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Vegetarian, Maghreb and Middle East

Stuffed grape leaves with rice and garlic yogurt

Stuffed grape leaves with rice are a Mediterranean dish for 4 people, ready in 75 minutes, medium difficulty, at €2.40 per serving. Raw rice cooks inside the leaves along with mint, parsley and lemon, served warm with a garlic yogurt. The key is to roll the leaves loosely so the rice has room to swell.

Grape leaves stuffed with rice, mint and lemon, with a garlic yogurt on the side, a trip to the eastern Mediterranean.

Stuffed grape leaves with rice and garlic yogurt
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.40
Calories per person
440 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring

Raw rice rolled inside grape leaves simmers gently in a lemony broth, soaking up mint, parsley and tomato juice. The grape leaf turns tender with a light tang, very different from plain cooked rice. Garlic yogurt cools each bite, balancing the warm, fragrant rice with a creamy, cold contrast.

This is a dish for a Sunday when you have some time ahead, or for a platter shared with friends. Rolling the leaves one by one takes patience, but you can prepare them well ahead and serve them warm later. Mon Chou walks you through the rolling and cooking so the rolls hold together.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Grape leaves in brine 40
  • Riceoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 8 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2
  • Tomatoes 2
  • Mint 1 bunch
  • Parsley 1 bunch
  • Lemon 2
  • Garlic 1 cloves

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt 4 cup

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Rinse the grape leaves and blanch them briefly in boiling water to remove the brine.

    Separate them gently, they tear easily.

  2. Mix the raw rice with the chopped onion, diced tomatoes, herbs, half the olive oil, salt and pepper.

    Don't cook the rice first, it finishes cooking inside the leaf.

  3. Spoon a little filling onto each leaf, fold in the sides and roll into a small cigar shape.

    Lay the leaf vein side facing you, it makes rolling easier.

  4. Pack the rolls tightly into a pot, pour over lemon juice, olive oil and hot water, cover with an upturned plate and let simmer. 45 min

    The upturned plate keeps the rolls from unrolling as they cook.

  5. Mix the yogurt with the crushed garlic and serve it alongside the warm stuffed grape leaves.

    Let the rolls rest for ten minutes before serving, they soak up more flavor.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick medium sized grape leaves, oversized ones make thick rolls that cook unevenly in the center, while tiny ones are hard to stuff.
  • Taste the cooking broth before covering the pot, it should taste clearly of lemon since that's what flavors the rice from the inside.
  • Pack the rolls tightly in layers in the pot, standing up or side by side, so they can't shift or unroll while they cook.

The variations

  • Add a handful of pine nuts or raisins to the filling for a version closer to Lebanese style stuffed grape leaves.
  • Swap part of the rice for fine bulgur for a lighter texture and a different grain flavor.
  • For a quicker version, stuff store bought prepared grape leaves and spend your time on the garlic yogurt instead.

What to serve it with

  • A cucumber and tomato salad
  • Warm pita bread
  • Mint tea

Storage

Stuffed grape leaves keep for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. They freeze well once cooked, thaw them in the refrigerator then reheat gently by steaming or in a pan with a splash of water. Make the garlic yogurt fresh just before serving, it doesn't freeze well.

Questions about this dish

Can you use fresh grape leaves instead of brined ones?

Yes, if you have fresh leaves, blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes in boiling water to soften them. They taste more fragrant but are more delicate to roll than brined leaves.

Why does the rice need to stay raw before stuffing the leaves?

Raw rice absorbs the cooking liquid and flavors as it swells inside the leaf, giving a tender, fragrant grain. Pre-cooked rice would turn mushy and sticky by the time the rolls finish cooking.

Can you make stuffed grape leaves ahead of time?

Yes, you can roll them the day before and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you cook them the next day. You can also cook them ahead, they taste just as good reheated.

What if the rolls come apart while cooking?

Pack them tightly against each other in the pot and set an upturned plate on top to hold them in place. If a few open up, just press them closed with your fingers before serving.

How long does it take to make stuffed grape leaves with rice, mint and lemon, served with garlic yogurt?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in stuffed grape leaves with rice, mint and lemon, served with garlic yogurt?

About 440 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does stuffed grape leaves with rice, mint and lemon, served with garlic yogurt cost?

About €2.40 per serving, or €9.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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