Classic Bosnian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls - Sarma

These stuffed cabbage rolls, sarma in Bosnian, have a piquant flavor to delight you! The combination of smoked meat and tangy pickled cabbage leaves filled with ground beef, rice, caramelized onions, and spices is irresistible!

In Bosnia and Serbia, and Croatia, stuffed cabbage rolls take a special place on the celebratory table.

We celebrate everything with sarma: graduation, birthdays, engagements, weddings, army enlistment parties, Namesake Days, Easter, Christmas, and New Year!

What is sarma?

Sarma is traditional in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire from the Middle East to Southeastern Europe. It's a popular dish in almost all Balkan countries with slight variations.

The word sarma derives from the Turkish phrase sarmak, which means to wrap, from a family of dolma dishes (dolmak - to fill).

What is unique about our cabbage rolls is that we use cured or pickled cabbage leaves. The fermenting process is the same as for sauerkraut.

The only difference is that we leave some cabbage heads whole, and some are shredded, which is great for baked sauerkraut! In my opinion, this is the best way to make stuffed cabbage rolls with ground beef and rice.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions. However, there's important stuff to know before you scroll down.

*If your local specialty or international stores don't offer pickled whole heads, look for pickled leaves in a jar or make your own with one of these three quick pickling methods:

Three quick ways to homemade pickled cabbage

1. How to pickle an entire cabbage head in 5 days:

• Discard the large, damaged outer leaves from the head and cut out the cabbage's core with a sharp knife.
• Place it in a deep pot, core side up. Fill the core hole with ¼ cup salt (it's OK if it spills over) and add a slice of bread. Add enough boiling water to cover the whole head.
• Cover and leave at room temperature (65F-71F) until the cabbage is fermented for a maximum of five days.

2. How to pickle a cabbage head in 1-2 days:

• Discard the large, damaged outer leaves from the head; cut out the core of the cabbage with a sharp knife.
• Pour ¼ cup distilled vinegar into the hole, add a tablespoon of salt, and shake the head to distribute the ingredients evenly.
• Put the prepared vegetable in a large freezer bag (a couple of grocery bags will work too, tightly closed) and freeze for 24-48 hours. Defrost at room temperature.

3. How to pickle a whole cabbage head in less than 1 hour:

• Fill half of a large stockpot with water; add 2 cups vinegar, ½ cup of salt, and bring to a boil.
• Discard the large, damaged outer leaves from the head. Cut out the core of the cabbage with a sharp knife.
• Carefully immerse the fresh cabbage head into the boiling water and let it cook for about 20 minutes or until the leaves are pliable.
• Alternatively, gently peel off softened leaves with a pair of tongs and transfer them to a large clean bowl after three minutes. Cover the pot and continue cooking the vegetable for another three minutes. Then, remove the softened leaves and transfer them to a bowl. Repeat until you have 12-15 leaves.
• Note: You will also need one (32 oz.) jar of sauerkraut, rinsed and drained. See the recipe box for steps. 

🛒 Ingredients and Notes

• Cured cabbage: store-bought or homemade* (see how to pickle cabbage above). I have had great results with par-boiling cabbage in vinegar water and cooking rolls with sauerkraut.
• Lean ground beef - you can mix ground beef and pork.
• Smoked meat of choice - bacon slab, kielbasa, smoked beef, pork, or turkey.
• Rice - white rice such as Jasmin or Basmati. Don't use "minute" or instant rice, but you can use barley instead.
• We use this all-purposes seasoning Vegeta in everything, but you can use sea or kosher salt.

🔪 Instructions

1. Prep the cabbage leaves - Separate the leaves and remove the tough middle rib (vein).
2. Make the filling - Mix the sautéed onions with ground beef, rice, spices, and herbs.
3. Assemble the rolls - Place filling onto the cabbage leaf and roll up like a burrito (see below for the alternate method).
4. Layer tightly into a large pot. Add pieces of smoked meat, cover with water, and cook for an hour.
5. Make the roux (optional) - Heat the oil in a pan; add flour. Stir over low heat until golden. Mix in the tomato paste or tomato sauce and pour over the rolls. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

How to wrap cabbage leaves around minced meat:

Option 1

Option 2

• For homemade pickling, it is imperative which cabbage to choose. It should not be with large hard veins and leathery leaves.
• Try a piece of cured cabbage (or sauerkraut if using) - sometimes they are too salty or too sauer. Rinse in cold water first before assembling! It's always easier to add salt than to remove it!
• There should be no exposed meat peaking through the leaf when making rolls. If there is, remove some of the fillings or wrap another, smaller leaf around it.
• Add ¼ cup finely diced bacon or smoked meat to the meat mixture. You won't regret it!
• If your leaves are too big (or you want bite-sized rolls), cut them in half along each side of the rib, removing the rib completely.

🍽 How To Serve It

• Whole boiled or mashed potatoes, especially dairy-free mashed potatoes with caramelized onions, go great with stuffed cabbage rolls.
• Of course, you can eat it alone or with crusty bread to sop up the delicious sauce.
• Try sarma with a dollop of sour cream, but only if you've made it with the roux. It gives a nice balance to tomato sauce!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

• Palestinian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
• Lithuanian Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
• Swedish Cabbage Casserole
• Serbian Baked Sauerkraut

Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!