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Türkiye · Main dish
Turkish Yaprak Sarma (Stuffed Vine Leaves with Meat)
Local name: Yaprak sarma
Vine leaves rolled around a spiced minced meat and rice filling and simmered slowly in lemony water.
- Servings4
- Prep1 h
- Cooking1 h
- Total time2 h
- DifficultyMedium
About this dish
Yaprak sarma is vine leaves wrapped around a filling, and in Turkish cooking sarma (wrapped) is distinguished from dolma (stuffed vegetables). The olive oil version is served cold, while the meat version is served warm. It appears at family meals, holidays and when guests visit; leaves are picked in spring and preserved in brine or frozen to be used through the year.
This version has a filling of minced meat, onion, parsley and dried mint. The rolls are packed tightly in a pot and cooked in hot lemony water, so the tang of the leaf balances the soft rice and meat. Plain yogurt is the usual accompaniment.
Ingredients
Tick the ingredients off like a shopping list.
Leaves
Filling
Cooking liquid
Method
Separate the brined leaves, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to remove excess salt, rinse in cold water, drain and trim off the tough stems.
Rinse the rice, soak it in warm salted water for 15 minutes, then drain.
Cook the onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes, stir in the tomato paste and cook 2 more minutes; remove from the heat and cool.
Knead the rice, minced meat, cooled onion, parsley, mint, pepper and salt together until well combined.
Line the bottom of a medium pot with torn or damaged leaves.
Place a leaf vein-side up and put about 1 tablespoon of filling near the stem end (2 teaspoons for small leaves).
Fold the bottom over the filling, fold in the sides and roll up into a finger-thick roll, snug but not tight, so the leaves do not burst when the rice swells; repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
Pack the rolls tightly in the pot, seam-side down, and weigh them down with an upturned plate.
Mix the hot water, lemon juice and salt and pour over the rolls so the liquid comes up to the plate or just to the top of the rolls; add more hot water if needed. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the rolls rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
Serve warm with yogurt and lemon wedges if you like.
💡 Tips
- If using fresh leaves, blanch them for 1-2 minutes and move to cold water.
- Don't roll too tightly, because the rice swells as it cooks and overly tight rolls can burst the leaves.
- The plate on top keeps the rolls from unrolling or shifting.
- If the liquid does not reach the plate or top of the rolls, top up with boiling water; cold water interrupts the cooking.
- Don't skip the resting time; the rolls absorb the liquid and hold their shape.
- If your brined leaves are very salty, use less salt in the filling and cooking water.
🛒 Can't find it abroad?
- Brined vine leaves — Use fresh vine leaves or cabbage leaves; blanch the cabbage, thin the thick vein and roll larger.
- Dried mint — Use a little fresh mint or dried thyme, though the flavor will change slightly.
- Short-grain rice — Any short-grain rice or arborio works.
This recipe was prepared with the help of AI, following the traditional home-style method; quantities, times and steps were checked automatically for consistency. Ovens and stoves differ, so check doneness by eye.
