Lahanodolmades (Greek Cabbage Rolls with Avgolemono)

Soft, comforting, and full of home-cooked flavor, they're the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table.

By Marina Georgallides

@chefmarinie

July 11, 2026

By Marina Georgallides

Ingredients

1

large sweetheart cabbage
500

g pork mince (15% fat)
100

g Arborio rice
1

medium white onion, minced or grated
50

g fresh dill fronds, finely chopped
50

g fresh parsley, finely chopped
60

ml extra virgin olive oil
1, 1/2

tsp salt (or salt to taste)
1/2

tsp freshly ground black pepper
For cooking:
2

tbsp extra virgin olive oil
500

ml chicken stock
For the Avgolemono:
2

large eggs
2

ml hot cooking stock (taken from the saucepan)
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt to taste Ed

Instructions

TOTAL TIME

1 hour and a half

4 servings

Lahanodolmades are one of those dishes that feel like home. Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a hearty filling and gently cooked until perfectly soft, they're a comforting Greek classic that's always worth the effort.

STEP 1

Prepare the cabbage
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove the core from the cabbage.
Lower the cabbage into the boiling water.
As the outer leaves soften, gently peel them away using tongs and transfer them to a tray. Continue until you have around 12–15 large leaves.
Trim away the thick part of the stem from each leaf so they’re easier to roll.

STEP 2

Make the filling
In a large bowl combine:

pork mince
Arborio rice
grated onion
dill
parsley
olive oil
salt
pepper

Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.
Leave to rest for 15–20 minutes while you prepare the cabbage leaves.

A person pours hot water from an electric kettle into a red pot containing a whole cabbage, with a white lid resting nearby on a wooden table.

Ground meat, chopped parsley, and oil being poured into a metal bowl, with text overlay reading were eating like a Greek.

STEP 3

Roll the Lahanodolmades
Lay one cabbage leaf flat.
Place around 2 tablespoons of filling near the base.
Fold the sides in, then roll up tightly to form a neat parcel. Repeat until all the filling has been used.

A large cabbage leaf rests on a wooden board, topped with a portion of uncooked minced meat mixed with herbs and grains, ready for wrapping.

Two hands with pale green nails are folding a cabbage leaf wrap on a wooden cutting board.

A bowl filled with neatly wrapped cabbage rolls, their green leaves tightly enclosing the filling, arranged in a single layer.

STEP 4

Arrange in the saucepan
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the base of a large saucepan. Line the bottom with any spare cabbage leaves.
Arrange the cabbage rolls snugly, seam-side down. Pour over the 500ml chicken stock.
Place a heatproof plate upside down over the cabbage rolls to keep them submerged while cooking. Cover with a lid.

STEP 5

Cook
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 45–50 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the cabbage is beautifully soft.

STEP 6

Make the Avgolemono
Carefully ladle 200ml of the hot cooking stock into a jug.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until smooth. Very slowly pour the hot stock into the egg mixture, whisking continuously to temper the eggs.
Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan.

Cook over a low heat, whisking constantly for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow it to boil, otherwise the eggs may curdle.