Zeytinyagli yaprak sarma stuffed vine leaves
Vine leaves rolled around lemony herb rice and slow cooked in olive oil, served cold as a meze.
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelHard
- Costabout £0.49 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Soak the vine leaves in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
10 min - 2
Soften the onions in half the oil for 8 minutes. Add the rice, tomato purée, currants, allspice and mint and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the herbs and half the lemon juice.
8 min - 3
Place a leaf shiny side down, put a teaspoon of filling near the stalk, fold in the sides and roll up snugly.
- 4
Pack the rolls tightly, seam down, in a wide pan lined with any torn leaves. Add the rest of the oil, lemon juice and the hot water. Put a small plate on top to hold them down.
- 5
Cover and simmer very gently for 45 minutes until the rice is tender. Cool in the pan.
45 min - 6
Serve cold with lemon wedges.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.