Yaprak Sarma (Vegetarian Turkish Stuffed Grape Leaves)
This Yaprak Sarma recipe is a vegan and gluten-free Turkish-style stuffed grape leaf. Unlike dolmades, which are often only filled with seasoned rice, these have way more fun stuff going on, like currants, pine nuts, mint, and pepper paste.
Servings: 12 (about 36 grape leaves)
Calories: 249kcal
Cost: $9.50
Equipment
Ingredients
For the leaves:
- 1.1 lbs. fresh grape leaves or use 454 g. of jarred prepared grape leaves
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Stuffing:
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion diced
- 1 cup rice uncooked
- 1 ⅔ cups water
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup tomato diced
- 1 tablespoon tatli biber salçası Turkish pepper paste, or tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- ¼ cup dried currants
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup water
To serve:
- ⅓ cup mutabal or labneh (optional)
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts toasted
- Flat-leaf parsley leaves
- Fresh lemon wedges
Instructions
- If using fresh grape leaves, blanch them for 45 seconds in boiling water and then rinse and pat dry. For jarred grape leaves, drain, rinse, and pat them dry.
- In a Dutch oven or thick-bottomed pot over medium heat, toast the pine nuts for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden, then set them aside.
- In the same pot, heat olive oil for 60 seconds over medium heat. When the oil is hot, sauté onions for three minutes until slightly translucent.
- Add the rice, water, lemon juice, and tatli biber salçası (or tomato paste) into the pot. Stir in diced tomatoes, currants, dried mint, black pepper, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Place a lid on the pot and bring up to a vigorous steam over high heat. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-18 minutes covered until the rice is just tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in the toasted pine nuts, fresh dill, and finely chopped flat-leaf parsley into the rice filling.
- Place a grape leaf on a clean surface, add a tablespoon of the stuffing, and roll it tightly, tucking in the sides like a thin burrito. If there are any tears in the grape leaf, you can double wrap using a second grape leaf. Repeat with all grape leaves and stuffing.
- Line the bottom of a pot with a few additional grape leaves to prevent sticking, arrange the rolls over the bottom (it’s ok to stack them), drizzle all over with olive oil, and add water. Bring to a vigorous steam over medium heat, then cover and simmer over low heat for 30-35 minutes.
- Serve either hot or at room temperature and garnish with parsley leaves, additional pine nuts, and lemon wedges.
Notes
🌿 Handle Grape Leaves with Care: Whether using fresh or jarred grape leaves, be gentle. If fresh, blanch them just enough to make them pliable. For jarred, rinse to remove brine. Don't fret if a few tear; use them to line the pot's bottom to prevent sticking.
🌯 Roll Neatly: When rolling, aim for tight, neat parcels. Like making lahana sarma (stuffed cabbage), practice helps. Take your time; each one should be neater than the last. If you get a tear in your grape leaf, double-wrap it with a second leaf.
🍽️ Layer for Success: To prevent unraveling during cooking, layer the rolls closely in the pot. Use grape leaves at the bottom to avoid sticking, and ensure they're well-oiled.
🔥 Simmer Gently: Cook with a slow, steady simmer in a covered pot. A Dutch oven is ideal for even heat distribution. Added tip: When simmering, a splash of lemon juice can enhance the flavors, so don't be afraid to try it. Remember, patience leads to perfection.
Nutrition
Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 11872IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 2mg