These Lebanese Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves are vegan, delicious and make a perfect appetizer or entrée! They are stuffed with rice, parsley, tomatoes, onions and flavored with lots of lemon juice and olive oil.
If using jarred grape leaves, Rinse the brine using cold water and set aside to drain any water. For fresh grape leaves, boil for 2 minutes before rinsing. Set aside to cool before using.
Prepare the filling for the grape leaves by chopping all your washed vegetables. Drain the excess juices from the chopped tomato.
Wash the short-grained rice thoroughly until water runs clear. In a large bowl, add the finely chopped parsley, mint leaves, onion, tomato and rice.
Juice 2 of the lemons and add to the filling mixture, along with ½ cup of olive oil, seven spices, one teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Mix well to combine.
Lay out the grape leaf with the vein-side up (shiny side down). Remove the stem if it is not already removed. Add 1-2 tablespoons of filling depending on the size of the grape leaf and arrange in a thin line. You want to leave at least 1 cm of room on each side. Be careful not to overfill. Fold each side of the leaf over the filling beginning with the bottom side and roll tightly to prevent the leaf from opening up while cooking. Repeat until you have no more leaves left. *If the grape leaf is very large, cut in half, then stuff and roll.
Peel and wash the large potato and slice in 1 cm slices. Slice the medium tomato the same size. Lay the tomato slices first, then the potato slices on the bottom of a deep pot. Arrange the stuffed grape leaves side by side and on top of each other over the potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining two teaspoons of salt over the grape leaves. Juice the remaining lemon and add it to the pot, along with the ¼ of olive oil remaining and leftover juices from the filling.
Place a plate about 1-2 inches smaller in diameter than the pot, over the stuffed leaves. Fill the pot with enough water to cover all the leaves and up to the plate. Place a heavy item on top of the plate to prevent the grape leaves from opening up while cooking. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and cover with a lid and cook for a remaining 45 minutes. To check if grape leaves are done, take a grape leaf out and try it!
Once the grape leaves are done cooking and have cooled for at least 15 minutes, flip the pot over onto a serving platter. There should be a little bit of lemon water juices left. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
*Grape leaves stay fresh in the fridge for up to five days.