my comfort recipes
♥ Log in Sign up
  • en
  • fr
  • es
  • pt
  • de
  • it
  • nl
    • 🌍 World Kitchen
    🌍 World Kitchen
    Log in Sign up
    Home / Dinner / Stuffed Grape Leaves (Warak Enab)

    Stuffed Grape Leaves (Warak Enab)

    Tender grape leaves wrapped around herbed rice and spiced meat, simmered in lemony broth until meltingly soft.

    ⏱ 45 minPrep time
    🔥 1 hrCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Stuffed Grape Leaves (Warak Enab)

    Warak enab, stuffed grape leaves, is the dish that defines Lebanese hospitality — the one that appears at every gathering, made by grandmothers who can roll a perfect leaf in seconds. Vine leaves are filled with rice, herbs, and sometimes a ribbon of ground meat, then layered in a pot and simmered until they are silky and fragrant with lemon. The dish travels across the whole Middle East, with every country claiming the best version.

    Tender rolls bright with lemon and herbs

    Proper warak enab should be soft enough to cut with the edge of a fork, the rice plump and perfumed with mint, parsley, and allspice, and the broth unmistakably lemony. Rolling them takes patience, but it is deeply soothing work — and the pot that results feeds a crowd. Folding the leaves tightly keeps the filling from spilling as they cook. Serve warm or at room temperature with yogurt on the side and a few lemon wedges for squeezing.

    Craving more? Explore all Lebanese Kitchen recipes.

    This dish is built from Middle Eastern pantry staples — explore all 20 in our guide to 20 essential Middle Eastern pantry ingredients.

    Lebanese recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Rinse the grape leaves in warm water to remove excess brine, then soak them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. Trim any thick stems.
    2. In a bowl, combine the rice, ground beef, tomatoes, parsley, mint, allspice, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
    3. Lay a leaf flat, vein side up, with the stem end toward you. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling near the stem, fold the sides over, and roll into a tight cigar.
    4. Line the bottom of a large heavy pot with a few torn leaves to prevent sticking. Pack the rolls snugly in layers, seam side down.
    5. Mix the broth, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and pour over the rolls. Place an inverted heatproof plate on top to keep them submerged.
    6. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the rice is cooked and the leaves are very tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Tight rolls and a weighted plate are the two rules — loose rolls burst and floating rolls cook unevenly. Taste the broth before simmering; it should be clearly lemony, since the leaves absorb the flavor.

    Rate this recipe

    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Sign in to rate this recipe.

    Recipe details

    Prep45 min
    Cook1 hr
    Servings6
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

    Keep browsingYou might also like

    View all recipes →