave them out for more than 2 hours.

Storage

  • Refrigerate in their juices up to 5 days.

Variations

  • Dolmades with meat (Greece): Minced beef or lamb in the filling, served hot with avgolemono sauce.
  • Zeytinyağlı yaprak sarma (Türkiye): The Turkish olive-oil version, often with currants, allspice and cinnamon.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 5

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Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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