Classic dolma in grape leaves

Classic dolma in grape leaves is a stuffed dish, similar in cooking technique to cabbage rolls. Surely you know how to cook Russian cabbage rolls and in the summer season you don’t know what use you can find for grape leaves. The following ten recipes will allow you to expand your culinary skills, and will also show that the vineyard harvest is rich not only in grape fruit, but also in grape leaves that can delight you all year round.

Classic recipe for making dolma in grape leaves

To decide in what form you like dolma in grape leaves best, we suggest starting by getting acquainted with the classic dolma recipe, which contains the basic principles of preparation.

1. 
   How to cook dolma in grape leaves according to the classic recipe? Boil the rice for only about five minutes, after which we place the rice in a colander to drain unnecessary water.
2. 
   We wash the meat, cut it into small pieces and pass it through a meat grinder.
3. 
   Fry the onion chopped into small pieces until golden brown in vegetable oil, add minced beef, mix well and continue heating.
4. 
   Place the minced meat and onions into a container with the rice, add the necessary spices to your taste and mix thoroughly.
5. 
   Let's move on to preparing grape leaves for dolma. Be sure to cut the stems, thoroughly wash them from dirt and fill them with boiled water. Leave for 15 minutes.
6. 
   After this, dry the leaves for a short time, getting rid of excess moisture, and carefully place a tablespoon of minced meat on the sheet.
7. 
   We roll everything up into an envelope according to the principle of cabbage leaves cabbage rolls.
8. 
   Chop the peeled carrots and celery as finely as possible. Heat a deep saucepan with vegetable oil and add chopped vegetables there. Fry for five minutes over low heat.
9. 
   Place folded leaves with minced meat on the heated carrots and celery, tightly close to each other. Add enough water to the pan to cover the dolma and cover with a saucer.
10. 
    Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 50 minutes.At the end, place the finished dolma on a large dish and serve hot with your favorite sauces, cold appetizers and salads.

---

Enjoy your meal!

How to cook dolma in fresh grape leaves in a slow cooker?

Dolma, prepared from fresh grape leaves with minced meat in a slow cooker, turns out noticeably more tender and aromatic, which will certainly please you and your loved ones.

Cooking time: 60 min.

Cooking time: 90 min.

Servings – 10.

Ingredients:

• Grape leaves – 10 pcs.
• Minced meat – 700 gr.
• Rice – 400 gr.
• Onion – 2 pcs.
• Lemon – 1 pc.
• Greens - to taste.
• Spices - to taste.
• Salt - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. To prepare dolma, we will use fresh grape leaves and before proceeding to the main stage, pour boiling water over the leaves and keep them in boiled water for 10 minutes. At the same time, wash the white rice and cook until half cooked.

2. Peel the onion and chop finely.

3. Combine the cooled rice with minced meat, onions and mix thoroughly.

4. Drain the cooled water, and carefully lay out the grape leaves, trying to leave them whole. Place a couple of teaspoons of minced meat on a piece of paper so that you can simply roll it into an envelope. We do the same with the rest of the grape leaves.

5. Place the finished envelopes on the bottom of the bowl, previously covered with a layer of grape leaves. Place a slice of lemon between the envelopes. Fill the bowl with water so that it covers the dolmushki. Set the multicooker mode to “Stew” for 90 minutes.

6. Place the dolma on a serving plate with sour cream, sauces and herbs.

Enjoy your meal!

A simple and tasty recipe for dolma from dry grape leaves in a pan

You will not notice a significant difference between dolma cooked in dry leaves and dolma wrapped in fresh leaves. The only thing is that you will need to spend a little more time preparing the leaves.

Cooking time: 40 min.

Cooking time: 50 min.

Servings – 20.

Ingredients:

• Dry grape leaves – 20 pcs.
• Lamb pulp – 300 gr.
• Rice – 0.5 tbsp.
• Olive oil – 1/3 tbsp.
• Currants – 1 tbsp.
• Pine nut – 1 tbsp.
• Spices - to taste.
• Salt – 1.5 tsp.
• Ground cumin – 0.5 tsp.
• Ground cinnamon – 1/3 tsp.
• Dried oregano – 1/3 tsp.
• Chopped mint – 2 tbsp.
• Zira – 1 pinch.
• Chicken egg – 1 pc.
• Lemon – 0.5 pcs.

Cooking process:

1. Grind the meat into minced meat through a meat grinder, add the required amount of dry rice, mint, whole black currants and peeled pine nuts to the same container. Combine everything without stirring.

2. Add all the spices to the same ingredients in the required proportions, salt, pepper and season with olive oil.

3. Add the egg to the ingredients and mix thoroughly, rubbing all the ingredients well with the meat.

4. Cover the raw minced meat on top with cling film and leave it in a cool place so that the meat can be soaked in spices to obtain a special aroma.

5. Pre-soak dry grape leaves in hot water, then drain the water and carefully separate them individually, rinse under cold water for 15 minutes.

6. While the leaves dry out a little, we remove the stem and proceed to forming the dolma.

7. We lay the leaf with veins towards the top and begin to spread the chilled minced meat closer to the widest part, which is closer to the base of the leaf.

8.We begin to roll it up as shown in the photographs. Thus we reach the top and get a ready-made dolma.

9. We do the same manipulations with the remaining leaves. Quite a meditative process that helps calm the nerves.

10. As a result, all wrapped dolmas should be approximately the same small size.

11. Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of grape leaves. We spread the dolma, moving from the walls of the pan towards the center.

12. After everything is neatly laid out, do not forget to squeeze the lemon juice.

13. Season with olive oil.

14. Select a saucer suitable in diameter and cover the dolma on top. This is done so that during the cooking process it does not lose its shape and the leaves do not open.

15. Next, fill the contents of the pan with boiling water or freshly prepared chicken broth. This item is at your request. The liquid should cover the plate.

16. Place on medium heat and bring to a boil, then gradually reduce and simmer for 40 minutes. You can check readiness by trying one piece. Then we take out a plate and, with the lid open, keep it on low heat for about five minutes so that the dolma is saturated with broth.

17. We take out the entire contents of the pan and serve it based on your preferences.

Enjoy your meal!

How to prepare dolma from canned grape leaves from a jar?

Preservation is one of the best ways to store grape leaves, which you can use regardless of the time of year and prepare delicious dolma as a holiday snack or lunch dish.

Cooking time: 60 min.

Cooking time: 60 min.

Servings – 50.

Ingredients:

• Canned grape leaves – 600 gr.
• Lamb – 1000 gr.
• Rice – 0.5 tbsp.
• Onion – 2 pcs.
• Fresh mint – 1 bunch.
• Cilantro – 1 bunch.
• Chopped coriander – 1.5 tsp.
• Matsoni – 200 gr.
• Garlic – 3 cloves.
• Ground red pepper - to taste.
• Ground black pepper - to taste.
• Salt - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Wash the rice and soak in heated water for an hour. Soak the canned leaves in cool water for 30 minutes, drain the water through a colander and rinse thoroughly.

2. Cut the lamb and onions into small pieces and put them through a meat grinder.

3. Rinse the rice under cold water and place in a colander to remove excess liquid. Finely chop the greens and add to the rice and minced meat. Salt, season with spices and mix all the contents well. Gradually pour about 100 ml of cold water into the container with the minced meat, continuing to stir.

4. Place the leaves on a convenient surface and place a tablespoon of minced meat in portions on the base of the leaf further from the edge. We begin to wrap the leaves from the bottom of the leaf, moving towards the top.

5. Place the stuffed leaves tightly next to each other in a deep pan, fill with water and press on top with a plate. Over medium heat, bring the contents to a boil and leave to simmer over low heat for an hour.

6. Pass the garlic through a garlic press, add to the matsoni and mix thoroughly.

7. Serve dolma hot with matsoni seasoned with garlic.

We wish you bon appetit!

Homemade dolma in grape leaves, cooked in a slow cooker

We will cook dolma in a multicooker in the “simmering” mode, which does not damage the nutrients, although the product is subjected to heat treatment.Plus, the dolma that you prepare in this way will not lose its color, brightness and integral structure.

Cooking time: 50 min.

Cooking time: 60 min.

Servings – 15.

Ingredients:

• Grape leaves – 150 gr.
• Minced pork – 500 gr.
• Onion – 150 gr.
• Rice – 100 gr.
• Mint – 1 bunch.
• Dill – 1 bunch.
• Parsley – 1 bunch.
• Ground coriander – 1 tsp.
• Salt – 1.5 tsp.
• Ground black pepper - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Cut off the stems of the grape leaves and fill them with boiled water. And leave in the water for about two minutes until they become soft.

2. Place the grape leaves in a colander and dry.

3. In a separate container, combine the minced meat with chopped onion. Finely chop the greens and place them in a container with minced meat. The more greens you use, the more aromatic and tastier the dolma will be. Add washed rice here, salt, pepper and season with various spices. Mix everything well and set aside.

4. Place the prepared leaves with the rough side down and then begin to lay out 1.5 teaspoons of minced meat in portions.

5. Fold the grape leaves into envelopes and place them tightly together in the multicooker bowl. Then cover with a plate of suitable diameter and fill with cold water so that it completely covers the top of the saucer.

6. Close the multicooker lid and set the “simmering” program for 1 hour. Check the readiness of the dolma and place it on plates. To serve, you can use your favorite sauce or traditionally serve with sour cream.

Enjoy your meal!

How to properly stew homemade dolma in a Redmond multicooker?

A multicooker will help save your time, and the conditions created in a multicooker in the “stewing” mode allow you to obtain dishes that have a delicious aroma and a complete, pronounced taste.

Cooking time: 50 min.

Cooking time: 90 min.

Servings – 50.

Ingredients:

• Grape leaves – 50 pcs.
• Minced pork and beef – 600 gr.
• Butter – 150 gr.
• Onion – 1 pc.
• Rice – 160 gr.
• Dried basil – 1 tbsp.
• Salt – 1.5 tsp.
• Ground black pepper - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Wash the rice and pour boiling water for 20 minutes so that the cereal swells a little.

2. Dip the grape leaves into boiled water and cook for five minutes.

3. Mix the minced meat with chopped onion, rice, room temperature oil and spices until smooth.

4. We proceed to the formation of small dolmushkas. Spread 2 teaspoons of minced meat, wrapping the grape leaf in an envelope.

5. Place the semi-finished products close to each other in the multicooker bowl. It is recommended to cover the bottom of the bowl with a thin layer of grape leaves. Fill with water so that it lightly covers the workpieces and set the “quenching” mode for 90 minutes.

6. Drain the water from the multicooker bowl and lay out the dolma in portions, seasoning with sour cream sauce and herbs.

Enjoy your meal!

How to quickly and tasty bake dolma in the oven at home?

Dolma cooked in the oven does not require the use of vegetable oil and is therefore suitable for those who are advised to adhere to certain restrictions in their diet.

Cooking time: 60 min.

Cooking time: 40-50 min.

Servings – 80.

Ingredients:

• Grape leaves – 80 pcs.
• Rice – 5 tbsp.
• Minced beef – 500 gr.
• Salt – 1.5 tsp.
• Dry mint – 1 tsp.
• Dry parsley – 2 tsp.

Cooking process:

1. Wash the leaves thoroughly, especially if they are purchased. Place them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let it sit for three hours. This will prevent bitterness and unpleasant aftertaste.

2. Add washed rice and spices to the finished minced meat and mix until smooth.

3. Place the grape leaves on the work surface and begin to lay out the filling. We wrap it exactly the same way as shown in the photo.

4. Place the wrapped pieces in a deep baking tray and place the dolma in the oven for an hour.

5. After which we serve and serve.

Enjoy your meal!

Dietary lean dolma without meat

Lenten dolma does not have to be prepared during fasting, because the dish without minced meat turns out to be dietary and will please those who for some reason do not eat meat products. The absence of meat will be replaced by more grains and vegetables.

Cooking time: 60 min.

Cooking time: 40-50 min.

Servings – 8-10.

Ingredients:

• Grape leaves – 300 gr.
• Tomato – 4 pcs.
• Rice – 130 gr.
• Parsley – 1 bunch.
• Lemon – 1 pc.
• Garlic – 3 cloves.
• Ground black pepper – ½ tsp.
• Vegetable oil – 50 ml.

Cooking process:

1. Pour boiling water over the rice and leave to soak for 30 minutes. As soon as the rice has swelled, drain the water, place in a colander and leave to cool at room temperature.

2. Wash the parsley, dry it and chop it with a knife.

3. Let's move on to tomatoes. To make the peel easily separate from the pulp, pour boiling water over the tomato and finely chop it. In a separate container, combine the cooled rice, chopped herbs, tomatoes, and garlic. Sprinkle with your favorite spices and stir until everything is evenly distributed.

4.Mix 150 ml in a deep bowl. water, 50 ml. vegetable oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

5. Place a couple of teaspoons of filling on the straightened grape leaf. Adjust according to leaf size. It is better not to report than to shift.

6. Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of grape leaves, lay out the wrapped dolmushki and also cover the top with a thin layer of grape leaves. Pour the liquid from oil, water, lemon into the pan. Cover with a closed lid for an hour. We serve dolmushki hot with your favorite sauces and dressings, which you can buy or prepare yourself.

Enjoy your meal!

Incredibly tasty and aromatic dolma in sour cream sauce

Dolma in sour cream sauce will exceed all your expectations, diluting the taste with a pleasant and unobtrusive sourness. To achieve this result, we will use the oven for baking.

Cooking time: 60 min.

Cooking time: 120 min.

Servings – 15.

Ingredients:

• Grape leaves – 100 gr.
• Minced meat – 300 gr.
• Sour cream – 100 gr.
• Kefir – 100 gr.
• Rice – 80 gr.
• Bay leaf – 3 pcs.
• Water – 100 gr.
• Salt - to taste.
• Spices - to taste.
• Garlic – 3 cloves.

Cooking process:

1. To prepare dolma, we chose minced pork and beef, which we passed through a meat grinder.

2. Add salt and spices to the minced meat at your discretion. For example, the seasoning utskho suneli would be an excellent option.

3. Then add the washed rice to the minced meat and grind everything well until smooth.

4. Leaves can be used fresh, salted or canned. Each option requires a separate approach and attention. But in any case, they need to be doused with cold water. We stuff the laid out leaves with the prepared minced meat.To do this, place 1.5 teaspoons of minced meat in the middle and bend the leaves on the sides. We continue this way until we have used up all the minced meat with leaves.

5. Once you have dealt with the dolmas, you can move on to preparing the sauce.

6. In a container, combine the required amount of sour cream, kefir and water. Mix all the spices and salt until smooth and add to the liquid base.

7. Chop the garlic cloves with a knife and place in a pan with the wrapped dolma.

8. Pour everything with sour cream sauce with spices, add a few bay leaves and place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 2-2.5 hours.

9. This time is enough for the dolma to stew well and the sour cream to curdle a little. Serve warm.

Enjoy your meal!

An original recipe for preparing dolma in grape leaves in Armenian

The peculiarity of Armenian dolma is the use of a large amount of herbs and spices, which make dolma brighter and richer not only in appearance, but also in taste.

Cooking time: 60 min.

Cooking time: 120 min.

Servings – 60.

Ingredients:

• Veal – 1000 gr.
• Grape leaves – 750 gr.
• Onion – 100 gr.
• Rice – 6 tbsp.
• Butter – 10 gr.
• Basil – 1 bunch.
• Parsley – 1 bunch.
• Cilantro – 1 bunch.
• Salt - to taste.
• Ground black pepper - to taste.
• Ground red pepper - to taste.
• Paprika - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Pass all the meat through a meat grinder and combine with washed rice.

2. Place all the greens into a blender bowl and chop.

3. Add herbs to the minced meat and add spices. Mix thoroughly and add a little water to make the minced meat a little more juicy.

4. Wash the grape leaves and cut off the stems using scissors.Leave the leaves without tails in boiling water for a couple of minutes.

5. Then we lay out the dry leaves, veins up, and fill them with minced meat, forming envelopes.

6. When all the leaves are filled with minced meat, transfer them to a deep container, adding butter between the layers. Finally, fill everything with lightly salted water and cook for two hours.

7. Serve the finished dish with sour cream sauce.

Enjoy your meal!