Dolma Argelina – Dolma Algérienne

5.0 from 1 vote

Delicious stuffed vegetables with minced meat and rice in a slightly spiced sauce with chickpeas. The Algerian Dolma is a very balanced and exquisite dish. Serve it with some fresh loaves of bread, and enjoy!

Why to make Algerian Dolma

Algerian Dolma is an Algerian dish, as you will probably already know. It consists of stuffed vegetables with spiced minced meat and rice, made in a lightly spiced sauce with chickpeas. You can use vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, zucchinis, peppers or artichokes. The vegetables that I usually use are zucchini and potatoes.

The vegetables are very soft and delicious, it´s an ideal dish to serve during the month of Ramadan, since it´s a very balanced meal. But also for a day when you want to surprise your family or guests.

I have given my own touches to this Algerian Dolma recipe, and I am sure you will love it.

This recipe is definitely worth making and I'm sure you'll make it again and again.

Ingredients you need to make this Algerian Dolma

This recipe is to prepare a delicious Algerian Dolma for about 5-6 people. If you are 2-3 people and you don't want any leftovers, simply divide the amounts in two.

Filling of the vegetables

• Minced beef: use minced beef, it's better to have it prepared at the butcher shop at the moment you buy it. The flavor will be much better than if you buy it packaged in a supermarket. You need 500 grams of minced beef
• Spices: the minced meat has the following spices
  • Cinnamon: use 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • Sweet paprika: use 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika
  • Ras el Hanout: nowadays, you can find this Arabic spice in any supermarket. You need 1/2 teaspoon
  • Fresh coriander: use a some chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper: add salt and pepper to taste
• Long rice: use 4 tablespoons of long rice

Vegetables

You can use the vegetables of your choice, potatoes, zucchini, artichoke, tomato or peppers. My favorite mixture is potatoes and zucchini.

• Zucchini: use two zucchini. You will cut them into 3 parts each, therefore, you will have 6 pieces of zucchini
• Potatoes: use 5-6 potatoes

Sauce

To make the sauce you need the following ingredientes.

• Water: you need 1.5 liters of water
• Red onion: use half a red onion, chopped very fine
• Extra virgin olive oil: use 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or any oil you like to cook with
• Cooked chickpeas: you need a cup of cooked chickpeas
• Cinnamon: use 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• Ras el Hanout: use 1/2 teaspoon of ras el hanout
• Salt and pepper: add salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley: garnish with chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Kitchen tools you need to make this recipe

To make this Algerian Dolma I use the following kitchen tools.

• Cutting board: I use a cutting board to cut the vegetables
• Knife: I use a knife to cut the vegetables
• Potato peeler: a potato peeler to peel the potatoes
• Teaspoon: I use a teaspoon to help me empty the vegetables
• Pot: a medium pot to make the Algerian Dolma
• Bowl: I use a medium bowl to make the minced meat mixture with the spices
• Cling film: I use cling film to cover the bowl where I make the mixture of minced meat with the spices, to let it rest in the fridge
• Measuring utensils: a spoon, 1/2 teaspoon measure, measuring cup to measure water

How to make Algerian Dolma

Making Algerian Dolma is very easy, you just have to follow the steps.

Prepare the minced meat filling

Ideally prepare the minced meat a few hours before so that it can rest in the fridge and takes on flavor. Mix all the ingredients for the filling except the rice, cover it with cling film and put it in the fridge for about two hours.

Without any problem you can mix all the ingredients and use it right away. The result will be delicious either way.

Make the sauce

Put the two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, or oil that you are going to use in the pot and heat it. Add the very finely chopped red onion until soft (about 5 minutes over medium heat). Then add the spices and leave it on medium heat for about 2 minutes. Finally, add the water, cover the pot and leave it on medium heat for half an hour.

Prepare the vegetables

Remove the tops and bottoms of the zucchini. Cut each zucchini into 3 parts and empty them with the help of a spoon, leaving a small edge.

Peel the potatoes and empty them.

Put a little salt inside the potatoes and zucchini.

Assembly of the vegetables

Take the minced meat out of the fridge, add the four tablespoons of rice and mix.

Fill the vegetables with minced meat. With the meat that you have left over, make small balls in the shape of meatballs.

Final steps

Put the potatoes and zucchini into the sauce. Also add the chickpeas and minced meat balls. Leave it on medium heat for 35 minutes.

Once this time has passed, the vegetables will be soft and delicious.

Finally, serve the Algerian Dolma on plates and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Variations that you can do

You can add one egg and two tablespoons of breadcrumbs to the minced meat, for a long time I prepared it this way. Until one day I made it without eggs or breadcrumbs and it came out delicious. Since that day I have been making the Algerian Dolma without eggs.

To thicken the sauce a bit, you can use an egg yolk. Scoop out some of the sauce and let it cool a bit, add the egg yolk, beat and add it to the Algerian Dolma. Cook it for a few more minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Below I answer some frequently asked questions, if you do not find the answer, you can leave a comment below.

What other vegetables can I use to make Algerian Dolma?

You can use tomatoes, artichokes, peppers or any vegetables to your liking.

Can I prepare the Algerian Dolma in advance?

Yes, you can make the dolma a day ahead and just heat it up. They usually say that the food the next day is way more delicious.

What do I serve Algerian Dolma with?

At home, I serve the dolma with fresh loaves of bread to dip into the sauce. You could also accompany it with homemade fries.

For how long can I keep the leftovers in the fridge?

You can store it in the fridge for about 3 days in a tightly closed container.

How can I reheat the leftovers?

If you have a lot of leftovers, heat it in the pot over medium heat. If you have a little left over, put it on a plate and heat it for 2-3 minutes in the microwave.

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If you like this recipe, check out the following recipes

If you like this Algerian Dolma recipe, you may also like the following recipes:

• You will like Algerian recipes such as: Argelian "coca" (a coca filled with spiced tomato sauce) or pizza carrée (a delicious pizza with tomato sauce).
• Accompany it with some baguettes freshly out of the oven.
• And to drink a delicious refreshing homemade lemonade .

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