Description: Tender pickled-cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory beef-pork-rice filling, simmered low and slow in a tomato-paprika sauce—comfort in a pot. 🍲🥬
Hook: Make once, eat for days—rich, aromatic, and even better tomorrow. ⚡
Ingredients
Filling
🧅 Onion, finely chopped: 200 g (1⅓ cups / 7 oz)
🧄 Garlic, minced: 8 g (2 cloves / 0.3 oz)
🧆 Ground beef: 700 g (1½ lb)
🐖 Ground pork: 300 g (⅔ lb)
🌾 Medium-grain rice, rinsed: 120 g (⅔ cup / 4.2 oz)
🫒 Sunflower or olive oil: 30 ml (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
🌶️ Sweet paprika: 8 g (2 tsp / 0.28 oz)
⚫ Ground black pepper: 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
🧂 Salt: to taste (≈10 g / 1¾ tsp)
Cabbage & pot
🥬 Whole pickled cabbage (sauerkraut), leaves separated: 1 large head (18–22 leaves)
🍅 Tomato passata or crushed tomatoes: 400 ml (1⅔ cups / 13.5 fl oz)
🫗 Water or light stock: 500–700 ml (2–3 cups)
🌿 Bay leaves: 2
🌶️ Smoked paprika (optional): ½ tsp (1 g / 0.04 oz)
🫒 Oil for the pot: 15 ml (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
🥓 Smoked bacon or ribs for layering (optional): 150 g (5 oz)
Preparation
1️⃣ Prep cabbage: Rinse leaves if very salty; trim thick veins so they fold easily.
2️⃣ Make filling: Sauté onion in oil 6–8 min until translucent; add garlic 30 sec. Cool 2–3 min, then mix with beef, pork, rice, paprika, pepper, and salt.
3️⃣ Roll: Place 2–3 tbsp filling on each leaf, fold sides in, and roll tightly; tuck ends.
4️⃣ Build pot: Oil the pot. Spread half the shredded sauerkraut, scatter bacon/ribs if using. Arrange rolls seam-side down in snug layers. Top with remaining sauerkraut and bay leaves.
5️⃣ Sauce & cook: Stir tomato paste, passata, smoked paprika (if using), and water/stock; pour in to barely cover. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook 1 h 30 min on low (or bake covered at 170°C / 340°F).
6️⃣ Rest: Let stand 15 min before serving so juices settle.
Total Time
🕒 Prep: 30 min
🔥 Cook: 1 h 30 min
⏳ Total: 2 h
Nutritional Value
🔋 Energy: ~420 kcal
💪 Protein: ~24 g
🧈 Fat: ~28 g
🍞 Carbohydrates: ~16 g
🧂 Sodium: ~980 mg
Advice
Trim and slightly overlap torn leaves to “patch” them—tight rolls prevent rice from escaping and keep portions neat.
Why it works
Pickled cabbage adds acid that tenderizes the meat and balances richness; rice absorbs flavorful juices and binds the filling; slow, covered cooking yields silky leaves and a deep, savory sauce.
Twist
Mushroom Sarma (lighter): Swap half the meat for finely chopped sautéed mushrooms.
Spicy Sarajevo vibe: Add ½–1 tsp hot paprika or chili flakes to the filling.
Overnight boost: Chill cooked sarma and reheat next day—flavors meld and intensify.
Status
Sarma night = family night—roll, simmer, feast, repeat. #grannyzen #sarma 🇷🇸🥬
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