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vegetarian stuffed grape leaves

Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves (Warak Enab)

Homemade vegetarian stuffed grape leaves recipe: learn to roll fresh leaves with a tangy rice, herb, and pomegranate molasses filling.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings: 50 units
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Arabic, Greek
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Leaves & Base:
  • 50 grape leaves fresh or high-quality jarred
  • 4 large tomatoes sliced into 1-1.5 cm rounds
  • ¼ cup olive oil for the pot
For the Rice Filling:
  • 1 ½ cups round rice
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup dill fresh ,chopped
  • ⅓ cup mint fresh ,chopped
  • ⅓ cup parsley fresh ,chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sumac
  • 1 tsp dried mint or a dried herb blend
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • ½ cup pine nuts lightly toasted
For the Cooking Liquid:
  • 2 cups water or vegetable/chicken broth
  • Juice of 3 lemons
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt

Method
 

Prepare the Leaves:
  1. Fresh leaves: Wash thoroughly. Place in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them soak until the water cools down.
  2. Jarred/Canned leaves: Rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove excess brine.
Prepare the Rice:
  1. Wash the rice well and soak it in cold water for at least one hour. Drain.
  2. Sauté: Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onion until it begins to soften.
  3. Mix the Filling: In a bowl, combine the sautéed onion, soaked rice, herbs, salt, sumac, dried mint, pomegranate molasses, and toasted pine nuts. Mix well.
  4. Tip: Since you can't adjust the seasoning once they are cooking, taste a tiny bit of the raw filling (sucking the juices) to ensure the salt and spice levels are to your liking.
  5. Prepare the Pot: Pour ¼ cup of olive oil into a wide, flat pot (a sauté pan works well). Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer across the bottom. This prevents the leaves from sticking and adds flavor.
  6. Stuff and Roll: Place a leaf rough-side up. Put 2 teaspoons of filling near the stem end. Fold the sides in and roll tightly.
  7. Pack the Pot: Arrange the rolled leaves in the pot. They should be packed very tightly together to prevent them from opening during cooking.
  8. Cook: Mix the water (or broth), lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Pour the mixture over the grape leaves.
  9. Simmer: Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat for about 3 hours, or until the leaves are tender and the rice is fully cooked.

Notes

Blog Tip: These are best served at room temperature or cold, often with a side of thick Greek yogurt!

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