Let this Assyrian girl show you what Dolma is supposed to taste like with this easy Instant Pot Dolma recipe! You'll want to serve this grape leaf dolma with lots of homemade pita bread to sop up the yummy sauce.
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Have you ever tried stuffed grape leaves? They are a staple in the Mediterranean, including Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, and Greece.
Grape leaf dolma has never tasted better! Stuffed grape leaves, smothered in a garlic and dill yogurt sauce, then drizzled with a spicy tomato sauce. Preparing my mom's dolma recipe in an Instant Pot comes out perfect every single time.
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
Grape Leaf Dolma is one of those dishes that is prepared in a variety of ways based on the region in which it's prepared. Greeks drench their dolmadakia in olive oil and lemon juice, while the Turks cook their dolma in broth or water.
What I love about this Iraqi dolma recipe, however, is that not only is there tomato paste in the filling, but the cooking liquid as well. This adds yet another layer of flavor, and there is SO much flavor already!
The meat and rice filling is highly seasoned with a wonderful combination of herbs and spices, including allspice, paprika, fresh dill, parsley, and lots of garlic!
But perhaps my favorite thing about this dolma recipe is that it's prepared in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. This means that it needs less time to cook, and the dolma comes out flawless, even if you get the dreaded burn error. More about that later!
🔖 Ingredient & Substitutions
- Grape Leaves - Many dolma recipes call for Jarred Grape Leaves. Although I haven't tried all the brands, the ones I have tried have been too tough. I prefer using fresh leaves from the vine or leaves that I've brined or frozen myself. If you want to pickle your own grape leaves, here's how to do it: Pickling Grape Leaves.
- Citric Acid - Citric Acid is used to give the dolma its tangy flavor. If you don't want to purchase citric acid, you can use a few tablespoons of lemon juice instead.
- Fresh Dill - There's nothing like harvesting fresh dill from your garden. But dill goes to seed rather quickly. Harvest and freeze the dill until needed.
- Cayenne Pepper - If you know me at all, you know I like my food on the spicy side. Although I'm only using a small amount of cayenne pepper in this recipe, you may choose to leave it out.
- Meat - Beef Stew meat can be used in the filling, or my personal favorite, lamb.
♨️ How to Make Instant Pot Iraqi Dolma
Dolma/Filling
Step 1: Use the larger and thicker leaves to line the bottom of the Instant Pot. This helps to prevent the dolma from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. These leaves don't need to be blanched.
Step 2: Boil a pot of water while you prepare the grape leaves by washing them thoroughly. Stack leaves in groups of 10. Using tongs, dip one stack of grape leaves at a time into boiling water and flip when their color begins to change from bright green to olive. This can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes. Drape the leaves over the edge of a colander to drain. Repeat with the remaining leaves until all the leaves have been blanched.
Pro Tip: If you're using freshly picked grape leaves, there's no need to blanch them first. I tested this method, and they turned out perfectly.
Step 3: Wash and rinse rice and add to a large bowl. Add chopped onion, garlic, dill, and parsley. Top with tomato paste and spices. Mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure there are no clumps of tomato paste left.
Step 4: Add meat, lemon juice, and olive oil. Mix the rice mixture until the ingredients are incorporated.
Step 5: Lay grape leaves on a flat surface with the spines facing up and smooth side down. Add approximately one tablespoon of filling to the center of each leaf. Fold the sides over the filling and roll the leaf from the bottom up.
Step 6: Add the dolma seam-side down into the Instant Pot bowl in rows. Do not overcrowd, as the rice will expand as it cooks. Sprinkle each row with dillweed (optional).
Prepare Dolma Cooking Sauce
Step 1: Whisk the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
Step 2: Pour the sauce carefully over the dolma. Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and set the vent to Seal. Select High Pressure and set the cooking time to 20 minutes. It will take approximately 10 minutes to come to pressure. When the time is up, do a Natural Release for 15 minutes, then release the remaining pressure if necessary.
Spicy Red Sauce
Step 1: Heat oil in the same saucepan used to make the dolma sauce. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add tomato paste and cook for an additional minute. Sprinkle with paprika and cayenne. Continue to stir until combined. Cook for a few more minutes.
Step 2: Finally, add the water and mix until smooth. Turn down the heat and simmer for an additional five to ten minutes.
Yogurt Sauce Recipe
While the dolma is cooking, mix the yogurt, garlic, dill, salt, and citric acid. Chill until ready to serve.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Allow the stuffed grape leaves to rest for 15 minutes so that they don't fall apart when being served. Carefully add dolma to a plate. Cover with yogurt sauce and the spicy red sauce. Serve with pita bread on the side.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
Dolma originated in the Middle East; however, it's hard to pin down who was the first to come up with the recipe.
Many cultures claim it as their own, which could explain why there are so many variations of the recipe. Each group gives dolma its own spin, making no two recipes alike. I might be biased, but in my opinion, nothing compares to Iraqi Dolma!
Dolma is pretty filling and contains all the food groups in one tasty dish. It is stuffed with rice, meat, vegetables, herbs, and spices.
However, if you really want to serve it with something, let it be bread, or more specifically, pita bread. Use the pita bread to make a dolma sandwich; you won't be the first to do that, I assure you. The pita bread can be torn into chunks and used to soak up the delectable juices.
Dolmades are vegan and usually contain rice, herbs, and spices. The Dolmades are cooked in a combination of boiling water, olive oil, and lemon juice, making them vegan-friendly.
Dolma is good for up to a week in the refrigerator. I don't recommend freezing the dolma. The texture of the rice is not the same after it has been frozen. It disintegrates and becomes mushy.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- If your pot comes to pressure and you get the "burn" error message, which seems to be an issue with some models, allow the dolma to cook for the same time suggested. The built-up pressure will still cook the dolma. Release the pressure 45 minutes from the time you started the Instant Pot.
- If you're serving a large crowd or your family, place a flat platter over the Instant Pot bowl and quickly invert the bowl. This should dislodge all the dolma onto the platter. Then your family or guests can serve themselves, Iraqi style!
- When rolling the dolma, I like to roll five at a time. I lay five leaves out first, then add the filling, and finally roll all five, then repeat. It seems to speed up the process.
- If you want to make this a vegetarian recipe, replace the meat with an additional cup of rice. You can also add some minced mushrooms.
🥣 Other Instant Pot Recipes
You may be interested in these other Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi recipes:
- Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Dinner
- Instant Pot Tamales
- Spicy Vegan Biryani
- Assyrian Meatball Soup Chipteh
- Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
🌶 More Stuffed Vegetables
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Use the larger and thicker leaves to line the bottom of the Instant Pot. This helps to prevent the dolma from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. These leaves don't need to be blanched.
- Boil a pot of water, while you prepare the grape leaves by washing them thoroughly. Stack leaves in groups of 10. Using tongs, dip one stack of grape leaves at a time into boiling water and flip when their color begins to change from bright green to olive. This can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes. Drape the leaves over the edge of a colander to drain. Repeat with the remaining leaves until all the leaves have been blanched.
- Wash and rinse rice and add to a large bowl. Add chopped onion, garlic, dill, and parsley. Top with tomato paste, and spices. Mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure there are no clumps of tomato paste left.
- Add meat, lemon juice, and olive oil. Mix until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Lay grape leaves on a flat surface with the spines facing up and smooth side down. Add approximately one tablespoon of filling to the center of each leaf. Fold the sides over the filling and roll the leaf from the bottom up.
- Add the dolma into the Instant Pot bowl in rows. Do not overcrowd, as the rice will expand as it cooks. Sprinkle each row with dillweed (optional). I ended up with four rows containing 25, 30, 30, and 25 dolmas.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Pour the sauce carefully over the dolma. Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and set the vent to Seal. Select High Pressure and set the cooking time to 20 minutes. It will take approximately 10 minutes to come to pressure. When the time is up, do a Natural Release for 15 minutes then release the remaining pressure if necessary.
- Heat oil in the same saucepan used to make the dolma sauce. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add tomato paste and cook for an additional minute. Sprinkle with paprika, cayenne, and continue to stir until combined. Cook for a few more minutes.
- Finally, add the water and mix until smooth. Turn down the heat and simmer for an additional five to ten minutes
- While the dolma is cooking, mix the yogurt, garlic, dill, salt, and citric acid. Chill until ready to serve.
- Allow the stuffed grape leaves to rest for 15 minutes so that they don't fall apart when being served. Carefully add dolma to a plate. Cover with yogurt sauce and the spicy red sauce. Serve with Pita Bread on the side.
Nutrition
Notes
- If you're using freshly picked grape leaves, there's no need to blanch them first. I tested this method, and they turned out perfectly.
- If your pot comes to pressure and you get the "burn" error message, which seems to be an issue with some models, allow the dolma to cook for the same time suggested. The built-up pressure will still cook the dolma. Release the pressure 45 minutes from the time you started the Instant Pot.
- If you're serving a large crowd or your family, place a flat platter over the Instant Pot bowl and quickly invert the bowl. This should dislodge all the dolma onto the platter. Then your family or guests can serve themselves, Iraqi style!
- When rolling the dolma, I like to roll five at a time. I lay five leaves out first, then add the filling, and finally roll all five, then repeat. It seems to speed up the process.
- If you want to make this a vegetarian recipe, replace the meat with an additional cup of rice. You can also add some minced mushrooms.
Anthony | ThingsFromMars says
This recipe looks both comforting and practical. The step by step approach makes it feel approachable even for beginners.
Jessica Barker says
Hello Hilda,
My grape vine is perfect so I thought to make some good use of it!
Can you please tell me the cooking time and temperature in a conventional oven?
Many thanks
Jessica
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Jessica, you can follow the instructions in this Greek dolma recipe, which is cooked in the oven: https://hildaskitchenblog.com/recipe/lemony-greek-dolmades/
Mary Formosa says
I meant to add I put a layer of Yukon potatoes and some water and that kept any of the leaves from sticking.Came out perfect nothing stuck.
Hilda Sterner says
That's a great idea, we usually add steak but I don't always have that on hand. I will try potatoes next time!
Mary Formosa says
Instead of fresh dill I used La Grille by Club house dill pickle.Instead of cayenne I used TAJIN seasoning.It turned out fabulous.Even my husband kept complimenting this dish.I used fresh grape leaves.A lot of work but so worth it.l
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, so glad you and your husband enjoyed it!
Wafaa says
I made this but used cabbage and I do not have grapevines. Also my instant pot is not big enough so I just cooked it on the stove and followed the cabbage and cooking instructions from the vegan cabbage Dolma recipe from Hilda.
It turned out delicious and I would definitely make it again. Thanks so much Hilda
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you so much, enjoy!
Janet Cascella says
Can we put meat with bone on the bottom of the pot instead of the grape leaves? If so does that change the cooking time?
Hilda Sterner says
Yes, you can, but it might stick to the pot. I haven't tried it in an Instant pot, but that's how my mom used to make it. Maybe put the leaves down first? Good luck and let me know it goes!
Margie Torre says
I urge you all to try this dolma recipe. I have tried many recipes for stuffed grape leaves and this is by far my favorite. It’s wonderfully flavorful and using fresh grape leaves makes them so soft. Thanks Hilda for sharing your incredible recipes!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you so much Margie for coming back and leaving a review. I really appreciate it!