Armenian Tolma (Stuffed Grape Leaves with Meat)
An original festive meat dish that guests will enjoy! Armenian tolma stands out with its rich blend of aromatic herbs and a delicious sauce made from sour cream, cucumber, garlic, and herbs. These meat rolls disappear from the table in seconds - they’re just that tasty!
Updated : 05 August, 2025
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
400 grams
Grape leaves
2 liter
Water
Mince
1 kilograms
Beef
300 grams
Pork
600 grams
Onion
220 grams
Rice
50 grams
Garlic
10 grams
Parsley
10 grams
Dill
4 tablespoon
Tarragon
4 tablespoon
Basil
1 teaspoon
Mint
1 teaspoon
Paprika
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Salt
Sauce
250 grams
Sour cream
1
Cucumber
1
Garlic
10 grams
Dill
0.5 teaspoon
Ground coriander
to taste
Salt
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
First, prepare the ingredients for the filling. You’ll need boneless meat (just the flesh). You can substitute with store-bought ground meat in the same proportions, ideally with minimal fat.
Step 2
Rinse the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Drain and dry it.
Step 3
Peel the onion and garlic. Chop the onion into pieces.
Step 4
Wash and pat dry the beef. Cut it into medium-sized pieces.
Step 5
Wash and cut the pork into pieces as well.
Step 6
Run both types of meat, onion, garlic, dill, and parsley through a meat grinder.
Step 7
Add the rinsed rice, dried basil, tarragon, and mint to the ground meat.
Step 8
Mix the filling thoroughly. Add salt and paprika and mix again.
Step 9
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a bag and refrigerate overnight.
Step 10
Take the grape leaves out of the jar and rinse them with hot water.
Step 11
Place a leaf glossy side down and smooth it out. Add some filling to the wide part of the leaf.
Step 12
Roll the leaf into a tight roll, folding in the sides.
Step 13
Repeat the process with the remaining filling and leaves.
Step 14
Place the rolls into a cast-iron pot or Dutch oven.
Step 15
Place a few whole grape leaves on top. Then put a plate over them. Pour water until it covers the plate.
Step 16
Cover the pot with a lid and cook on low heat for about 1 hour or until done.
Step 17
Prepare the ingredients for the sauce.
Step 18
Wash the cucumber and grate it using a coarse grater. If the skin is smooth and not bitter, you don’t need to peel it.
Step 19
Wash, dry, and finely chop the dill.
Step 20
Whisk the sour cream with a fork. Add the grated cucumber, chopped dill, garlic (pressed), coriander, and salt. Mix well and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 21
Serve the Tolma with the sour cream sauce. Enjoy your meal!