National Dish Romania: Sarmale (Recipe)
In this article
Sarmale are cabbage rolls, and Romania makes them with pickled cabbage rather than fresh, which is the important detail. The sourness of the varză murată against the fatty pork filling is the whole point, and fresh cabbage gives a blander dish.
About Sarmale
Sarmale are minced pork and rice rolled in soured cabbage leaves and simmered for hours with smoked meat and tomato. They are Christmas food, Easter food, wedding food and funeral food.
A whole soured cabbage is bought or made for the purpose. The leaves are pliable and already sour, so no blanching is needed.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 250 g minced meat (pork, beef or a mix)
- 50 g rice
- 1 onion
- 1–2 cloves of garlic
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8–10 large cabbage leaves or vine leaves
- 250 ml tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp oil
Shopping for the ingredients
Whole soured cabbage, varză murată, is sold in Romanian, Polish and Turkish shops in autumn and winter. Minced pork with around 20% fat. A piece of smoked pork rib or bacon to lay between the layers is what gives the pot its depth.
Preparing the dish
Rinse the soured leaves if they are very sharp, and cut out the thick central rib so they roll. Do not pre-cook the rice; it swells in the pot and a fully cooked rice makes a stodgy filling. Roll them smaller than instinct suggests.
Step-by-step instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the onion and garlic until translucent.
- Mix the minced meat with the uncooked rice, fried onion and garlic, egg, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Take a cabbage leaf, place a tablespoon of the meat mixture in the centre and roll it up, tucking in the sides.
- Layer the rolls tightly in a pot with shredded cabbage and smoked bacon between the layers.
- Cover with tomato sauce and water until just submerged, and weight them with a plate.
- Simmer over low heat for 2–3 hours, or bake covered at 160°C for the same time.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Sarmale contain no gluten and no dairy. The soured cream served with them is dairy; leave it off or use a plant version. Check any smoked meat you add.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Sarmale de post, the Lenten version, is filled with rice, mushrooms, onion and carrot and is genuinely good. It is made across Romania during the Orthodox fasts, which are long and frequent. Use oil and skip the egg.
More tips and tricks
Use soured cabbage rather than fresh. Do not pre-cook the rice. Pack the rolls tightly and weight them, so they do not unroll. And cook them longer than seems necessary; three hours is right and the smoked meat needs it.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Dill and thyme in the filling are traditional. A layer of smoked ribs at the bottom of the pot. Vine leaves make the summer version, smaller and lighter.
Ingredient substitutions
Fresh cabbage blanched in salted water with vinegar approximates soured leaves. Beef, pork or a mix. Smoked bacon in place of ribs.
Drink pairing ideas
Țuică, the plum brandy, before the meal. A Romanian red such as Fetească Neagră with it. Nothing during, if you are being traditional; țuică comes first.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve them hot with mămăligă and a spoonful of soured cream, with a hot pepper on the side. They are better reheated the next day, which every Romanian household counts on at Christmas.
A bit of history
Stuffed leaves came with the Ottomans and spread across the Balkans; the word is Turkish. Romania made them sour, which distinguishes the version, and attached them to every significant meal in the year. They anchor Romanian cuisine.
More recipe ideas
- Ardei Umpluți
- Ciorbă de Perișoare
- Mămăligă
- Mâncare de Varză
- Sarmale cu Varză Murată
- Tochitură Moldovenească
Summary: Sarmale
Sarmale are pork and rice rolled in soured cabbage leaves and simmered for hours with smoked meat. Use soured cabbage, leave the rice raw, pack them tight, and give them three hours.
