Dolmadakia me Kima (Stuffed Vine Leaves with Meat)

Dolmadakia me kima are a classic Greek comfort dish: tender vine leaves filled with meat, rice, and fresh herbs, gently cooked until soft and fragrant. I usually prepare them with a veal & pork mince and cook them in a pressure cooker, which makes the process easy and very reliable — but other options work just as well.

👉 For the meatless version, see my dolmadakia without kima 

Greek Stuffed Vine Leaves (Dolmadakia)

recipe on the blog. The rolling technique is exactly the same (check photos there).

Ingredients (about 40 dolmadakia)

• 1 jar vine leaves in brine

• 400 g minced meat (preferably 70% veal / 30% pork)

• You may also use only veal, beef, or a beef & pork mix
• 120 g round rice (Carolina or Arborio)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt & freshly ground pepper
• Water or light broth

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Instructions

1. Prepare the vine leaves
   Rinse well under running water to remove excess brine. Blanch briefly if needed and drain.

2. Prepare the filling
   In a bowl, gently mix the minced meat, rice, onion, olive oil, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper.
   Add half of the lemon juice and mix again.

3. Roll the dolmadakia
   Place a vine leaf shiny side down. Add 1 teaspoon of filling near the stem, fold the sides inward, and roll snugly (not too tight).

4. Arrange for cooking
   I cook dolmadakia in a pressure cooker, using a special steaming basket with folding handles.
   This basket keeps the dolmadakia firmly in place during cooking, so there is no need to weigh them down with a plate.

   👉 If you don’t use a basket, line the bottom of your casserole with a few vine leaves before arranging the dolmadakia snugly on top. This prevents sticking or burning. In this case, place a small plate on top to keep them in place.

5. Cook

   • Pressure cooker: Add water or broth to reach the base of the basket (without fully covering the dolmadakia).
     Add the remaining olive oil and lemon juice.
     Cook for 15 minutes at pressure, then allow natural pressure release.

   • Classic pot: Cover with liquid and simmer gently for 45–50 minutes.

6. Rest & serve
   Let the dolmadakia rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.

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Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm or at room temperature
• Excellent with Greek yogurt or avgolemono sauce
• Even better the next day

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Tips

• A veal & pork mix keeps the filling juicy and tender
• If using very lean meat, be generous with the olive oil
• Do not overfill the vine leaves — the rice expands during cooking