Lebanese Silverbeet Rolls

stuffed silverbeet rolls on a white plate with a spoon

4.97 from 32 votes

Lebanese silverbeet rolls are tender Swiss chard leaves stuffed with herbed rice and simmered in a tangy lemon broth until soft and flavorful.

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Lebanese

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings: people

Calories: 631kcal

Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

Silverbeet Rolls

3 bunches Silverbeet
3 cups Basmati rice
5 medium Tomato finely diced
1½ medium Brown onion finely diced
3 tablespoons Mint dry or fresh (if using fresh, finely chopped, avoid hard stems)
3 cups Parsley finely chopped, avoid hard stems
3½ tablespoons Olive oil
1½ tablespoons Salt or to taste
3 teaspoons Black pepper cracked, or to taste

Dressing

⅔ cup Lemon juice freshly squeezed
⅓ cup Olive oil
1 tablespoon Salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon Black pepper cracked, or to taste.
1 cup liquid use the remaining juice from the rice filling to make up a cup of liquid, if it doesn't make up a cup, add water.

Additionals

3 litres Water for softening the chard leaves

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Silverbeet leaves preparation

Cut the stems off the silverbeet leaves. Trim away the thick center vein and place these trimmed veins at the bottom of the pot you’ll be using to cook the rolls.
3 bunches Silverbeet
In a separate pot, bring 3 litres of water to a boil. Submerge the leaves and blanch for about 90 seconds. Drain well in a colander.
3 litres Water

Filling preparation

Wash the rice and then soak it in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain the rice thoroughly, then combine with the diced tomato, onion, parsley, mint, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3 cups Basmati rice, 5 medium Tomato, 1½ medium Brown onion, 3 tablespoons Mint, 3 cups Parsley, 3½ tablespoons Olive oil, 1½ tablespoons Salt, 3 teaspoons Black pepper

Lemon Dressing Preparation

In a small bowl or cup, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
⅔ cup Lemon juice, ⅓ cup Olive oil, 1 tablespoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Black pepper

Rolling silverbeet leaves

Cut each blanched silverbeet leaf into 3 to 5 sections, around 10 cm (about 4 inches) long.
Place one section flat, add a line of filling just off-center, fold the sides in, and roll snuggly. Gently squeeze any excess juice from each roll into the cooking pot, then place the roll seam-side down.
Once a layer of rolls is in the cooking pot, pour some lemon dressing over them. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling, layering and dressing as you go.
If you have any small or baby leaves, place them on top of the rolls in the pot. Then place a heavy plate on top to weigh them down.
Pour in approximately 1 cup of liquid (which is a combination of the rice mixture and water if needed) so the liquid reaches just under the plate when pressed. See video.
Bring to a gentle boil over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, then immediately reduce to low. Simmer until the liquid is absorbed to the base layer of stalks, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving warm.
1 cup liquid

Video

Notes

Time - making stuffed chard leaves is not a quick recipe, it is best to set aside a couple of hours in the morning or afternoon.

Smaller chard leaves normally have a smaller vein which is malleable, these can be rolled as is or cut in half and rolled, once softened.

Tears in leaves can sometimes be present, use smaller pieces of chard leaves to mend by layering these onto the tears and then placing filling on top.

Stuffing should not be overfilled. Use only enough (1-3 tbsp) The rice will swell once cooked.

Nutrition