🥬 Sarma (sauerkraut cabbage rolls)

Name: Sarma (sauerkraut cabbage rolls)
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Balkans · Southeast Europe
Ingredients: 1 head of soured (sauerkraut) cabbage, leaves separated; 600 g ground beef; 100 g rice, rinsed; 2 onions, finely chopped; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; Salt, black pepper, 2 bay leaves; About 1 litre water

Origin: Balkans · Southeast Europe

450kcal

per serving · 300 g

150kcal

per 100 g

8 gProtein2.5 g / 100 g

24 gFat8 g / 100 g

51 gCarbs17 g / 100 g

Sarma are rolls of soured cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling of ground meat, rice, onion and paprika, then simmered slowly for hours. The leaves turn tender and pleasantly tangy while the filling stays juicy and well seasoned. It is a hearty winter dish across the Balkans, served hot in its cooking liquid, often for holidays and family gatherings.

Diets

✓

Gluten-freeno wheat, barley or rye in a typical recipe

✓

Dairy-freeno milk, cheese, butter or yogurt in a typical recipe

Pork — checkbecause of: ground meat

Not vegetarianbecause of: ground meat

Not veganbecause of: ground meat

Not keto17 g carbs per 100 g

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens in a typical recipe.

What it is made of

pickled cabbage leavesground meatriceonionpaprika

Recipe

6 servings180 min

Ingredients

1 head of soured (sauerkraut) cabbage, leaves separated
600 g ground beef
100 g rice, rinsed
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt, black pepper, 2 bay leaves
About 1 litre water

Method

Rinse the cabbage leaves if very salty and cut out the thick part of the central vein.
Soften the onion in the oil, cool slightly and mix with the meat, rice, paprika, salt and pepper.
Place a spoonful of filling on each leaf, fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
Line a large pot with chopped leftover leaves, pack the rolls in snugly and add the bay leaves.
Cover with water, put a plate on top to hold the rolls down and simmer gently for 2.5–3 hours.

How to make it lighter

Use lean ground beef (5–10% fat) to cut the fat noticeably.
Skip frying the onion in oil and add it raw to the filling.
Two or three rolls with a side of fresh vegetables make a filling portion.

History

Stuffed leaves spread through the Balkans during Ottoman rule, and the name comes from the Turkish sarmak, 'to wrap'. Rolling the filling in whole fermented cabbage leaves became the typical winter version in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and neighbouring countries.

Count it in one photo

Point your camera at the table — Me Nutrition recognises Sarma (sauerkraut cabbage rolls) and every other dish, with calories and macros for each. Ate only half? Slide it.

Download on the App Store

Similar dishes

Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →