Learn how to stuff grape leaves (Warak Enab). An easy way to make the famous Middle Eastern dish. Using jarred leaves for convenience. Find different fillings to use in the stuffed grape leaves.

Why Stuff Them?

Grape leaves are a great way to use a vegetable to stuff with more vegetables. When blanched and softened, they have a distinct hit of tang in flavour. While the dish was traditionally created for a meaty rice filling, they’re often stuffed with other variations of vegetable fillings. Like the tangy Yalanji filling.

In this guide, you’ll find a step-by-step tutorial for how to stuff grape leaves.

Preparing The Leaves

You can use freshly picked leaves, or jarred. This tutorial shows how to make them using the jarred version. It takes less time and steps, since the leaves are already soft. If using the freshly picked leaves, you’ll need to wash thoroughly then blanching to soften, before cooling down and working with it. While both methods are great, the freshly picked leaves seem to have the most authentic flavourful taste.

Make sure to rinse off the liquids from the jar before working with the leaves. Empty into a large bowl, separating the leaves. Cover in water and gently scrub by hand to remove the slime. Hold each leaf by hand and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Snip off the string of each leaf using a pair of scissors, removing the thick part coming from the leaf. Place on a plate, and continue preparing the rest, placing same side down.

How To Stuff Grape Leaves

There are many options of fillings to use when stuffing the leaves. Regardless of which one you choose, place the leaf on a flat surface (soft side down, with thicker side facing upwards). Add a heaping teaspoon of the filling to the centre (sprinkled/spread over the bottom). Leave enough space for the bottom-end of the leaf to fold over the filling.

Rolling The Leaves

After adding the filling, fold over the bottom ends of the leaf, tuck in the sides (while holding the filling in place), then roll it up tightly (without pressing too much on the filling).

Repeat the same for the rest, placing them tightly together in a plate until ready to cook. Depending on the size of the leaves, and which filling you choose, the cooking process may change slightly. They should be super soft and tender, a fork should go in and come out smoothly.

Video Tutorial

Watch this short step-by-step tutorial on how to stuff grape leaves here:

What To Stuff Grape Leaves With?

Stuffed grape leaves is a very versatile dish with many options to use as a filling. Most popular ones are: (1) Vegetarian Rice Filling (known as Yalanji), (2) Meaty Rice Filling (known as Warak Enab), and (3) Tomato-Based (known as Aprax/Dolma, among other names). Find the recipes for these different fillings here:

Tips To Stuff Grape Leaves

• Place all snipped-off leaves on a plate, facing the same way. This will make it easier when adding the stuffing to roll them up.

• Make sure the soft side of the leaf is placed downwards, while thicker side is facing upwards.

• Cut the larger leaves in half (vertically). This is to keep the size consistent with the rest of the leaves. You can still stuff the large ones as is, but they will take longer to cook.

How To Stuff Grape Leaves

Recipe by Waseem HijaziCuisine: Arabic, Middle EasternDifficulty: Easy

Servings

50

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

Learn how to stuff grape leaves (Warak Enab). An easy way to make the famous Middle Eastern dish. Using jarred leaves for convenience. Find different fillings to use in the stuffed grape leaves.

What you’ll need:

• 50 grape leaves, jarred (or as many as you want)

• Scissors

• Large bowl

• Yalanji Filling (or other option to stuff grape leaves)

Instructions

• Preparing The Leaves
• Rinse off the liquids from the jar before working with the leaves. Empty into a large bowl, separating the leaves. Cover in water and gently scrub by hand to remove the slime.
• Hold each leaf by hand and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Snip off the string of each leaf using a pair of scissors, removing the thick part coming from the leaf.
• Place on a plate, and continue preparing the rest, placing same side down.
• Stuffing And Rolling The Leaves
• Place the leaf on a flat surface (soft side down, with thicker side facing upwards).
• Add a heaping teaspoon of the filling to the centre (sprinkled/spread over the bottom). Leave enough space for the bottom-end of the leaf to fold over the filling.
• Fold over the bottom ends of the leaf, tuck in the sides (while holding the filling in place), then roll it up tightly (without pressing too much on the filling).

Notes

• (1) Use freshly picked grape leaves for enhanced flavours. Use jarred grape leaves for convenience.
• (2) Wash off the slimy liquid stuck to the leaves before working with it.
• (3) Cut the larger leaves in half (vertically).
• (4) Place the snipped-off leaves on a plate, all on the same side, so it’s easier to work with. When stuffing, make sure the soft side is placed down, while thicker side is facing upwards.
• (5) Roll the grape leaves tightly, but not too tight for the filling to be so stuck together. The rice needs some space to expand when cooked.
• (6) When cooking, pack the grape leaves tightly together in the pot to stay in place.

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