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    You Are Here Home » Assyrian Recipes

    Published: Apr 15, 2019 Updated: Jan 31, 2020 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 8 Comments

    Assyrian Dolma with Swiss Chard

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    swiss chard dolma pin

    I'm excited to be sharing my Swiss Chard Dolma recipe today! Of course, you've heard of Grape Leaf Dolma, Mixed Vegetable Dolma, and Cabbage Dolma, but have you heard of Swiss Chard Dolma? Melt-in-your-mouth little rolls of Swiss chard, filled with perfectly spiced rice, herb, and veggie mixture.

    swiss chard dolma recipe

    Assyrians call this dish "Dolma't Silka." It might not be as popular as grape-leaf, or Cabbage Dolma, but it's still equally delicious! Furthermore, Swiss chard is readily available at many grocery stores.

    So if you don't want to get caught stealing your neighbor's grape leaves (see picture below), might I suggest this swiss chard recipe instead?

    a man and woman picking grape leaves
    Caught in the act, my relatives (who shall remain nameless) helping themselves to the neighbor's grape leaves. With the abundance of leaves, can you blame them?
    swiss chard leaves

    Why This Recipe Works

    Whoever came up with the idea of using Swiss chard was a genius! Besides being easily obtainable, Swiss chard has the perfect texture for rolling.

    Not to mention, a tangy flavor somewhat similar to grape leaves.

    The large leaves can be portioned into six pieces each, after removing the thick spines and stems, which can be used to line the bottom of the pot.

    Although the leaves are pretty soft and pliable, a quick blanching is still needed, before filling and rolling them.

    How to Make Swiss Chard Dolma

    Step 1: Boil a pot of water, while you prepare the Swiss chard leaves by washing thoroughly. Slice each leaf into 6 pieces (make sure to cut off the spine).

    swiss chard cut into sections

    Step 2: Use the Swiss chard spines and stems to line the bottom of a 6 or 8-quart Dutch oven to prevent overcooking. If you don’t have enough, you can use grape or cabbage leaves. Alternatively, steaks can be used to line the bottom of the pot.

    grape leaves on the bottom of a pot

    Step 3: Dip approximately 4 to 6 Swiss Chard leaf sections into boiling water for a few seconds. Drain the blanched leaves in a colander. Repeat until all the Swiss chard has been blanched.

    removing swiss chard from boiling water with tongs

    Step 4: In a large bowl, mix the filling ingredients (starting with the rice, and ending with the cayenne pepper).

    dolma filling mix in a bowl

    Step 5: Add oil, lemon juice, and tomato paste. Mix thoroughly until the tomato paste is evenly distributed.

    rice and tomato mixture for dolma

    Step 6: Place approximately one tablespoon of filling into the center of Swiss chard leaves and roll into a tight cigar shape. Place in tight rows in the Dutch oven. Repeat until the entire stuffing mixture and Swiss chard are used up.

    dolma rolls on a cutting board
    dolma rows on the bottom of a grape leaf lined pot

    TIP: If you have extra filling left, you can use it to stuff peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, grape leaves, or onions.

    Step 7: Cover the pot with the lid, and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until juices are released.

    swiss chard dolma and stuffed onions in a pot

    Prepare Dolma Cooking Liquid

    Step 8: Meanwhile, combine cooking liquid ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. After the dolma has cooked for 10 to 15 minutes, pour the liquid carefully into the pot. Cover with a large, flat plate (optional). This helps to keep the dolma submerged in the cooking liquids.

    swiss chard and onion dolma

    Step 9: Turn the heat down very low and cook the dolma for 45 minutes to one hour. The rice should be very tender, and the dolma should melt in your mouth.

    swiss chard dolma coved with a plate
    dolma in a pot
    Serve this dolma recipe with spicy red sauce and yogurt sauce (see recipes below).

    Recipe Tips

    • Allow the dolma to rest for 15 minutes or so. During this time the extra liquid will be reabsorbed. If a large group is eating together, place a large flat tray over the top and quickly flip the pot over. This takes some technique. If you don't feel confident in doing this, either serve the dolma from the pot or transfer individual pieces onto a serving platter.
    • Serve the yogurt and red sauce on the side. Each person will then top the dolma with some yogurt, followed by the spicy red sauce. 
    • Pita bread can be served on the side. 
    • For the benefits of Swiss chard, check out this article.
    swiss chard dolma

    Related Recipes

    • Sheikh Mahshi|Meat-Stuffed Eggplant
    • Vegan Cabbage Dolma (Dolma't Chalama)
    • Pickling Grape Leaves
    • Instant Pot Grape Leaf Dolma Recipe

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, 4294 TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    swiss chard dolma recipe

    Assyrian Dolma Recipe

    Assyrian Dolma, made with Swiss Chard. 
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Assyrian, Middle Eastern
    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 2 hours
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 479kcal
    Author: Hilda Sterner

    Ingredients

    Filling:

    • 3 bunches Swiss chard
    • 2 cups rice (washed)
    • ½ medium onion (minced)
    • 1 cup chopped purslane (optional)
    • 1 cup cilantro (chopped)
    • 1 cup Italian parsley (chopped)
    • 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
    • 2 tablespoon dill weed
    • 2 teaspoon salt
    • 1½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon allspice
    • 1 tablespoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • â…“ cup avocado oil
    • â…“ cup lemon juice
    • 3 ounces tomato paste

    Cooking Liquid:

    • 2 cups water
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • ¼ cup avocado oil
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon citric acid

    Spicy Red Sauce:

    • 2 tablespoon avocado oil
    • ¼ cup onion (minced)
    • 3 ounces tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
    • 1 cup water

    Yogurt Sauce:

    • 4 cups plain yogurt
    • ½ cup water
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon citric acid (sour salt)
    • 1 clove garlic (pressed)
    • ¼ cup fresh dill (chopped)

    Instructions

    Dolma:

    •  Boil a pot of water, while you prepare the Swiss chard leaves by washing thoroughly. Slice each leaf into 6 pieces (make sure to cut off the spine).
    • Use the Swiss chard spines and stems to line the bottom of a 6 or 8-quart Dutch oven to prevent overcooking. If you don’t have enough, you can use grape or cabbage leaves. Alternatively, steaks can be used to line the bottom of the pot.
    • Dip approximately 4 to 6 Swiss Chard leaf sections into boiling water for a few seconds. Drain the blanched leaves in a colander. Repeat until all the Swiss chard has been blanched.
    • In a large bowl, mix the filling ingredients (starting with the rice, and ending with the cayenne pepper).
    • Add oil, lemon juice, and tomato paste. Mix thoroughly until the tomato paste is evenly distributed.
    • Place approximately one tablespoon of filling into the center of Swiss chard leaves and roll into a tight cigar shape. Place in tight rows in the Dutch oven. Repeat until the entire stuffing mixture and Swiss chard are used up.
    • Cover the pot with the lid, and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until juices are released.

    Prepare Dolma Cooking Liquid

    • Meanwhile, combine cooking liquid ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. After the dolma has cooked for 10 to 15 minutes, pour the liquid carefully into the pot. Cover with a large, flat plate (optional). This helps to keep the dolma submerged in the cooking liquids.
    • Turn the heat down very low and cook the dolma for 45 minutes to one hour. The rice should be very tender, and the dolma should melt in your mouth.

    Spicy Red Sauce

    • Heat oil in the same small saucepan. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add tomato paste and paprika and stir over medium heat for a few minutes.
    • Add salt, cayenne, and water and stir until the tomato paste is completely dissolved. Turn down the heat and cook for an additional ten minutes.

    Yogurt Sauce

    • Mix yogurt and water, until the yogurt is diluted into a sauce. Add the remaining yogurt sauce ingredients and mix to incorporate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Notes

    • Allow the dolma to rest for 15 minutes or so. During this time the extra liquid will be reabsorbed. If a large group is eating together, place a large flat tray over the top and quickly flip the pot over. This takes some technique. If you don't feel confident in doing this, either serve the dolma from the pot or transfer individual pieces onto a serving platter.
    • Serve the yogurt and red sauce on the side. Each person will then top the dolma with some yogurt, followed by the spicy red sauce. 
    • Pita bread can be served on the side. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 986mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g
    Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

    More Assyrian Recipes

    • Chickpea Soup with Dumplings (Khimsa)
    • Mixed Vegetable Iraqi Dolma
    • Kotletai (Assyrian Hamburgers)
    • Assyrian Zucchini Stew with Beef or Lamb

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    1. erik mitchell says

      November 23, 2021 at 2:51 pm

      Can I use sumac instead of sour salt?

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        November 23, 2021 at 3:08 pm

        Hi Eric,
        What a great question! I've never considered sumac, but I can see it working. I would just worry about the color of the dolma being affected. What you can use for sure is lemon juice. I use lemon juice and sour salt interchangeably. Good luck!

        Reply
    2. Adee says

      November 27, 2020 at 10:55 am

      Where can i find sour salt? ...or can you recommend a substitute? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        November 27, 2020 at 11:05 am

        Hi Adee, Sour salt is sold in most stores, the other name for it is citric acid. If you can't find it, you can get it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HHJkgz

        Reply
    3. Christy says

      July 30, 2020 at 2:52 pm

      Can I use cast regular T fal pot if I don’t have a cast iron?

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        July 30, 2020 at 3:44 pm

        Hi Christy, I'm not sure if you're referring to the dolma recipe? If so, you can use any pan you want!

        Reply
    4. Pramane Younathan says

      March 29, 2020 at 8:17 pm

      5 stars
      My husband is Assyrian and I made this for him. He said this is the BEST dolma he's ever had! I've made it 3x so far and everyone that has tasted this raves about it.

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        March 30, 2020 at 6:57 am

        Hi Pramane
        Thank you sooooo much for coming back and letting me know that your husband loves the dolma! Comments like that make my day. Leaving a review and rating the recipe really helps me so THANK YOU!

        Reply

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