Low-Carb Stuffed Vine Leaves with Creamy Lemon Sauce (Dolmades with Avgolemono)

Step 1Prepare the vine leaves. Carefully remove the vine leaves from the jar and separate them. To prevent tearing, rinse them under cold water and let them soak for a few minutes to soften. Drain and remove the stems from each leaf. Set aside any torn leaves to line the pan later.

Step 2Line the pan. Place the torn vine leaves on the bottom of a large casserole dish or deep pan. This will prevent the dolmades from sticking during cooking.

Step 3Prepare the filling. Peel and dice the onion. In a hot pan greased with ghee or olive oil, sauté the onion until soft and golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 4In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked onion, ground beef, uncooked cauliflower rice, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper. Mix well until fully combined. To rice the cauliflower, follow this guide.

Step 5Assemble the dolmades. Lay each vine leaf shiny side down on a clean surface, such as a cutting board. Place about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture at the base of each leaf (the side where the stem was removed).

Step 6Fold the bottom part of the leaf over the filling, fold in the sides, and then roll it up tightly, like a burrito. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling. To see how to wrap the dolmades, check out my quick Instagram video.

Step 7Cook the dolmades. Arrange the stuffed vine leaves in the prepared casserole dish, seam side down, packing them snugly in layers. Place a heavy, heatproof plate on top of the dolmades to keep them from unrolling while cooking. Add 3-4 cups of water, enough to just cover the dolmades. Cover the dish with a lid and simmer over medium heat for 25-30 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid for the sauce. Drizzle the dolmades with olive oil and set aside.

Step 8Prepare the Avgolemono sauce. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Gradually whisk in the freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Step 9Slowly add about half a cup of the reserved warm (not boiling) cooking liquid while whisking continuously to prevent the eggs from curdling. Once incorporated, whisk in the remaining cooking liquid. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens slightly (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat.

Step 10Serve the warm dolmades with the avgolemono sauce drizzled on top. They can also be enjoyed cold with a side of full-fat Greek yogurt or more olive oil.