Croatian Sarma Recipe (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) (2024)

Croatian Sarma Recipe (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) (1)

Written by our local expert SJ

Sarah-Jane has lived in Croatia for 10+ years. SJ, as she is known, has been traveling the Balkans & beyond since 2000. She now shares her passion for traveling with her husband & kids.

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What is the recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls? That’s the question that so many of my friends and family ask. These tasty Croatian cabbage rolls are known as Sarma and are a must-try food all over the Balkans.

Back in Sydney, the king of Croatian Sarma in our family is Tetak Zeljko (uncle), and he is absolutely famous for his Sarma recipe. Tetak Zeljko always brings a massive pot of sarma to each big family gathering, and the house immediately smells of sauerkraut(kiseli kapus). To some people, the smell is offensive, but I love it.

This Aussie girl also makes sarma and has done so for over 15 years. My Croatian sarma has never been as good as Tetak’s, although he has been kind enough to give me some tips.

However, he has never given me HIS actual recipe. I guess he doesn’t want to give up the throne just yet. Frankly, I do not blame him because this way, he gets all of the praise for having the best-stuffed cabbage roll recipe in Sydney.

Croatian Sarma Recipe (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) (2)

Now that I am no longer in Australia, I find that people here are not only much more willing to share their tips, but they love to impart their knowledge on recipes that have been in their families for generations. When it comes to making Croatian food, I am blessed that I have so many teachers.

A few weeks ago, I spent some time asking different members of our family for their stuffed cabbage roll recipes. From that, I have a few new tips that will get me closer to having the perfect stuffed cabbage roll recipe. I’ve pinched the best bits from them to enhance my own recipe. After all, all good cooks would agree that it’s nice to find out how someone else cooks a recipe so you can improve your own.

I’ve taken my old faithful, blended it with the Croatian family recipe, and a few tips that I have been given along the way. So, now, it’s my turn to share with you how to make sarma. I hope you like it.

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How To Make Croatian Sarma – AKA Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Croatian Sarma Recipe (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) (3)

Sarma are easy to make but does take a bit of time to prepare and cook. So, I’ve come up with the easy stuffed cabbage roll/sarma recipe to reduce the time it will take you.

You’ll need to start this at least 3 hours before the time you want to eat them. Once cooked, they taste better the longer they are left so that you can make them the day before. Anything listed as optional is to taste, so do add more or less of the flavors you like. Mr. Chasing the Donkey and I prefer a lot of paprika and smoked meat in our dishes, so you can cut back on any of these and still have a delicious-tasting dish.

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Croatian Sarma Recipe (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

My Croatian sarma recipe was years in the making. With hints and tips from Croatia and Australia, I've perfected my sarma recipe to now share it with you.

Ingredients

Sarma

  • Entire pickled/sour cabbagehead (do not use a regular cabbage)
  • 1 kg of mincemeat (2.2 lbs). I prefer 50% pork neck and 50% veal, but you can use whatever you like best
  • 200 g of finely diced špeck or smoked bacon (8 oz)
  • 4 peeled & crushed garlic cloves
  • 1/2 bunchfinely choppedparsley leaves
  • 3 Tbls. of soda water or a big pinch of bicarbonate soda
  • 1 cup of uncooked rice
  • 1 1/2 Tbls. Vegeta
  • 1 Tbls. hot ground paprika (optional)
  • 1 Tbls. sweet paprika (optional)
  • 2 Tbls. breadcrumbs (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbls. olive oil

Sarma Sauce

  • 2 onions, chopped fine
  • 3 Tbls. extra virgin olive oil
  • 100 g diced smoked špeck/pancetta or smoked bones (4 oz)
  • 1/2 bunch chopped parsley
  • 2 carrots diced small
  • 400 g (small tin) passata (2 cups)
  • 1/2 kg shredded sauerkraut (3 cups). Make sure you give it a very good rinse in fresh water before using
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

Sarma Preparation

  1. Take an entire pickled cabbagehead. You'll find these on Amazonor in European delicatessens in the chilled section. Wash each leafthoroughly. Remove the thick part of the stem without tearing the leaves. It's best to allow the leaves to drain on some paper towelor pat each one dry
  2. Take a large mixingbowl, and combine mincemeat, speck, garlic, parsley leaves, soda water or bicarbonate soda, rice, Vegeta, hot paprika (optional), sweet paprika (optional), breadcrumbs (optional), Salt and pepper, egg & olive oil
  3. Mix all of the ingredients until well combined

Let's Roll The Sarma

  1. You want each of the leaves to be about the same size so that each cabbage roll cooks at the same time. So go ahead and cut any large leaves in half, and also join two smaller leaves together as you go
  2. Take approx 3 tablespoons of the minced meat, and gently combine in the palm of your hand. Do not roll or compress as this will make them too dense when you eat them
  3. Place the meat on the edge of the cabbage leaf and roll away from you. Then tuck in the sides of the leaf gently into the meat. There should be no exposed meat. If there is, remove some of the filling
  4. Set the sarma aside, and prepare the sauce

Sarma Sauce

  1. In a shallow saucepan, or even better, aLe Creuset cast-Iron dish,splash in some extra virgin olive oil, add the 2 diced onions and cook until transparent on low heat. Then add the 2 diced carrots, diced speck, and parsley. Continue to fry on low heat until carrots start to soften
  2. Add the shredded sauerkraut and create a layer on the bottom of the saucepan. Now, pack the Croatian sarma into the saucepan. They should be packed close together.
  3. Pour in boiling water so that it just covers the sarma. Add the passata and a pinch of salt and pepper. Every 30 minutes, give the saucepan a shake (do not stir them or they will break) and let them simmer for 2 hours on a low-medium heat

Notes

Never mix with a spoon as you will break the sarma. Always shake the pot or use a spoon to gently move them around.

Croatian Sarma Recipe (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) (13)Croatian Sarma Recipe (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) (14)

So, are you going to give this sarmarecipea try? How different are these sarma from your stuffed cabbage roll recipe?

More Tasty Croatian & Balkans Recipes

  • Meat and Cheese Burek
  • Stuffed Peppers {Punjene Paprike}
  • Klipići {rolls}
  • Under the bell {Ispod čripnje}
  • Pasticada Recipe
  • Octopus Salad
  • Prezgana Soup (Brown Roux Soup)
  • Lazy Apple Pie {Lijena Pita s Jabukama}
  • Stuffed Vine Leaves (Japrak)
  • Zagorje Cheese Strukli
  • Zagrebački Odrezak {Zagreb Steak}
  • Slavonian Freshwater Fish Stew
  • Bijela Pita (White Slice Traditional Cake)
  • Gulaš (Traditional Goulash)
  • Somun Bread (for Cevapi)
Croatian Sarma Recipe (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) (2024)

FAQs

What is Serbian sarma made of? ›

For this satisfying sarma dish, cabbage leaves are stuffed with a seasoned mixture of rice, ground beef, pork, and ham. They are then laid on a bed of sauerkraut and simmered to completion. This is the best stuffed cabbage recipe I've ever tried.

Why are my stuffed cabbage rolls tough? ›

If your cooked cabbage is tough, it's likely because the cabbage is not cooked through yet. Continue to cook the rolls until they're tender. It's also important to make sure you let the rolls rest after they're finished baking.

How long can sarma stay in the fridge? ›

Assembly: You can assemble sarma the night before and then cook them the following day. Keep assembled sarma in the fridge. Storing: Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheating: The best way to reheat it is on the stovetop, on low, for at least 15 minutes, (or until it's hot).

How long does sarma cook? ›

Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake the sarma covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and continue to bake another 25-30 minutes or until they turn a nice golden color and the smoked meat is nice and roasted.

Is sarma healthy? ›

It is an energy dense food and healthy in moderation. Average numbers are 450 cal, 70g carbs, 10g fat, 19g protein.

What is the difference between dolma and sarma? ›

Wrapped dolma, specifically, are known as sarma, made by rolling grape, cabbage, or other leaves around the filling. Dolma can be served warm or at room temperature and are common in modern cuisines of regions and nations that once were part of the Ottoman Empire.

Why do you put baking soda in cabbage? ›

Baking soda does help green vegetables retain color, but it causes undesirable color changes in red cabbage—it turned blue. The science can be distilled to this: Adding baking soda to cooking water makes it slightly alkaline, which stabilizes the green color of chlorophyll.

What is the best type of cabbage for cabbage rolls? ›

Savoy Cabbage

Savoy's leaves have a wonderful, waffle-knit texture that makes them visually striking. And that texture gives a slight elasticity, which makes the leaves ideal for dishes like stuffed cabbage or cabbage rolls. We also love savoy sliced in soup, as a green in salads, and of course, in slaws.

How do you keep cabbage crisp when cooking? ›

Once people started roasting them at a high heat, perhaps with a little extra salt and fat (like bacon), it was a game-changer. You can also try slicing cabbage thin and sautéing it to maintain some of its crunchy texture.

What does sarma taste like? ›

Sarma is cousin to the Greek Dolmades, however this Armenian staple has a very unique and incredibly delicious flavour. Armenian Sarma has that thousand-watt lemon and olive oil taste– and this recipe adds an upgrade of tomato, hot pepper paste, Aleppo pepper and another zing of pomegranate molasses.

Is sarma Turkish or Romanian? ›

Sarma is a Turkish word meaning "wrapping. Sarma made with grape leaves are called yaprak sarması ( lit.

What vegetable should not be refrigerated? ›

WHAT VEGETABLES SHOULD NOT BE REFRIGERATED? Vegetables that should not be refrigerated include avocados, bell peppers, onions and potatoes. Some vegetables that you may want to refrigerate include mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and asparagus.

Who invented sarma? ›

In other words, it is accepted that it is produced not as a new dish, but as a result of adapting an existing dish with different techniques (folding, cooking, cooling). According to some rumors, Sarma was produced in the Ottoman cuisine and first appeared in the Ottoman Empire.

Can you cook cabbage too long? ›

Boiled cabbage is notoriously smelly and steaming is often thought of as a less aromatic way to cook the vegetable. However, the pungent smell is actually the result of overcooking. Boil it just until tender, and you won't have a stinky kitchen.

Why are my cabbage rolls hard? ›

If your cabbage rolls are too tough, it means that you have not cooked them long enough. My method to start with, letting the cabbage sit overnight, starts to get the cabbage nice and soft. But if they are still not soft enough after cooking, it means that you need to return them to the oven and cook for longer.

Is sarma Serbian or Turkish? ›

First association on Serbian cuisine. A dish that is believed to have arrived in the Balkans along with the Turks during a five-century rule. The name derives from the Turkish vocabulary, from the word sarmak which means twist, wrap.

What is the most known Serbian food? ›

National dishes of Serbia include sarma (a mix of ground pork or beef with rice rolled in leaves of cabbage), gibanica (an egg and cheese pie made with filo dough), pljeskavica (a ground beef or pork patty), ćevapi (grilled meat), paprikaš (a soup made of paprika), gulaš (soup of meat and vegetables usually seasoned ...

What is Turkish sarma made of? ›

It is typically made of cabbage or grape leaves and filled with meat, rice, and spices. It can be served with yogurt or a yogurt-based drink. It can be a meal for special occasions or during the winter.

References

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