July 4, 2026

Stuffed Vine Leaves (Yaprak Sarması)

Delicate vine leaves rolled around lemony rice with pine nuts, currants, and herbs. Here is the recipe.

Stuffed Vine Leaves (Yaprak Sarması)

Delicate vine leaves rolled around lemony rice with pine nuts, currants, and herbs, slow-simmered in olive oil and served cool with lemon.

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

Course: Starter

Cuisine: Turkish

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 125 g fresh grape vine leaves
• 150 g white rice
• 100 ml olive oil
• 3 medium onions finely chopped
• 15 g pine nuts
• 500 ml water
• 15 g small currants rinsed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 3-4 sprigs parsley finely chopped
• 2-3 sprigs dill finely chopped

Method

 

1. Bring 500 ml water and the lemon juice to a boil. Blanch the vine leaves for 2 minutes, plunge briefly into cold water, and drain.
2. Rinse the rice 3-4 times until the water runs clear, soak for 15-20 minutes, and drain.
3. Saute the onions and pine nuts in 75 ml olive oil until golden and caramelized.
4. Add the rice and saute 3-4 minutes more. Add 25 ml water and stir.
5. Cover and simmer on low heat 7-8 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
6. Stir the currants, salt, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, parsley, and dill into the partially cooked rice.
7. Line the bottom of a pot with a few large leaves and the trimmed stems.
8. Lay each leaf vein-side up, trim off the stem, place a teaspoon of filling, fold in the sides, and roll into a cylinder about 7-8 cm long.
9. Arrange the rolls snugly in the pot. Set a small plate on top to keep them closed, add the remaining water and olive oil, and cover.
10. Boil 1 minute, then simmer on low heat 35-40 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Cool and serve with lemon slices.