Summer Sarma is my warm-weather twist on one of the most beloved Balkan comfort foods.

We all know sarma as the winter dish—usually wrapped in sauerkraut and slowly cooked with smoked meat. But who says sarma is only for winter?

For this summer version, I’m using tender collard green leaves, also known as raštan, filled with seasoned ground beef, rice, vegetables, and a little tomato sauce. The rolls are slowly simmered in a rich tomato sauce with garlic, smoked meat, and just a touch of honey.

The honey may sound unusual, but it has a purpose. Collard greens have a naturally strong, slightly bitter flavor, while tomatoes bring acidity. A small amount of honey balances those flavors and rounds out the sauce without making it sweet.

And because no proper Balkan sarma dinner is complete without something creamy on the side, serve it with thick yogurt or sour cream and a piece of homemade cornbread.

This may be a summer sarma, but it is every bit as comforting as the winter version.

Ingredients

For the Collard Green Leaves

• 30 large, healthy collard green leaves (raštan)
• Water, for blanching
• Salt, for blanching
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

For the Meat Filling

• 1 kg ground beef
• 100 g finely chopped bacon, optional
• 150 g rice, rinsed and well drained
• 1 beef bouillon cube, dissolved in 2–3 tablespoons hot water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet or mild paprika
• 75 ml oil
• 250 g finely chopped onion
• 100 g finely chopped carrot
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2–3 tablespoons tomato sauce

For the Tomato Sauce

• 1 litre crushed tomatoes
• 250–500 ml water, as needed
• 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1–2 teaspoons honey, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, only if needed

For Layering and Cooking

• A few pieces of smoked ribs, chopped bacon, or a small smoked ham hock
• 1–2 bay leaves
• A little oil, for greasing the pot

How to Make Summer Sarma

1. Prepare the Collard Green Leaves

Wash the collard green leaves thoroughly under cold running water.

Using a sharp knife, carefully thin out or remove the thickest part of the central rib from the underside of each leaf. Be careful not to cut through the leaf.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

Blanch the leaves for about 1–2 minutes, just until they soften and become flexible enough to roll.

Immediately transfer the leaves to a bowl of cold or ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well.

2. Make the Filling

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, bacon, rice, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, oil, dissolved beef bouillon, and tomato sauce.

Mix everything thoroughly by hand until well combined.

The tomato sauce in the filling helps keep the meat mixture tender and juicy while the sarma cooks.

3. Roll the Sarma

Place one collard green leaf on a flat surface with the smooth side facing down.

Place approximately 1 heaping tablespoon of filling near the bottom portion of the leaf.

Fold the sides inward and roll the leaf firmly from the stem end toward the top, tucking the edges in as you go.

If the stem end is very long or thick, trim away the excess.

Do not roll the sarma too tightly. The rice needs room to expand as it cooks.

4. Arrange the Sarma in the Pot

Lightly grease the bottom of a deep, heavy-bottomed pot with oil.

Cover the bottom with 2–3 unused collard green leaves or trimmed pieces of leaves. This helps protect the sarma from sticking or burning.

Arrange the rolled sarma tightly in the pot, seam-side down.

Place pieces of smoked ribs, bacon, or smoked ham hock between the rolls. Add the bay leaves.

5. Make the Tomato Sauce

In a bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes, water, olive oil, minced garlic, honey, and black pepper.

Taste before adding salt because the bouillon and smoked meat may already provide enough salt.

Start with 1 teaspoon of honey. If the tomato sauce still tastes too acidic or the greens are particularly strong, add another teaspoon.

Why Add Honey?

Raštan and collard greens have a naturally stronger, slightly bitter flavor. Tomatoes are acidic, so a small amount of honey helps balance the two.

The goal is not to make a sweet sauce. The honey should simply round out the flavors.

6. Cook the Sarma

Pour the tomato sauce gently over the sarma. The liquid should come about ¾ of the way up the rolls.

Place a small heatproof plate upside down over the sarma. This helps keep the rolls submerged and prevents them from opening during cooking.

Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.

Cover and simmer gently for approximately 2–3 hours, or until the meat and rice are fully cooked and the collard greens are very tender.

Check the pot occasionally. If too much liquid evaporates, add a little hot water.

What to Serve with Summer Sarma

Collard green sarma has a deeper, more intense flavor than traditional cabbage sarma, so something creamy and tangy makes the perfect accompaniment.

Serve with:

• Thick plain yogurt
• Sour cream
• Thick Balkan-style yogurt
• Sheep’s milk yogurt
• Goat’s milk yogurt

And, of course, homemade Balkan-style cornbread is one of my favorite ways to serve it.

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Homemade Cornbread

Ingredients

• 450 g yellow cornmeal
• 260 g all-purpose flour
• 600 ml milk
• 80–100 g butter
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Grease a 10-inch round baking pan with butter.

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the milk and melted butter.

Mix gently, just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. The batter may look slightly lumpy, which is perfectly fine. Do not overmix, as this can make the cornbread dense.

Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Brush the top lightly with a little melted butter.

Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cornbread to cool slightly before cutting.

Serve warm alongside the Summer Sarma.

Serving Suggestion

For a beautiful Balkan-style plate, spoon some of the tomato sauce onto the plate, arrange three pieces of Summer Sarma on top, and add a spoonful of sour cream or thick yogurt over the sarma.

Serve with a warm wedge of homemade cornbread on the side.

Storage

Allow the sarma to cool and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3–4 days.

Sarma also freezes very well. Cool completely, place in an airtight freezer-safe container with some of the sauce, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven.

FAQ

Can I use another type of green instead of collard greens?

Yes. Large, sturdy cabbage leaves can be used, although the flavor will be different. Collard greens are what give this version its distinctive summer character.

Can I leave out the bacon?

Absolutely. The bacon is optional. You can also use smoked ribs or a small piece of smoked meat during cooking for extra flavor.

Why do you add tomato sauce to the meat filling?

A few tablespoons of tomato sauce add moisture to the filling and help keep the meat tender and juicy.

Why add vinegar to the blanching water?

The vinegar helps brighten the greens and is traditionally useful when blanching sturdy leafy greens. It also helps reduce some of their stronger flavor.

Why shouldn’t I roll the sarma too tightly?

The rice expands as it cooks. Leaving a little room prevents the leaves from splitting or the filling from pushing its way out.

Can I make Summer Sarma ahead of time?

Yes. In fact, like many slow-cooked Balkan dishes, sarma often tastes even better after resting overnight because the flavors have time to develop.

Final Thoughts

Summer Sarma is proof that some traditional dishes do not have to stay in one season.

The familiar idea of sarma is still here—the rolled leaves, seasoned meat and rice, slow cooking, smoked meat, and that comforting tomato-rich sauce—but collard greens and a touch of honey give it a completely different personality.

So if you love sarma but usually think of it as a winter dish, give this summer version a try.

One sarma tradition. A little summer twist. And a whole lot of Balkan comfort.

LETNJA SARMA SA RAŠTANOM U PARADAJZ SOSU

Letnja sarma je moja letnja verzija jednog od najomiljenijih balkanskih jela.

Sarmu uglavnom vezujemo za zimu, kiseli kupus, dimljeno meso i dugo krčkanje. Ali ko kaže da sarma mora da bude samo zimsko jelo?

Za ovu letnju verziju koristim velike listove raštana, koje punim mlevenom junetinom, pirinčem, povrćem i sa malo paradajz sosa. Sarma se zatim polako kuva u bogatom paradajz sosu sa belim lukom, dimljenim mesom i malom količinom meda.

Med možda zvuči neobično, ali ovde ima svoju svrhu. Raštan ima jači, blago gorak ukus, dok paradajz donosi kiselost. Mala količina meda uravnotežuje te ukuse i zaokružuje sos, a da ga ne napravi slatkim.

Uz sarmu obavezno poslužite gust jogurt ili kiselu pavlaku, a domaći kukuruzni hleb je savršen dodatak.

Možda je ovo letnja sarma, ali je i dalje prava balkanska utešna hrana.

Sastojci

Za listove raštana

• 30 velikih, zdravih listova raštana
• Voda, za blanširanje
• So, za blanširanje
• 2 kašike sirćeta

Za fil

• 1 kg mlevene junetine
• 100 g sitno seckane slanine, po želji
• 150 g pirinča, opranog i dobro oceđenog
• 1 goveđa kocka za supu, rastvorena u 2–3 kašike vrele vode
• 1 kašičica soli
• 1 kašičica crnog bibera, ili po ukusu
• 2 kašike mađarske slatke ili blage aleve paprike
• 75 ml ulja
• 250 g sitno seckanog crnog luka
• 100 g sitno seckane šargarepe
• 1 stabljika celera, sitno seckana
• ¼ šolje svežeg peršuna, seckanog
• 3 čena belog luka, sitno seckana
• 2–3 kašike paradajz sosa

Za paradajz sos

• 1 litar pasiranog ili usitnjenog paradajza
• 250–500 ml vode, po potrebi
• 2–3 kašike maslinovog ulja
• 2–3 čena belog luka, sitno seckana
• 1–2 kašičice meda, po ukusu
• Crni biber, po ukusu
• So, samo ako je potrebno

Za slaganje i kuvanje

• Nekoliko komada dimljenih rebara, seckane slanine ili mali komad dimljene kolenice
• 1–2 lovorova lista
• Malo ulja, za podmazivanje šerpe

Priprema

1. Pripremite listove raštana

Listove raštana dobro operite pod hladnom tekućom vodom.

Oštrim nožem pažljivo istanjite ili uklonite najdeblji deo centralne žile sa donje strane lista. Pazite da ne presečete list.

U velikoj šerpi zagrejte posoljenu vodu do ključanja. Dodajte 2 kašike sirćeta.

Listove blanširajte oko 1–2 minuta, samo dok ne omekšaju i postanu dovoljno savitljivi za uvijanje.

Odmah ih prebacite u činiju sa hladnom ili ledenom vodom da zaustavite kuvanje. Dobro ih ocedite.

2. Pripremite fil

U velikoj činiji sjedinite mlevenu junetinu, slaninu, pirinač, crni luk, šargarepu, celer, peršun, beli luk, so, biber, alevu papriku, ulje, rastvorenu goveđu kocku i paradajz sos.

Sve dobro umesite rukama dok se sastojci ravnomerno ne sjedine.

Paradajz sos u filu dodaje malo vlage i pomaže da meso tokom kuvanja ostane mekano i sočno.

3. Uvijanje sarme

List raštana stavite na ravnu površinu tako da je glatka strana okrenuta nadole.

Stavite oko jednu punu kašiku fila pri dnu lista.

Preklopite bočne strane ka unutra i uvijajte list od donjeg dela prema vrhu, tako da fil ostane zatvoren.

Ako je centralna žila pri dnu predugačka ili predebela, odrežite višak.

Nemojte sarme uvijati previše čvrsto. Pirinač će tokom kuvanja nabubriti i potrebno mu je malo prostora.

4. Slaganje sarme u šerpu

Dublju šerpu sa debljim dnom blago podmažite uljem.

Dno prekrijte sa 2–3 neiskorišćena lista raštana ili odsečenim delovima listova. Na taj način sarma neće direktno dodirivati dno i manje su šanse da se zalepi ili zagori.

Sarme poređajte jednu uz drugu, spojem nadole.

Između sarmi rasporedite dimljena rebra, slaninu ili komad dimljene kolenice. Dodajte lovorov list.

5. Pripremite paradajz sos

U činiji pomešajte paradajz, vodu, maslinovo ulje, beli luk, med i crni biber.

Probajte sos pre nego što dodate so, jer goveđa kocka i dimljeno meso već mogu biti dovoljno slani.

Počnite sa 1 kašičicom meda. Ako je paradajz i dalje previše kiseo ili je raštan posebno jakog ukusa, dodajte još jednu kašičicu.

Zašto dodajemo med?

Raštan ima prirodno jači i blago gorak ukus, dok paradajz daje kiselost. Mala količina meda pomaže da se ova dva ukusa uravnoteže.

Cilj nije da sos bude sladak. Med treba samo da zaokruži ukus.

6. Kuvanje sarme

Paradajz sos pažljivo sipajte preko sarmi. Tečnost treba da dođe otprilike do tri četvrtine visine sarmi.

Preko sarme stavite mali tanjir otporan na toplotu, okrenut naopako. On će držati sarme potopljene i sprečiti ih da se tokom kuvanja otvore.

Pustite da sos lagano provri, zatim smanjite temperaturu na najnižu.

Poklopite i kuvajte na laganoj vatri oko 2–3 sata, odnosno dok meso i pirinač potpuno ne budu kuvani, a listovi raštana veoma mekani.

Povremeno proverite količinu tečnosti. Ako je previše isparila, dodajte malo vrele vode.

Domaći kukuruzni hleb

Sastojci

• 450 g žutog kukuruznog brašna
• 260 g brašna
• 600 ml mleka
• 80–100 g putera
• 2 kašičice praška za pecivo
• 1 kašičica soli

Priprema

Zagrejte rernu na 200°C (400°F).

Okrugli kalup prečnika 25 cm dobro podmažite puterom.

U velikoj činiji pomešajte kukuruzno brašno, belo brašno, prašak za pecivo i so.

Dodajte mleko i otopljeni puter.

Mešajte samo dok se sastojci ne sjedine. Smesa može ostati malo grudvasta i to je potpuno u redu. Nemojte je previše mešati jer hleb može postati zbijen.

Odmah sipajte smesu u pripremljen kalup i ravnomerno rasporedite.

Odozgo premažite sa malo otopljenog putera.

Pecite 35–40 minuta, odnosno dok površina ne dobije lepu zlatnu boju, a čačkalica ubodena u sredinu ne izađe čista.

Ostavite nekoliko minuta da se prohladi pre sečenja.

Poslužite toplo uz letnju sarmu.

Kako poslužiti

Za lep balkanski tanjir, sipajte malo paradajz sosa na tanjir, stavite tri sarme preko sosa i dodajte kašiku kisele pavlake ili gustog jogurta preko sarme.

Sa strane poslužite komad toplog domaćeg kukuruznog hleba.

Čuvanje

Ohlađenu sarmu čuvajte u zatvorenoj posudi u frižideru 3–4 dana.

Sarma se može i zamrznuti. Potpuno ohlađenu stavite u posudu pogodnu za zamrzavanje, zajedno sa delom sosa, i zamrznite do 3 meseca.

Odmrznite preko noći u frižideru i lagano zagrejte na šporetu ili u rerni.

Česta pitanja

Da li mogu da koristim drugo zeleno povrće?

Da. Možete koristiti i velike listove kupusa, ali će ukus biti drugačiji. Raštan je ono što ovoj verziji daje poseban karakter.

Da li mogu da izostavim slaninu?

Naravno. Slanina je opciona. Za dodatni ukus možete koristiti dimljena rebra ili mali komad dimljenog mesa tokom kuvanja.

Zašto se paradajz sos dodaje i u fil?

Nekoliko kašika paradajz sosa dodaje vlagu filu i pomaže da meso ostane mekano i sočno.

Zašto dodajemo sirće u vodu za blanširanje?

Sirće pomaže da se osveži ukus zelenih listova i ublaži njihov intenzivniji ukus.

Zašto ne treba previše čvrsto uvijati sarme?

Pirinač će tokom kuvanja nabubriti. Ako su sarme previše čvrsto uvijene, listovi mogu da popucaju, a fil da izađe.

Mogu li da pripremim sarmu dan ranije?

Da. Kao i mnoga balkanska jela koja se dugo kuvaju, sarma često bude još ukusnija sledećeg dana, kada se ukusi dodatno sjedine.

Za kraj

Letnja sarma je dokaz da neka tradicionalna jela ne moraju da pripadaju samo jednom godišnjem dobu.

Sve ono što volimo kod sarme je i dalje tu—uvijeni listovi, meso i pirinač, dimljeno meso i lagano kuvanje—ali raštan i mala količina meda daju joj potpuno drugačiji karakter.

Ako volite sarmu, a obično je spremate samo zimi, probajte ovu letnju verziju.

Jedna balkanska tradicija. Mali letnji twist. I mnogo domaćeg ukusa.