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Kibbeh-Style Meat-Stuffed Grape Leaves Recipe for Authentic Flavor

I’m always hunting for ways to break the weeknight dinner routine. Like many people, I tend to fall into the same patterns—either grabbing takeout or repeating familiar meals. When Liz Della Croce invited me to preview the newest book in her Food From Our Ancestors series, The Ultimate Syrian Sunday Dinner, I gladly accepted. This lovely collection of family recipes shows why these dishes endure: comforting, flavorful, and time-tested by generations of home cooks.

Meat-stuffed grape leaves on a plate

I have a particular weakness for stuffed grape leaves, so Liz’s recipe immediately caught my eye. I’m the person who buys jarred grape leaves from Trader Joe’s for summer picnics but had never rolled my own. The recipe looked approachable and I enjoy a good culinary challenge, so I jumped in.

Close-up of stuffed grape leaves

Until this recipe I’d only eaten rice-stuffed grape leaves, so the idea of meat-stuffed leaves felt like a full meal in itself. I served them with a simple salad (I used Liz’s Syrian salad from the book) and a side of lentils and rice with caramelized onions—also from Liz’s collection—and suddenly dinner felt exciting again.

Tray of stuffed grape leaves

The jar of grape leaves I found at Whole Foods worked perfectly—the leaves unfurled easily and made tidy wrappers for the meat-and-rice filling. One jar was plenty and I even had some leaves left over, so I’ll definitely be making these again.

Stuffing grape leaves with meat mixture

Rolling the leaves became quite rhythmic—like making tiny burritos: fold the sides in, bring the bottom over the filling, then roll up. The technique is simple and quickly becomes second nature.

Stacked stuffed grape leaves in a pot

To cook, you layer the rolled leaves in a pot, cover with water, and weigh them down with a plate to keep them from shifting. Simmer until the rice is tender—about 15 minutes. These taste wonderful hot, at room temperature, or cold. The bright lemon and the aromatic dried mint are the finishing touches that elevate the dish.

Liz’s Food From Our Ancestors series is a real treasure trove of approachable, authentic recipes. The Syrian ebook is available on its own, or you can get a bundle of all four regional books—Mexican, Jewish Shabbat, Italian, and Syrian—for a great value.

These meat-stuffed grape leaves make a tasty appetizer or the spotlight to a special dinner with warm pita bread, lemony cucumber salad, and creamy hummus.

Meat-Stuffed Grape Leaves

Yield:
6 servings
Prep Time:
45 minutes
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour

Recipe from Food From Our Ancestors: The Ultimate Syrian Sunday Dinner by Liz Della Croce.

Ingredients

  • 1 (2-pound) jar of grape leaves (roughly 50 leaves)
  • 1 pound ground sirloin
  • 1/2 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 2 celery stalks, cut into thirds, optional
  • 5 cabbage leaves, optional
  • 2 tablespoons dried mint

Instructions

  1. Line a large pot with celery stalks and loose cabbage leaves (or use a few torn grape leaves if you don’t have them).
  2. Place grape leaves on a plate and trim any large, thick stems from the bottom.
  3. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, rice, juice of 1 lemon, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  4. Working with one grape leaf at a time, lay the leaf flat and add about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture near the stem.
  5. Shape the meat into a thin cigar, fold the sides in if desired, then roll the leaf from the stem to the tip.
  6. Line the stuffed grape leaves in the pot, alternating direction with each layer, until the pot is three-quarters full or you’ve used all the leaves.
  7. Cover the leaves with water, ensuring at least 1 inch of liquid above them. Pour in the remaining lemon juice and sprinkle in the dried mint.
  8. Place a small plate upside down on top of the leaves to weigh them down and keep them from moving.
  9. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer.
  10. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked. Serve with pita bread and cucumber laban.

Notes

Liz suggests lining the cooking pot with celery stalks and cabbage leaves. If you don’t have those, torn grape leaves work well as a substitute.

© Kate Ramos

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One More Thing

If you try this recipe I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment and share a photo on Instagram—tag @holajalapeno so I can see your creation. Your feedback means a lot. If you run into trouble, send a message on Instagram and I’ll help you through it.

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