Sarma stuffed cabbage is a popular dish in countries like Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia and other surrounding areas. It’s stuffed cabbage leaves that are filled with rice and meat that are cooked in a soup/sauce. The sauce is savory and often a touch sour. I will add directions for a non-sour variation of the sauce and a sour sauce variation.
My sister just moved back from Serbia and she spent the last year and a half also living in Bosnia and Croatia. When she got home we had a family reunion with my 9 siblings, spouses and everyone’s kids. Since sarma is a commonly seen at big gatherings or celebrations she really wanted to make sarma for the family reunion. She had a friend from the area tell her how he made his version and we used it as a reference while making our own recipe.
We doubled the recipe I have written here and when doubled it served ~30 people, some of those children. The recipe I have written in this post will serve ~10 people and you will more than likely have some leftovers, It a dish that serves a crowd and the leftovers are delicious.
The sour sauce variation in these sarma stuffed cabbage leaves really compliments the rich filling in the cabbage leaves and isn’t overtly sour but just enough acid to cut through the richness in the dish and add balance. You can also use pickled cabbage leaves in place of the sour sauce for a more traditional version and use the non-sour sauce.
The pickled cabbage leaves are harder to find in the United States. Walmart does carry them but I have never found them in stock in the stores. However, we can mimic their taste by just using the sour sauce or if you are feeling ambitious you can pickle the leaves your self by boil the cabbage in vinegar water and letting sit for a few days.
What you need to make sarma stuffed cabbage:
Serves ~10
- 1 1/2 pounds mild sausage
- 1 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion – minced
- 3 cloves garlic – minced or 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon vageta seasoning or 1 vegetable bouillon cube dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2 heads cabbage – cored
For sauce:
- 64 ounces sour kraut to make sour OR 64 ounces beef stock
- 1 cup ham – chopped
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 8 ounces tomato soup concentrate
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 4 cups water from boiled cabbage
- (optional) sour cream to serve on top – this is not traditional but it is delicious
Instructions for sarma stuffed cabbage:
- Cook your rice.
- While rice is cooking, In a large sauté pan, add sausage, beef, onion, garlic, vegeta or vegetable bouillon, sweet paprika and black pepper and cook until meat is cooked through.
- Add in rice to meat mixture and stir well.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Boil a pot of water, add a generous pinch of salt and cored cabbages to boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes or until the cabbage is just softened. Remove cabbage from water and drain but reserve the cabbage water.
- Remove the top layer of the cabbage leaves and lay them down on the bottom of a large baking dish (this may fill 2 baking dishes depending on the size of the baking dish).
- To assemble, take a cabbage leave and place filling in the center of the leave then fold in the horizonal ends and roll the other open side over the filling and roll together, like you would a burrito.
- Place the rolled cabbage leaves in the large baking dish side by side.
- Repeat the rolling until cabbage leaves get too small to roll. Save the smaller leaves.
- Make the sauce by adding the sour kraut OR beef stock (if making non-sour sauce), ham, sweet paprika, tomato soup concentrate, tomato sauce and cabbage water to a bowl and stirring together.
- Pour 3/4 of the sauce over the cabbage rolls, then use the smaller cabbage leaves to cover the top of the rolls and top with the remaining sauce.
- Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour or until cabbage is soft and tender.
- Serve cabbage roll and sauce and optional sour cream (this is untraditional but it is delicious).
Here are a few other recipes you may also love:
Swiss Chard Wrapped Beef Enchiladas
Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers
Italian Rice Stuffed Tomatoes
Sarma Stuffed Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds mild sausage
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion – minced
- 3 cloves garlic – minced or 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon vageta seasoning or 1 vegetable bouillon cube dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2 heads cabbage – cored
- For the Sauce:
- 64 ounces sour kraut to make sour OR 64 ounces beef stock
- 1 cup ham – chopped
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 8 ounces tomato soup concentrate
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 4 cups water from boiled cabbage
- sour cream to serve on top – this is not traditional but it is delicious
Instructions
- Cook your rice.
- While rice is cooking, In a large sauté pan, add sausage, beef, onion, garlic, vegeta or vegetable bouillon, sweet paprika and black pepper and cook until meat is cooked through.
- Add in rice to meat mixture and stir well.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Boil a pot of water, add a generous pinch of salt and cored cabbages to boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes or until the cabbage is just softened. Remove cabbage from water and drain but reserve the cabbage water.
- Remove the top layer of the cabbage leaves and lay them down on the bottom of a large baking dish. This may fill 2 baking dishes depending on the size of the dish.
- To assemble cabbage rolls, take a cabbage leaf and place filling in the center of the leaf then fold in the horizonal ends and roll the other open side over the filling and roll together, like you would a burrito.
- Place the rolled cabbage rolls in a large cooking dish side by side.
- Repeat the filling and rolling process until cabbage leaves get too small to fill and roll. Save the smaller leaves, you'll add them on top at the end.
- Make the sauce by adding the sour kraut OR beef stock (if making non-sour sauce), ham, sweet paprika, tomato soup concentrate, tomato sauce and cabbage water to a bowl and stirring together.
- Pour 3/4 of the sauce over the cabbage rolls, then use the smaller cabbage leaves to cover the top of the rolls and top with the remaining sauce.
- Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour or until cabbage is soft and tender.
- Serve cabbage roll and sauce with optional sour cream (this is untraditional but it is delicious).