Grape leaves rolled around a spiced rice and ground meat filling, simmered gently and served with a tangy garlic-yogurt sauce.
Georgian Tolma is a real, traditional Georgian dish, known as Grape Leaf Dolma with Herbed Meat Filling. Grape leaves rolled around a spiced rice and ground meat filling, simmered gently and served with a tangy garlic-yogurt sauce.\n\nTolma reflects the broad Caucasus and Middle Eastern tradition of stuffed grape leaves, with the Georgian version distinguished by its liberal use of fresh herbs and a serving alongside matsoni (Georgian yogurt) sauce.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Georgian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 8
If using jarred grape leaves, rinse well to remove excess brine; if fresh, blanch briefly to soften.
Combine ground meat, rice, onion, cilantro, mint, khmeli suneli, salt and pepper.
Place a spoonful of filling near the stem end of each leaf, fold in the sides, and roll tightly into a small cylinder.
Line the bottom of a pot with a few extra leaves, then pack the rolled tolma tightly in layers. Add water or stock to just cover, place a plate on top to weigh them down, and simmer covered for 45 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
Mix plain yogurt or matsoni with minced garlic and a pinch of salt.
Serve the tolma warm with the garlic-yogurt sauce for dipping.
Roll the tolma tightly but not too tight, since the rice will expand as it cooks and needs a little room.
Weighing the rolls down with a plate while simmering keeps them from unraveling in the pot.
Rinse jarred grape leaves thoroughly, since they're often quite salty from the brine.
A vegetarian version uses extra rice, herbs and sometimes lentils instead of meat.
Some households add a splash of lemon juice to the cooking liquid for extra brightness.
Serve with a simple tomato sauce instead of yogurt sauce as an alternative.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Tolma reflects the broad Caucasus and Middle Eastern tradition of stuffed grape leaves, with the Georgian version distinguished by its liberal use of fresh herbs and a serving alongside matsoni (Georgian yogurt) sauce.
Middle Eastern or Mediterranean grocery stores typically carry jarred grape leaves in brine; fresh grape leaves can be used in season if you have access to a grapevine.
They likely weren't rolled tightly enough, or weren't weighed down while simmering — use a plate to keep them compact and in place.
Yes, they reheat well and some say the flavor improves after a day resting in the fridge.
Per serving (150g / 5.3 oz) · 8 servings total
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