There are dishes you cook… and then there are dishes you honor.
In the Balkans, Sarma is not just a recipe. It is tradition. It is Sunday lunch. It is Christmas. It is weddings, slavas, family gatherings, and the unmistakable smell of slow-cooked cabbage filling the entire house.
Every family has their own version. Some add more rice. Some prefer more meat. Some swear by smoked ribs, others by dried meat. But one thing is certain — when sarma is on the table, it becomes the center of attention.
Slow-cooked for hours, wrapped in fermented cabbage leaves, filled with a rich mixture of beef, pork, rice, and spices, then finished with paprika oil… this is comfort food at its finest.
Today I’m sharing my family’s traditional version — the one that never fails.
Sarma u dijaspori – ukus doma daleko od kuće
Ako živite u Kanadi ili Americi, znate koliko nedostaje miris domaće sarme. U dijaspori se trudimo da sačuvamo tradiciju, pa makar i u maloj kuhinji daleko od Balkana. Ja kiseli kupus pravim sama, ali ću vam ispod napisati i gde ga možete kupiti u Kanadi i Americi ako nemate vremena za pripremu.
Ingredients
For the Sarma:
- 25–30 sauerkraut leaves (1 medium head of fermented cabbage)
- 500 g ground beef
- 500 g ground pork
- 100 g bacon, finely chopped (optional)
- 150 g rice, washed and drained
- 1 beef bouillon cube, melted in 2-3 tbsp of hot water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tbsp Hungarian paprika (sweet or mild)
- 75 ml oil
- 250 g onion, finely chopped
- 100 g carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
For Cooking:
- Smoked ribs or smoked meat (optional but traditional)
- Extra cabbage leaves for lining
Paprika Oil (Zaprška):
- 2–3 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp Hungarian smoked paprika
Instructions
1. Prepare the Sauerkraut Leaves
Carefully peel the leaves from the cabbage head. Rinse them and place them in a large bowl filled with cold water. Let them soak for 2–3 hours (or overnight) to reduce excess salt and sourness.
Trim the thick stems from each leaf to make rolling easier.
2. Make the Filling
In a large bowl, combine:
- Ground beef
- Ground pork
- Chopped bacon
- Rice
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Parsley
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Oil
Mix everything thoroughly by hand until well combined.
3. Stuff and Roll
Place one spoonful of filling near the base of each leaf.
- Fold one side over the filling
- Roll tightly
- Tuck in the sides as you roll
This prevents the sarma from opening while cooking.
4. Arrange in the Pot
Line the bottom of a large heavy pot with leftover cabbage leaves.
Arrange the cabbage rolls tightly in a circular pattern around the pot, leaving the center empty.
Place smoked ribs or bacon pieces in the center.
Pour cold water over the rolls just until they are covered.
Cover with additional cabbage leaves and place a plate upside down on top to prevent the rolls from floating.
5. Cook Slowly
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
Let the sarma simmer gently for 3–4 hours.
Low and slow is the secret.
6. Make the Paprika Oil
Heat oil in a small pan.
Add Hungarian smoked paprika and stir for just a few seconds (do not burn).
Spoon over the sarma before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Sarma is best served with:
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Fresh homemade bread
- Sour cream on the side
And it tastes even better the next day.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerate up to 5 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water.
FAQ
Can I use only beef?
Yes, but the beef–pork combination gives the best flavor.
Can I skip smoked ribs?
Yes, but they add authentic depth.
Why cook it so long?
Long cooking makes the cabbage tender and allows flavors to fully develop.
Gde kupiti kiseli kupus za sarmu u Kanadi i Americi?
Ako ne pravite domaći kiseli kupus, možete ga pronaći u:
- Balkan i European prodavnicama
- Poljskim i ukrajinskim radnjama
- Većim supermarketima tokom zimske sezone
- Nekim Whole Foods lokacijama (fermentisani kupus)
Tražite celu glavicu kiselog kupusa (sauerkraut cabbage head), jer rendani kupus nije pogodan za sarmu.
Sarma is patience.
Sarma is tradition.
Sarma is home.
And once you master it — you carry a piece of the Balkans wherever you go.
Sarma – Kraljica svakog stola 👑
Postoje jela koja se kuvaju… i postoje jela koja se poštuju.
Na Balkanu, sarma nije samo recept. Ona je tradicija. Nedeljni ručak. Slava. Božić. Svadbe. Miris koji ispuni celu kuću i okuplja porodicu oko stola.
Svaka porodica ima svoju verziju. Neko voli više pirinča, neko više mesa. Neko ne odustaje od dimljenih rebara, neko dodaje suvo meso. Ali jedno je sigurno — kada je sarma na stolu, ona je glavna.
Sporo kuvana u listovima kiselog kupusa, punjena bogatom smesom mesa, pirinča i začina, završena zaprškom od paprike… to je prava hrana za dušu.
Danas delim moju porodičnu verziju — onu koja nikada ne omane.
Sastojci
Za sarmu:
- 25–30 listova kiselog kupusa (1 srednja glavica)
- 500 g mlevene junetine
- 500 g mlevene svinjetine
- 100 g slanine, sitno seckane
- 150 g pirinča (oprati i ocediti)
- 1 kašičica soli
- 1 kašičica crnog bibera (po ukusu)
- 2 kašike mlevene crvene paprike (slatke ili blage)
- 75 ml ulja
- 250 g crnog luka, sitno seckanog
- 100 g šargarepe, sitno seckane
- 1 stabljika celera, sitno seckana
- ¼ šolje svežeg peršuna, sitno seckanog
- 3 čena belog luka, sitno seckana
Za kuvanje:
- Dimljena rebra ili suvo meso (po želji, ali tradicionalno)
- Nekoliko dodatnih listova kupusa za podlogu
Zaprška (ulje sa paprikom):
- 2–3 kašike ulja
- 1 kašika dimljene ili slatke mlevene paprike
Priprema
1. Priprema kupusa
Pažljivo odvojiti listove sa glavice kiselog kupusa. Isprati ih i potopiti u hladnu vodu. Ostaviti da stoje 2–3 sata (ili preko noći) kako bi se smanjila jačina i višak soli.
Odseći zadebljani deo korena na svakom listu kako bi se lakše uvijao.
2. Priprema fila
U velikoj činiji sjediniti:
- mlevenu junetinu
- mlevenu svinjetinu
- seckanu slaninu
- pirinač
- luk
- šargarepu
- celer
- peršun
- beli luk
- so
- biber
- papriku
- ulje
Sve dobro izmešati rukom dok se sastojci ne sjedine.
3. Formiranje sarme
Na svaki list kupusa staviti jednu punu kašiku fila.
- Preklopiti jednu stranu preko fila
- Uviti čvrsto
- Uvući krajeve sa strane
Na taj način sarma se neće odmotavati tokom kuvanja.
4. Ređanje u šerpu
Dno veće šerpe obložiti listovima kupusa.
Sarme ređati gusto jednu do druge u krug, ostavljajući sredinu praznu.
U sredinu staviti dimljena rebra ili suvo meso.
Naliti hladnom vodom toliko da prekrije sarme.
Prekriti dodatnim listovima kupusa i staviti tanjir okrenut naopako preko sarme kako se ne bi podizale tokom kuvanja.
5. Kuvanje
Dovesti do ključanja, zatim smanjiti temperaturu na minimum.
Sarma treba da krčka lagano 3–4 sata.
Što sporije — to bolje.
6. Zaprška
U manjoj šerpi zagrejati ulje.
Dodati mlevenu papriku i promešati samo nekoliko sekundi (paziti da ne zagori).
Preliti preko sarme pred serviranje.
Kako servirati
Sarma je najbolja uz:
- Kremasti pire krompir
- Domaći hleb
- Kašiku pavlake sa strane
I kao što svi znamo — sledećeg dana je još ukusnija.
Čuvanje
- U frižideru do 5 dana.
- Može se zamrznuti do 3 meseca.
- Podgrevati lagano uz malo dodatka vode.
Gde kupiti kiseli kupus za sarmu u Kanadi i Americi?
Ako ne pravite domaći kiseli kupus, možete ga pronaći u:
- Balkan i European prodavnicama
- Poljskim i ukrajinskim radnjama
- Većim supermarketima tokom zimske sezone
- Nekim Whole Foods lokacijama (fermentisani kupus)
Tražite celu glavicu kiselog kupusa (sauerkraut cabbage head), jer rendani kupus nije pogodan za sarmu.
Česta pitanja
Da li može samo junetina?
Može, ali kombinacija junetine i svinjetine daje bogatiji ukus.
Da li su dimljena rebra obavezna?
Nisu, ali daju tradicionalnu aromu.
Zašto se kuva tako dugo?
Dugo kuvanje omekšava kupus i omogućava da se svi ukusi savršeno sjedine.
Sarma je strpljenje.
Sarma je tradicija.
Sarma je dom.
I kada je jednom savladate — nosite deo Balkana sa sobom gde god da ste.
Divna's Baked Goods 