Grape Leaves Soup
Submitted by Anira
Mediterranean grape leaves soup with cauliflower, eggplant, rice, and a tart lemony bite from brined vine leaves. Unstuffed dolmades reimagined as a vegetable-packed soup with coriander and white wine.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsIf you’ve ever wrestled with stuffing grape leaves for dolmades, this soup is the mutiny you didn’t know you needed. All the flavor of stuffed vine leaves shows up in a spoon: the distinctive lemony tang of brined grape leaves, the softness of cooked rice, and the vegetable chorus that backs it all up.
Soak the grape leaves first. Thirty minutes in water pulls out enough of the brine so the soup tastes tart and bright instead of aggressively salty.
Pulsing the leaves rather than pureeing is the move. You want visible green flecks through the broth, not a green slurry. They ribbon the soup with color and chew.
Cauliflower and eggplant break down into velvety bites as they simmer, while the rice thickens the broth just enough to give it body. A coriander finish adds citrusy warmth that connects back to the grape leaves.
This soup is genuinely better the next day. The flavors round out and the grape leaf tang softens into something almost savory.
Kitchen Tips
- Choose jarred grape leaves in brine, not those packed in oil. The brine version rinses clean; the oily kind muddies the broth.
- Peel the bell pepper with a vegetable peeler as the directions suggest. That skin is what turns bitter during long simmering.
- Use a short-grain rice like Arborio for a silkier, thicker soup. Long-grain stays more separate.
- A final drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil at serving is a must. It’s what carries the Mediterranean soul to the spoon.
Variations
- Stir a beaten egg and lemon juice into the hot soup (avgolemono-style) for Greek richness.
- Add a handful of chickpeas for extra protein and heft.
- Finish with crumbled feta for a briny counter to the tart leaves.
Ingredients
Directions
A colorful soup, delicately tart, and simply delicious.
An easy alternative to Greek-style stuffed grape leaves.
Soak the grape leaves in water for 30 minutes, then drain.
Tansfer to food processor, and pulse until chopped (but not pureed).
Peel the red bell pepper using a vegetable peeler, then chop.
Finely chop the onion.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the chopped onion and red pepper, and fry until soft.
Add stock, white wine, and grape leaves, and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, cut the cauliflower to flowerettes, and peel and cube the eggplant.
Add the cauliflower, eggplant and rice to the boiling stock, along with the salt, pepper and coriander.
Lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer for ½ to ¾ hour, until the vegetables are soft and the rice is cooked.
Just before serving, sprinkle each serving with olive oil, and garnish with chopped parsley.
This soup is best prepared a day ahead and then reheated gently.
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