Stuffed Grape Leaves (Warak Enab)
Tender grape leaves stuffed with herbed rice, cooked slowly with lemon and olive oil. These take patience but the reward is one of the most satisfying bites in Mediterranean cooking.
Appetizers · Prep 45 min · Cook 60 min · Serves 8 · Hard · By Tina · Published
Ingredients
- 40 grape leaves, jarred, rinsed
- 200 g short-grain rice, rinsed
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 medium tomato, finely diced
- 1 large bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 80 ml olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp allspice
I am not going to lie — stuffed grape leaves take time. Rolling each one is meditative and slow. But every single person I have ever made these for has asked for the recipe, so they are worth every minute.
The filling is rice, fresh herbs (parsley, mint, dill), tomato, onion, and a generous amount of lemon and olive oil. You roll them tight, pack them snugly in a pot, and cook them slowly until the rice is tender and the grape leaves are silky.
My grandmother could roll 100 of these in the time it takes me to do 20. I am still practicing. The technique improves every time.
Pro Tips
- Use jarred grape leaves. Fresh ones need blanching and are harder to work with.
- Rinse the grape leaves well — they are packed in brine and can be salty.
- Roll tight but not TOO tight — the rice expands as it cooks.
- Weigh the grape leaves down with a plate while cooking to keep them submerged and compact.
Serving
Serve cold or at room temperature with a big squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. They are even better the next day. A bowl of yogurt on the side for dipping.
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