Middle Eastern · snack
Lebanese Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves
Video by Feelgoodfoodie on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
A vegan meze of rice, herbs and vegetables wrapped in vine leaves and slow-cooked in olive oil and lemon, with no added sugar. Each 5-roll serve gives about 275 kcal, mostly from the rice and olive oil.
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Ingredients 14
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Rinse the grape leaves, soak them a few minutes in a bowl of boiling water, drain and stack them. Cut out any thick stems. 0:52
- Mix the uncooked rice with the chopped tomato, parsley, green onions, green pepper, garlic, crushed red pepper, mint, salt and pepper. Stir in ¼ cup of the olive oil. 0:59
- Lay a leaf flat, vein side up, put about 2 teaspoons of filling in a line near the stem end, fold in the sides and roll up firmly but not too tight (the rice swells). Repeat to make about 60 rolls. 1:51
- Line a large pot with the tomato slices and season. Pack the rolls in tightly in layers, alternating direction, drizzling each layer with some of the remaining ½ cup oil and a little salt and pepper. 2:37
- Weigh the rolls down with an upside-down plate, add 5–6 cups of water to cover, put the lid on and cook on medium heat 30 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed. 3:11
- Pour over the lemon juice and cook on low heat 45 minutes more. Rest 30 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature. 3:40
Tip. The cook counts 8 serves; we count 12 snack serves of 5 rolls. Rinse the leaves well: their brine is very salty. Keeps up to 5 days in the fridge and is good cold. Rolling takes time, so get friends or family to help.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One portion (5 rolls) gives you 1 of 12
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 47%
- Protein 6%
- Fat 47%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 91% of the 31 g of net carbs come from the short-grain rice. To cut carbs, try cauliflower rice instead, or half and half.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High67%
80 µg a serve, mostly from parsley (51%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin C High21%
19 mg a serve, mostly from lemon juice (32%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin E Source18%
2.7 mg a serve, mostly from olive oil (73%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Selenium Source15%
8.3 µg a serve, mostly from short-grain rice (96%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Show the other 11
Vitamin A9%
85 µg a serve, mostly from grape leaves (62%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Folate8%
33 µg a serve, mostly from grape leaves (48%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin B68%
0.1 mg a serve, mostly from short-grain rice (37%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Iron7%
1.3 mg a serve, mostly from grape leaves (46%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Zinc7%
0.7 mg a serve, mostly from short-grain rice (69%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Omega-37%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from olive oil (88%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Calcium6%
81 mg a serve, mostly from grape leaves (71%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Magnesium5%
22 mg a serve, mostly from short-grain rice (55%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Potassium3%
160 mg a serve. Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Feelgoodfoodie; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.