Oven-Baked Greek Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-08 · Updated 2026-05-08

Tender grape leaves stuffed with a fragrant mixture of rice, herbs, and pine nuts, baked until flavors meld and served with a tangy lemon yogurt sauce. This greek-inspired mediterranean (vegetarian, mediterranean) ready in about 85 minutes blends leaves grape leaves in brine, long-grain rice, olive oil into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 20 leaves grape leaves in brine
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup, toasted pine nuts
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 small, minced garlic clove

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse and drain 20 grape leaves, then set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped yellow onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
2. Step 2: Stir in 1 cup long-grain rice, 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, and 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts; cook for 2 minutes to toast rice lightly and release aromas.
3. Step 3: Pour 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper into the rice mixture. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 12 minutes until liquid is absorbed but rice is still slightly firm.
4. Step 4: Remove from heat and let the rice mixture cool for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lay one grape leaf flat, shiny side down, place 2 tbsp filling near the stem end, fold sides over filling, and roll tightly into a small cylinder. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
5. Step 5: Arrange stuffed grape leaves seam side down in a single layer in a baking dish. Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over them and cover with parchment paper and foil.
6. Step 6: Bake for 40 minutes until grape leaves are tender and filling is fully cooked. Meanwhile, mix 1 cup plain Greek yogurt with 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 minced small garlic clove; refrigerate until serving.
7. Step 7: Serve the warm stuffed grape leaves with chilled lemon yogurt sauce on the side for dipping.