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Iraqi

Iraqi dolma

Non-vegetarian

دولمة · dōlma

Onion layers, peppers, courgettes and vine leaves stuffed with rice, minced meat, herbs and tomato, packed tightly into a pot and simmered in a tangy lemon-tomato broth.

Iraqi dolma is an Iraqi main course, ready in about 2 hours 30 minutes and made with short-grain rice and grape (vine) leaves in brine. It serves 6 and is rated advanced to cook.

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Delicious traditional dolma served with fresh garnish and lemon in a rustic setting.
Photo: Valeria Boltneva / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
1 h
Cook
1 h 15 min
Rest
15 min
Total
2 h 30 min
Serves
6
Level
Advanced
Calories
438

Ingredients

6 servings

Filling

Vegetables

Cooking liquid

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Mix the rice, beef, chopped onion (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), tomato paste (opens in a new tab), parsley (opens in a new tab), oil, spices and salt into a loose filling.

    • 10 min

    Food safety: Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw meat.

  2. Step 2

    Boil the whole slit onions (opens in a new tab) for 5–8 minutes until the layers separate; drain and peel apart. Prepare the peppers (opens in a new tab) and courgettes (opens in a new tab).

  3. Step 3

    Fill the peppers (opens in a new tab) and courgettes (opens in a new tab) about three-quarters full. Put a spoonful of filling in each onion (opens in a new tab) layer and roll it up, and roll the vine leaves (opens in a new tab) around a small amount of filling, tucking in the sides.

    • 35 min

    Don't overfill — the rice swells as it cooks.

  4. Step 4

    Line a heavy pot with the tomato (opens in a new tab) slices and pack in the vegetables and rolls tightly. Mix the water, lemon juice (opens in a new tab), tomato paste (opens in a new tab) and salt and pour over. Weigh down with an upturned plate.

  5. Step 5

    Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently until the rice is tender and most of the liquid absorbed. Rest 15 minutes, then invert onto a platter or serve from the pot.

    • 75 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate within 1 hour.

About this dish

Origin
Iraq · Commonly attributedStuffed vegetables are made across the former Ottoman lands; this mixed-pot style is a centrepiece of Iraqi family meals.More food from Iraq
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Rice dishes
Cooking method
Simmered, Braised
Taste
tangy, savoury, herby, mild
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), Eggetarian, Lacto-vegetarian, Ovo-vegetarian, Pescatarian, Beef-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Make-ahead
Cook more with
Short-grain rice · Grape (vine) leaves in brine · Ground beef · Onion · Garlic · Tomato paste
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Braising

Allergens

  • 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

438 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 497 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 15%
  • Carbohydrate 53%
  • Fat 32%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy438 kcal88 kcal
Protein16.7 g3.4 g
Carbohydrate59.4 g11.9 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre——
Fat15.6 g3.1 g
Saturated fat4.1 g0.8 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol34 mg7 mg
Sodium1405 mg283 mg
Salt equivalent3.5 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
838 mg
Calcium
135 mg
Iron
3.6 mg
Magnesium
65 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
87 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
1.1 µg
Folate (DFE)
75 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.
  • “—” 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

Common mistakes

  • Packing the pot loosely lets the rolls unravel while they simmer.

Serve with

  • With plain yogurt and a sharp salad; lamb ribs are often laid in the bottom of the pot for extra richness.

Food safety

  • Rice dishes should be cooled and refrigerated within an hour of cooking.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days in the fridge.

Reheating

  • Reheat covered with a splash of water until piping hot.

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

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. 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

Vegetables

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

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

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