The BEST Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves with MEAT | Everything You Need to Know to Cook it Like a PRO

You will need to have at hand:
- A jar of Grape Leaves
- Half pound ground beef
- A cup and a half of Egyptian Rice
Everything else is already in your pantry.
Cooking time of pot: At least 2 hours (simmering over low heat with the lid on)
Serving size: 4 people (about 70 stuffed grape leaves rolls in total)
Important notes for this recipe:
- When layering the grape leaves: place the rolls in the pot with the seam side down.
- when cooking the pot: Let it simmer over low heat with the lid on for AT LEAST 2 hours. After 2 hours, you can taste it to see if it is soft and to your liking. I honestly leave my pot simmering for 2 and a half or (if i have time) for 3 hours because i like it very tender.
- when seasoning: A 1/2 tsp of salt in water mixture makes it just perfect for my taste.
However, I know some people like it on the saltier side. you can always add another 1/2 tsp if you want it saltier, but its important to be careful and know when to add it (remember the jar already had some salt!), so after 1 hour of cooking, taste the cooking solution to see if it's to your liking. At this point only, you can add more black pepper and salt to taste.
Link to my Lebanese 7 spices recipe:
• Lebanese Seven Spices ...

[@FrancesGary-dg2ct]

You are the only one I have found that recommend cleaning the jared leaves in cool water .Thank you

[@MsVictoria4ever]

Labour of love. I gotta try this with my wild grape leaves on our property which are ready to harvest right now.

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Indeed👌 If you use fresh grape leaves, make sure to boil them for about 5 min, then dip them in cold water to preserve their green color then drain them from water on a sieve before filling them with the stuffing 😃

[@victoriananteza7481]

Wow wow,am from uganda just watched your recipe am going to try it now,it's a long video but worth watching loved it,thx maama.

[@happysmurfette]

My first time making these lil yummies and I appreciate the detailed instructions on handling leaves out of the the jar along with great tips!! Thank You NCL😋🌻

[@nourcookslebanese523]

You are very welcome :) hope you like it when you try it:)

[@Lebanonphenomenon]

Looks great! I’ve been making these since childhood. I always add a good amount of fresh lemon juice to the stewing liquid. These are my favorite thing to make AND eat. I just planted a wild vine in my back yard so I can pick fresh leaves every year.

[@nourcookslebanese523]

I LOVE stuffed grape leaves too especially the meat version. Hahaha I should do that too! Fresh leaves are zillion times better than the ones from jars! 😃

[@MichelleRother]

@@nourcookslebanese523 hey, we just moved into a house with a row of grape vines !!! With Father’s Day coming up I’m going to try my hand at making stuffed grape leaves. (husband is Lebanese, I am not so this is new to me) any idea how to prep the fresh leaves to be able to use what we have in our garden ? Thank you !

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Hello Michelle, yes, of course. You would need to boil them for a few minutes (about 3-5 min) until their color change (from vibrant green to kind of wilted olive green). I tried to find some videos that I will link below that shows visually the process, they are in Arabic, but the visual images should help. Please let me know if you have any other question:) Link for boiling fresh grape leaves: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHfTaIGMbp6sfa8 My own notes to make it easier: - start by washing the grape leaves with running water (you can also remove their main stem) - arrange them in groups with their stuffing side on the same side. - boil about 2 qt of water - using tongues hold each group together and submerge in the boiling pot for few min until their color change. - once all are ready, you can stuff them with the filling on their stuffing sides (the rough side as shown in my video)

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Hello Michelle, yes, of course. You would need to boil them for a few minutes (about 3-5 min) until their color change (from vibrant green to kind of wilted olive green). I tried to find some videos that I will link below that shows visually the process, they are in Arabic, but the visual images should help. Please let me know if you have any other question:) Link for boiling fresh grape leaves: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHfTaIGMbp6sfa8 My own notes to make it easier: - start by washing the grape leaves with running water (you can also remove their main stem) - arrange them in groups with their stuffing side on the same side. - boil about 2 qt of water - using tongues hold each group together and submerge in the boiling pot for few min until their color change. - once all are ready, you can stuff them with the filling on their stuffing sides (the rough side as shown in my video)

[@brendarios2552]

Detail is amazing, I love grape leaves. My husband is from Syria and I’ve been scared to make them because his family just makes them Amazing!!! But with this video, I think I can try, thank you for the details!!!

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Yes, I highly encourage you to try it. Homemade grape leaves are the best. I promise it will be successful and your husband will be impressed by your Mediterranean cuisine dish 😁😁😁

[@brendarios2552]

@@nourcookslebanese523 do you recommend soaking leaves overnight?

[@sylvitagz2714]

Made these again. Fabbbbulous. This time I added minced dill, parsley ana mint to lamb/beef mixture and a bit of fresh, minced garlic. Again, it is a superb recipe you can build and make your own. This will be my core recipe for years to come. It tastes exactly like the mid eastern restaurant I was so fond of in Jax, FL. Thank you, Noor!

[@newsviewstoday5689]

CONGRATULATIONS & Thank you ~ I watched ALL of the videos available on Stuffed Grape Leaves & yours by far is THE Best! A work of art no other like yours! Thank you again, I have huge tender fresh grape leaves on some vines outside my home & am determined this year to make stuffed Grape Leaves, thanks for your inspiration & the education! Cheers from A Canadian in Oz.

[@nourcookslebanese523]

It is my pleasure:) so happy you loved my recipe! Niceee! I wish I had fresh grape leaves at hand as well! Now you can put them to good use:)) greetings from a Lebanese-American in the states :)

[@kenstrauss5841]

My grandmother used to make these. She was Spanish ( Sephardic) but grew up in Constantinople . I love stuffed grape leaves

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Such a beautiful heritage 🙂 It is one of my favorite dishes too, it reminds me of home 🙏

[@joecrypto2459]

yeah reason she cooked this is because its an turkish dish hence Istanbul (Or as pre 1930 Constantinople)

[@maalohaaseniero9345]

Yes 👍 good job.All that I'm watching for Warak Enab is your recipe I like,same to the recipe of the aunt of my egyptian madam.

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Yummy! Yes it is all so similar 😃 thank you very much for this beautiful comment and please let me know if you have any questions and how you find it when you try it 😃 food is the fastest ticket to go back home and back to our beautiful culture and heritage 🙏

[@zo7588]

Can’t wait to try this recipe!

[@TricksCookschannel]

I Love lebanese food Well done Thanks for the recipe :)

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you very much 🤗 I love it too🙆‍♀️

[@rorogirl1694]

Yummy i love lebanses food its the best!!😍😋

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Amen!!!!

[@Lorraines633]

I got interested in making this food after watching several Turkish series 🥰

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Hahahaha I totally understand what you mean, I also love watching Turkish series! I also like the baklava and the burak dishes too😄

[@sylvitagz2714]

This recipe is TO DIE FOR. Your instructions were extremely helpful and easy to follow. I went with a lamb/beef combo because I love lamb. I shared with my fam but I wanted to eat them all myself. LOL. TY!!!!!

[@jenny-u3m]

Warak Enab is delicious 😋😋😋 I missed that food...

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Best food:)))

[@laurathomason7230]

My Lebanese grandmother would use ground lamb and went out to the grape vineyards to acquire her leaves. As her granddaughter I do the same..

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Lebanese grandmothers are icons for sure! Definitely lamb would enrich the flavor. I usually use ground beef in the filling and couple lamb chops in the bottom of the pot with the leaves layered on top. This too enhance the flavor :)

[@TheBebe2214]

So Glad I found your channel! This recipe is great! Thank you for sharing! Cant wait to see more

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you very much:))

[@mariamoreno4163]

Looks delicious!! I'll make them for my husband ❤

[@lauracaulfield6480]

I have always wanted to learn how to make these, thankyou!!

[@nourcookslebanese523]

You are the most welcome, Laura🤗 I promise you won’t ever buy it again!

[@namutebiesther1845]

Wow I must try it out

[@nourcookslebanese523]

It is delicious!

[@MsDiversity3]

THANKS so much for this recipe! 💙

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Very welcome🤍

[@joroboam]

I am truly grateful

[@nourcookslebanese523]

And I am graPeful for your comment:)

[@aidamargarita9733]

Nice. This looks a lot like the recipe my grandma used to make. Only I remember that she used to cook the meat (added tomato paste) before she would mix it with the rice. Thank you. I will certainly try making it

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you:) grandmas food is the best:)

[@lovewillwinnn]

Gloves that fit are so helpful

[@antonioscendrategattico2302]

I wish grape leaves were easy to come by here in Italy. Stuffed grape leaves are my favorite entrée ever.

[@user-ts4uz2qh6q]

Italy is the oldest wine producing region in the world, go to a vineyard and you’ll find tons of grape leaves. All you have to do is boil the leaves for a while then start filling them

[@antonioscendrategattico2302]

@@user-ts4uz2qh6q Yeah, I know, but I'd have to steal them :P

[@user-ts4uz2qh6q]

@@antonioscendrategattico2302 My grandma is from sicily, she pays to go into the vineyard to pick leaves and she doesn’t pay very much. u could try askung

[@antonioscendrategattico2302]

@@user-ts4uz2qh6q I will

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Or look for middle eastern grocery stores around:)

[@walterp4370]

Fabulous Nour just fabulous

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thanks:)

[@ivorsookraj9826]

thank you for sharing the recipe

[@Nighatpakwan]

Aslamoalikom. A great recipe ❤thank you for sharing.

[@Vincentbyers-fg4ob]

Great recipe ,thanks a million ,I find here in Malta lebanese shops i can buy vine leaves ,thanks bye

[@jayboss7144]

Great job. I sure wish I could come over for dinner!! That looks so good

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you very much Jay:) Ahlan wa sahlan (it means you are welcome in Lebanese). Let me know how you find it when you try it this way! Soon I will be posting the vegan version of these too:)

[@jayboss7144]

Nour Cooks Lebanese the biggest difference I see is I cook mine in chicken broth. Other than that we are pretty close to the same, but I’m sure yours are better!! Lol thanks again and I’ll keep watching for more cooking ideas. Great job once again!!

[@nourcookslebanese523]

You know this is one of our most difficult recipes, so I am impressed! Adding a broth is a really good idea, it would enrich the flavor. A really good idea too (that grandma does) is adding beef steaks to the bottom of the pot instead of potatoes or tomatoes. This will enrich the recipe and render your water into beef broth:) thanks again😃 And stay in touch!

[@jayboss7144]

Nour Cooks Lebanese my grandmother made a dish we called “Green beans and rice”, but I believe it has a different name. It’s exactly that. Green beans and rice cooked with lamb chunks in a tomato, lemon sauce. I wish I had her recipes, but I don’t. Are you familiar with this dish I speak of?

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Yes of course! Was it green been with beef chunks stew?

[@Tom-Alberta-Canada]

wonderful ,, easy to follow your recipe ,, have a nice day , Tom

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you very much 😃

[@Tom-Alberta-Canada]

@@nourcookslebanese523 you are welcome

[@fitnfab6522]

So yummy! Bravo! Wonder how to cook it in a pressure cooker? Maybe a video? 🥰

[@nourcookslebanese523]

I never cooked it in pressure cooker but that will definitely cut the time to about an hour!

[@LiveGoodTheHealthyFoodLover]

Looks so delicious 😋

[@nourcookslebanese523]

And tastes even more delicious 😃

[@baylasanalbadie2743]

My favorite food 😍😍

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Me too:)

[@norahsarah640]

So nice

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you:))

[@mariyoocho9006]

Hi Nour. My stuffing is hard, not soft what I might be doing wrong please? God bless...thank you

[@Looknobook]

Nice!

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you very much 😃

[@mobizone5243]

It's nice thank u !!!!

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you very much 😊

[@andreestreeter6194]

My fav so great ⚡️

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Mine as well:)

[@AhsanAli-dv8lr]

Thank you for the reispe miximum how many hours cook this woarkanab please Ripley me thank you

[@nourcookslebanese523]

I would leave it maximum for 3 hours and minimum for 2 hours.

[@freerunner7291]

Thanks for the recipe! In Ukraine we call that dish dolma)

[@nourcookslebanese523]

And I have just learned a new word...Dolma:))

[@joantalisic6259]

Wow

[@gabrielajailani388]

Left over grape leaves, do eat cold next day or how do you reheat?

[@nourcookslebanese523]

I would reheat it by adding some water over stove or in microwave :)

[@qaiserjaved1081]

Thanks

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you 😃

[@solyartphotos]

With yogurt salad hmmmmm yummy

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Exactly!!!!

[@bc8180]

Yes my Georian friend served it with Gteek yoghurt. Verry Delicious. Now I have the Recipe Thank You

[@tewabechitadiyostewabechi4741]

Yes 🥰🥰

[@dreamerworld1495]

The stuffing, can it also be made of shredded corn, meat and rice? Have any one done it with corn?

[@MD-xl3lj]

Very similar to Greek food 😍

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Best Regards to Greece 🇬🇷:)

[@MD-xl3lj]

@@nourcookslebanese523 Lol I'm from Australia

[@nathanfarias1051]

Won’t the rice be mush with a two hour cooking time ? Ty

[@jfaycomedy]

Nope. Maybe the rolled grape leaves on the bottom of the pot. But really those are the best ones!

[@nourcookslebanese523]

No, I would even leave it longer if I had time:)

[@missyabisaab7150]

Stuffed grape leaves originated in Turkeye and is always done with minced lamb not beef which gives more flavor.Its cooked in lamb bone broth and without tomatoes.The lemon is put at the end of cooking and no olive oil.

[@ZeedtuMamo-wo1rn]

wow❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@reynellsantee147]

You definitely rolled a few blunts before 😂

[@emmanuelblessings3407]

Thank u for the recipe but can chicken work aaswel

[@nourcookslebanese523]

It’s way better with beef:)

[@luiseismael4860]

@@nourcookslebanese523 in agreement!! Can’t imagine w chicken!

[@snake1625b]

I used lemons on the bottom they floated up. I also put a bowl on top of the stuffed grape leaves and they inflated and pushed the bowl out of the way

[@nourcookslebanese523]

I used two porcelain plates plus a bowl that I filled with water to make it heavier on top. How was the taste??

[@snake1625b]

@@nourcookslebanese523yeah I'll use more weight next time like a bowl filled with water. the taste was really bland, I don't think I seasoned it enough. I think I'll cook the beef and rice separately next time then stuff the grape leaves. Also I used long grain Indian basmati rice, not sure if that's incompatible

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Good morning John, yes, definitely use more weights, Also, you can layer in the bottom of the pot like 3 beef steak or (to make it even richer) like a couple lamb chops. Make sure to season the meat with salt and black pepper, you can also throw over the meat layer some ginger and bay leaves. You can always add more seasoning to the stuffed mixture to your liking. Yes we always use Egyptian rice in this recipe as it gets very fluffy and soft and withstand the long hours of boiling. Egyptian rice is short and fluffy rice. Please let me know if you have any questions before you make it. This dish is one of the hardest to make so kudos to you! 😃

[@snake1625b]

@@nourcookslebanese523 no matter how much you season the beef, wouldn't boiling it just wash away all the flavor? This is why I'd like to just dry fry the beef then stuff the leaves with the cooked beef and rice then directly eat it.

[@snake1625b]

@@nourcookslebanese523 hi nour, I just redid the recipe but I precooked the beef and rice beforehand then stuffed. It came out way better this time ☺️. Except the leaves were a bit hard,I only boiled them for 20 minutes

[@nataliea8648]

DELICIOUS 😋

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Thank you:))) I love grape leaves 😃

[@whoisJMJM]

Can I use instant pot to boils them?

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Yes, but never tried it personally :)

[@rezinasultana8356]

Can v use fresh gape leaves

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Yes but you have to boil them before use, otherwise they will be tough to chew:)

[@raquelvs73]

Where can I buy grape leaves???

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Any middle eastern store :)

[@Sally-SB]

Made the same way, but my grape leaves were very hard even when I boiled longer. Grave leaves I got in the jar supposed to be ready preboiled but my food was not tasty.

[@starmadz4314]

Can i use fresh grape leaves?

[@nourcookslebanese523]

You can buy you have to boil them before using them or else they will be very hard to chew on

[@ameraabdelkader3873]

My question is does it come really soft

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Yes, the longer you keep it with some broth in it, the better. I like to keep it for 3 hours instead of 2:)

[@health7101]

Nice Cook, this is Joy

[@jennyrojas7811]

I thought you have to add pomegranate molasses to add the lovely tangy flavor.

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Not in this recipe. The lemon juice here is good enough😁

[@genieb6795]

What kind of plates do I use? I’m scared they will break

[@nourcookslebanese523]

I used 2 porcelain plates then a porcelain bowl (filled with water to make it even heavier) on top. Plates should cover almost the whole surface and push the rolls down giving them not much room to move when you add the water mixture. Such plates won’t break as you are putting them at the surface on top, whereby they are not subjected to direct heat. Do not worry, It won’t break.

[@bc8180]

Wholeness and Balanced Vibration Family. Im in Sunny Aruba at the moment the Beaches are Awsome. Everytime witch is daily when go to the beach i take Grape Leaves with the Intention to make a bikini 👙 from Grape Leaves and nothing ever comes of it. "BUT the leaves here are a bit tough but i Will let them set in water and vinegar and maybe boil them a little bit and prepare this Gorgious Meal For my fam. In the past I had many friend from Georgië and they made this on special occasions. Thank you fot the Recipe Im already tssting it. Thank you🤗😘

[@nourcookslebanese523]

You are welcome! Let me know how you find it when you try this recipe:)

[@vespeneprotoss4346]

delicious. Lebanese stuffed grape leaves are way better than the Greek version, which is very sour and no meat.

[@nourcookslebanese523]

It is my favorite dish! I never tried the Greek version, but I will research it, I am curious to see other countries version of grape leaves :)

[@Hirakhan-nt7kk]

arbi dish

[@ismataisha4820]

You didn't show how you removed rolls from the pan !!!!

[@reko-z6v]

Tongs

[@SheakRozi]

Hi

[@inish13ers]

Beautiful but to slow. I know how to empty a spoon

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Hahaha I was trying to capture all the details 😃

[@BeBedabit]

Toooo draggy. Wish they speed up!

[@Nazli-h8e]

allah rehmet elesin son bacin get 😓🤒🤒😪😪🚑🚑🚑😭😭🎗

[@melyn.3094]

The title says meat, then you put rice in it

[@shirleyminassian1547]

Sarma is made with rice at all times and with spices, there are two kinds, the vegetarian one which you can also eat cold and there's the meat one, either way, there's rice in it...several countries make it this way, Armenian, Middle Eastern, Greek, Turkish but some spices may vary.

[@hreshtak07]

I couldn’t watch till the end because she spent so much time on Rice

[@nourcookslebanese523]

You can always moving the cursor of the video forward 😃

[@doralatina3163]

Roll up your sleeves

[@nourcookslebanese523]

Haha I am a covered women and I would never roll my sleeves in front of a camera. I respect my hijab.

[@joantalisic6259]

Ilyjoan ilyjoan

[@neilouellette3004]

Don't use ground beef. Only use ground lamb!!

[@eveakasheh8405]

You really need to lift those sleeves up ! This is not very hygienic .

[@nourcookslebanese523]

I like to stay covered. But feel free to lift yours when you make this dish :)

[@eveakasheh8405]

@@nourcookslebanese523 no offense but your sleeves are in your food . Otherwise , nice dish . (4.28)

[@mirapopovic9598]

Pull up the sleeves 😡

[@muneeraahmed5997]

Video is unnecessarily long...

[@nourcookslebanese523]

It was my first video :)

[@bee6384]

You are so rude she's being nice by sharing and you felt the need to comment... this generation is terrible