How to Make Dolmades | Stuffed Grape Leaves

First off, grab one large sweet onion; we’re going to mince it up. Dolmades—our stuffed grape leaves—are a traditional dish that we have with almost all of our bigger dinners, and this recipe is such a favorite of mine. You can make them in a number of ways, but this is my mom’s recipe, which was from my grandfather, and I’m so excited to share it with you.

Prepare the Aromatics

Into a large skillet, add two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Pop this over medium-high heat and let that oil get nice and warm. Once the oil is hot, add all that onion. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes; you want the onions to soften and caramelize a bit but not burn.

Add Garlic and Meat

While the onion cooks, take three large garlic cloves, give them a light smash to remove the skins, and grate them with a rasp. The meat we’re using today is ground lamb; if you can’t find that, ground beef is perfectly acceptable. If you prefer, you could also try a really fat-heavy ground turkey—not the lean kind.

Fresh Herbs

While everything cooks, mince two tablespoons of fresh oregano and two tablespoons of fresh mint. Oregano is the Greek herb, the main one as far as I’m concerned.

Brown the Meat

When the onions are nicely browned and softened, take them off the heat for a moment and add one pound of ground lamb (or beef). Return to the heat and brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks.

Build the Filling

Stir in one-half cup plain tomato sauce, one-half cup deep red wine (such as Shiraz or Cabernet), the minced mint and oregano, and three-quarters of a teaspoon kosher salt. Reduce the heat to low and add one and a half cups water and one cup white long-grain rice. Simmer for about 12 minutes, just until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid; it will finish cooking inside the grape leaves later. Set the filling aside to cool for at least 20 minutes.

Prepare the Grape Leaves

Open a 16-ounce jar of grape leaves in brine. Unfold the leaves and soak them in cold water for 10 minutes to remove some of the brine, then drain well. Line the bottom of a 12-inch skillet with several of the less-perfect leaves to create a protective blanket.

Roll the Dolmades

Place about a tablespoon of filling in the center of a leaf, near the stem end. Fold the sides over, then roll from the stem up to form a neat parcel. Arrange the rolled dolmades in concentric circles in the pan; this recipe makes roughly 70 pieces.

Season and Steam

Once the last grape leaf is in place, squeeze the juice of one lemon over the top and tuck two bay leaves among the rolls. Add two cups of water, cover the dolmades with a few extra grape leaves, and invert a plate that fits inside the pan to weigh everything down. Bring to a boil over medium heat (about 10 minutes), then reduce to low and simmer for about an hour, or until roughly half of the liquid has evaporated.

Lemon–Egg Sauce (Avgolemono)

While the dolmades finish, prepare the sauce. Bring one cup low-sodium chicken broth to a simmer in a small pot. In a bowl, whisk together the zest and juice of two lemons, three large eggs, and a quarter-teaspoon salt. Slowly drizzle half of the hot broth into the egg mixture while whisking vigorously, then return everything to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain through a sieve for a silky finish.

Serve

Test a dolmade for doneness—cut one open to be sure the rice is tender. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature, generously napped with the lemon-egg sauce. The bright tang of lemon, fragrant herbs, tender lamb, and the subtle briny note of the grape leaves create a perfect bite that brings back childhood memories with every mouthful.