These are one of the BEST Greek vegetarian stuffed grape leaves (dolmades yialantzi) recipes you’ll ever make. They’re packed with fresh herbs! The onions are the secret, though! You need a lot of onions in all Greek recipes for rice-stuffed vegetable dishes and grape leaves because they lend an underlying sweetness that makes these dishes delicious.
WATCH me make this recipe from My Greek Table on YouTub HERE!
Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy skillet and add the onions and scallions. Toss to coat with oil. Cook, covered, over low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, until wilted and lightly colored, opening the lid a couple of times to stir and check on them.
Place the stuffed grape leaves snugly next to one another, seam-side down, inside your pan of choice. It’s totally ok to make more than one layer of rolled grape leaves – you can stack them if necessary inside the pot. Drizzle with a little olive oil, the lemon juice, and just enough water to cover. Place a plate inside the pot over the grape leaves as a weight to keep them from opening during cooking. Cover the pot with its lid and simmer the grape leaves over low heat for about 35 - 40 minutes, until the leaves are tender and the rice cooked. Remove, cool slightly. Serve the stuffed grape leaves with Greek yogurt or tzatziki on the side.