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Croatia · Main Courses

Sarma

Cabbage rolls
Yield
Serves 8 (about 20 rolls)
Active
1 hour
Total
3 hours, better the next day
Difficulty
Medium
Free recipe
Sarma cabbage rolls in tomato sauce on a festive plate

The story

In most Croatian households, sarma is not cooked the day before Christmas but well ahead of it — the flavor is better on the second or third day, so the pot is often made as early as mid-December and kept somewhere cold. The soured cabbage for wrapping is prepared months in advance, whole heads salted in a barrel, a tradition that goes back to the Central European way of preserving vegetables for the winter. The ratio of meat to rice and the number of leaves vary from family to family, and in parts of Slavonia smoked meat or sausage is added for deeper flavor. Among Croatian families in America, sarma is the dish that “smells like Christmas” even before it reaches the table.

Ingredients

  • 1 large jar or head whole sour (fermented) cabbage, leaves separated
  • 1 1/2 lb ground pork, or a mix of pork and beef
  • 3/4 cup uncooked rice
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 lb smoked bacon or smoked sausage, cubed (optional, for extra depth)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons oil or lard
  • 3–4 cups broth or water
Hard to find? Whole sour (fermented) cabbage
Look for vacuum-packed or jarred whole heads at Balkan, Polish or Eastern European delis, or online. Otherwise blanch fresh cabbage leaves and layer rinsed sauerkraut between the rolls; milder, less tangy.

Method

  1. If the cabbage leaves are very large, trim the thick center rib. Rinse briefly if very salty, and pat dry.
  2. Mix the ground meat, rice, onion, garlic, paprika, egg, salt, and pepper thoroughly.
  3. Place a spoonful of filling near the stem end of each cabbage leaf, fold in the sides, and roll up snugly (not too tight, to leave room for the rice to expand).
  4. In a large pot, heat the oil and lightly brown the smoked bacon or sausage if using.
  5. Layer the cabbage rolls seam-side down in the pot, tucking in the smoked meat between layers. Stir the tomato paste into the broth and pour over the rolls, adding more liquid to just cover them.
  6. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the cabbage is very tender and the filling cooked through, checking occasionally and adding liquid if it runs low.
  7. Sarma is traditionally made a day ahead — the flavor deepens significantly by the next day.

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