Bulgarian Stuffed Cabbage (Sarmi)
Bulgarian sarmi are savory stuffed cabbage rolls featuring a filling of ground veal, pork, rice, onion, and carrots.
This page may contain affiliate links. If you click and buy, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Instructions
-
Start boiling salted water in a large pot for the cabbage.
-
Remove the cabbage core, then cook the whole head in the boiling water for 3 minutes until softened.
-
Cool the cabbage, then carefully remove 24 individual leaves and trim the thick center stem from each.
-
Chop any remaining cabbage and place it at the bottom of an oiled casserole dish or Dutch oven.
-
In a medium skillet, sauté chopped onion, carrots, and rice in 1 tablespoon of oil until the rice is coated.
-
Add 1 cup broth or water, stir until absorbed, then cool the mixture and transfer to a large bowl.
-
Combine the cooled rice mixture with ground veal, pork, salt, pepper, parsley, and mint in the bowl, mixing thoroughly.
-
Place about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture onto each cabbage leaf; roll it away from you, folding in the sides to create a sealed roll.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
-
Arrange the cabbage rolls over the chopped cabbage in the dish, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper.
-
Pour tomato juice over the rolls until it covers 2/3 of their height, then bring the dish to a boil on the stovetop.
-
Place a weighted ovenproof dish on the rolls, cover, and bake for 1 hour, or until the cabbage is tender and meat is cooked.
-
For the sauce, whisk together yogurt, paprika, and a little olive oil until smooth.
-
Serve the stuffed cabbages topped with the prepared sauce.