Middle Eastern-Style Dolma (Stuffed Vegetables)
An array of vegetables filled with a mouthwatering ground beef stuffing that simply melts in your mouth! This dish holds a special place as my all-time favorite. Originating from Iran, it's a cherished recipe passed down through generations in my family. Since my friends and I are often pestered to prepare this delightful dolma, I wanted to share the recipe with others. It's a tremendous hit! Feel free to experiment by stuffing various vegetables like tomatoes, different squash varieties, or even using grape leaves. I hope everyone relishes the dolma as much as my family and I have for years.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 3 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste, divided
- ¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¾ cup chopped green onion
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ¾ tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups uncooked white rice
- 1 medium head cabbage, leaves separated
- 4 large green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 large eggplants
- 2 large zucchinis, sliced
Instructions
- Combine ground beef, 2 1/2 cans of tomato paste, parsley, green onion, butter, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Before adding uncooked rice, rinse until water runs clear; this keeps the rice from becoming sticky. Add rice after rinsing and mix contents until blended well.
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add cabbage. Boil until just tender enough to fold, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, hollow out bell peppers, eggplants, and zucchini.
- Stuff hollowed vegetables with meat mixture. Set in a large pot (pack vegetables together so there isn't much room in between them). Fill cabbage leaves with 3 to 4 tablespoons of leftover meat mixture and set in the pot with the other vegetables. Pour water in the pot on top of the vegetables until almost covered. Stir in remaining tomato paste. Weigh down the food by placing a heavy, heat-proof plate on top.
- Bring water to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cover the pot. Let cook for 1 hour. Drain half of the water in the pot (leave heavy plate until done cooking) and recover, reducing heat to a simmer, and allow to slow cook for 1 hour more. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Use any ground meat you prefer.
Nutrition
Calories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 26gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 1007mgPotassium: 1355mgFiber: 10gSugar: 13gVitamin C: 99mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 6mg
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