Photo: Toubib at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Dish · From Bladwijzer

Stuffed lime leaves with rice

Updated on 9 October 2026

• Makes: 4 portions (± 20 rolls)
• Time: 1 hr 15
• From: Small-leaved lime

Ingredients

• 25–30 young lime (linden) leaves (bright green and soft, 5–8 cm)
• 150 g short-grain rice
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 bunch mint or flat-leaf parsley
• juice of 1 lemon
• 300 ml vegetable stock
• salt and pepper

Method

1. In April or May, only pick young, soft leaves, from an unsprayed tree that is not beside a busy road. Leave any leaves covered in sticky honeydew. Rinse them well.
2. Blanch the leaves in small batches for 30–60 seconds in boiling water. Drain them on a tea towel and snip off the stalks.
3. Soften the onion in 1 tablespoon of the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and rice and fry for 1 more minute. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the pine nuts, the chopped herbs, half of the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
4. Lay a leaf veins up with 1 tablespoon of filling at the stalk end. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
5. Pack the rolls seam-side down, close together, in a wide pan. Pour over the stock, the rest of the oil and the lemon juice, and place an upturned plate on top of the rolls.
6. Cover and cook gently for 35–40 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Leave to rest for a while.
7. Serve lukewarm or cold, with yoghurt and lemon wedges.

Storing: 3 days, covered, in the fridge. Do not leave the rolls out of the fridge for more than 1 hour: cooked rice spoils quickly.