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Bulgarian Stuffed Cabbage Sarmi

Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Bulgarian
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Fermenting Time 3 days
Total Time 3 days 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 775

Ingredients

Sarmi

  • 1 large fermented cabbage see recipe below
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 450 g smoked bacon
  • 1 kg ground meat pork, veal or beef
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt & pepper

Fermented Cabbage

  • 1 whole cabbage
  • 33 grams kosher salt
  • 2 bay leaves optional
  • 1 tbsp whole peppercorns optional
  • 1 clove garlic optional

Instructions

Sarmi

  • On medium high heat, saute diced onion in olive oil until soft and brown.
  • Add smoked pork and ground meat together with salt, paprika and pepper.
  • Combine well. Cook for about 2 minutes then add the rice. Set aside.
  • Wash the fermented cabbage to remove excess salt
  • Fill each cabbage leaf with 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture.
  • Roll in the palm of your hand or place each leaf on a surface and then fill and roll with both hands.
  • Line a cast iron pot with the remaining cabbage leaves.
  • Layer the stuffed cabbage in the pot. Between each layer place bay leaves and sprinkle with a bit of paprika.
  • Repeat this process with the remaining stuffed cabbages.
  • Cover the sarmi with a large cabbage leaf then add enough water to fill 2/3 of the pot.
  • Cook over medium high until boiling, then reduce the heat to low. Cover.
  • When the top leaves become almost transparent, the sarmi are cooked (about 1-2 hours).
  • Remove sarmi to serving dish. Use some of the cooking liquid with any bits of bacon, meat and cabbage to use as a light sauce.

Fermented Cabbage

  • To make fermented Cabbage, start with removing damaged leaves and washing the cabbage. Core and remove the leaves, keeping the intact.
  • Place cabbage in a large bowl and add 33 grams of salt and one liter of water. Add the optional spices if desired.
  • Cover the bowl with cheese cloth, using a rubber band to keep in place. Store on the counter, away from sunlight. Check daily, pressing cabbage into liquid. After 3 days, “taste test” the cabbage. If not to your liking, re-cover and continue fermenting for up to 10 days.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 775kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1983mg | Potassium: 1081mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 259IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 5mg