Romanian cabbage rolls filled with pork, rice and herbs and slowly simmered with tomato.
Sarmale are deeply associated with Romanian festive and family cooking, particularly Christmas and large gatherings. Similar stuffed-leaf dishes appear across southeastern Europe and the former Ottoman world.
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- Prep
- 45 minutes
- Cook
- 2 hours
- Serves
- 8
The recipe
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Ingredients
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Method
-
Cook onion gently in oil until soft and cool.
-
Mix pork, rice, onion, herbs, paprika, salt and pepper.
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Place small portions of filling on cabbage leaves, fold in the sides and roll tightly.
-
Arrange snugly in a heavy pot, add passata, water or stock and bay leaves, then cover.
-
Simmer very gently for about 2 hours until the filling is cooked and the cabbage tender.
Chef’s notes
Do not overfill the rolls because rice expands during cooking. A very gentle simmer helps them stay intact.
Substitutions
A pork-and-beef mixture can be used. Fresh cabbage leaves may be blanched until flexible if pickled cabbage is unavailable.
Serve with
Mămăligă and sour cream
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days; the flavor often improves after resting overnight. Reheat until fully hot.
Allergens
No major allergens are required in the base recipe; check stock and pickled cabbage labels.
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