A Karaman recipe recorded by Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism pairs tomatoes with minced meat, rice, onion, butter and dill. This home adaptation uses a smaller filling and less butter, retains some tomato pulp and finishes on the stove rather than in the oven.
Domates Dolması — Recipe Card
Tomatoes filled with beef, rice and dill
Makes 3 servings · 6 stuffed tomatoes; 2 per servingUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Domates Dolması
Hollow the tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes. Slice a thin lid from each stem end and reserve it. Scoop out the seeds and pulp with a teaspoon, leaving sturdy walls and bases. Chop 100 g (3.5 oz) of the scooped pulp for the filling; refrigerate the remainder separately for another cooked dish.
Mix and fill
Mix the beef, drained rice, onion, chopped pulp, dill, half the butter, half the salt and all the black pepper. Use clean hands or a spoon; do not taste the raw mixture. Fill the tomatoes loosely, leaving 1 cm (⅜ inch) below the rim. Replace their lids. Wash hands and utensils after contact with raw meat.
Simmer gently
Stand the tomatoes snugly in a heavy pot in one layer. Add the remaining butter and salt with the hot water around them, not into the filling. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for about 50–55 minutes, until the rice is tender and the center of each filling reaches 74°C (165°F). Do not boil vigorously. Add a little hot water around the tomatoes if the pan begins to dry; continue cooking if the rice is still firm.
Rest and serve
Remove from the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes. Lift out carefully with a broad spoon and serve two tomatoes per person with a little of the cooking juice.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-beef-and-rice-stuffed-tomatoes-domates-dolmasi. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Dietary notes
Contains milk from butter and meat from beef. Plain rice replaces any wheat-based grain; no flour, breadcrumbs, stock cube or spice blend is added. If using seasoned meat or other packaged ingredients, check their allergen labels.
Heat level
No added chili; black pepper provides gentle warmth. For a hotter variation, mix 0.5 g (¼ teaspoon) hot pul biber into the filling before stuffing.
Tomato size
The filling is sized for six large tomatoes. If your tomatoes have smaller cavities, do not force in excess filling: cook it separately in a small covered pan with a splash of water until the rice is tender and the mixture reaches 74°C (165°F).
How to store and reheat Domates Dolması
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers at 4°C (40°F) or below within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room exceeds 32°C (90°F). Eat within 2 days. Reheat gently with a little water, covered, until the filling reaches 74°C (165°F).
Domates Dolması: questions and answers
Why did my tomatoes split?
Very ripe tomatoes, tight packing of the filling or a rolling boil can break the walls. Choose firm fruit, leave expansion room and simmer gently.
Can I prepare the filling ahead?
Keep the mixed raw filling covered in the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below and use within 24 hours. Fill the tomatoes just before cooking; never leave raw meat filling at room temperature.
