Sarmale (Romanian Cabbage Rolls)

Name: Sarmale (Romanian Cabbage Rolls)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 25 Romanian sarmale
Ingredients: 500 g ground pork or a mix of pork and beef; 50 g rice; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; 2 heads of pickled cabbage; 250 ml tomato puree; fresh thyme sprigs; 2-3 dried bay leaves; a few whole peppercorns; a few pieces of smoked pork hock; sour cream; fresh thyme

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4.9

141 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
50 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 50 mins
Servings
25 Romanian sarmale
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Romanian

Sarmale (Romanian Cabbage Rolls)

Iris Warren

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Perfect for any time of day, this recipe delivers great flavor effortlessly.

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Ingredients

Servings

500 g ground pork or a mix of pork and beef
50 g rice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 heads of pickled cabbage select the best leaves for rolling
250 ml tomato puree
fresh thyme sprigs
2-3 dried bay leaves
a few whole peppercorns
a few pieces of smoked pork hock or smoked bacon

For serving:

sour cream
fresh thyme

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Instructions

In a bowl, mix the ground meat with rice and spices.
Carefully separate the cabbage leaves, setting aside the whole ones suitable for rolling.
Chop the broken or unusable cabbage leaves and set them aside to layer at the bottom of the pot and over the stuffed rolls.
In a cast-iron pot, layer 125 ml (1/2 cup) of tomato puree, bay leaves, fresh thyme sprigs, and some chopped cabbage at the bottom.
Place a spoonful of the meat mixture in the center of a cabbage leaf, fold two opposite sides, then roll it tightly. Repeat until you have used all the filling (makes around 25-30 rolls, depending on their size).
Arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls in the pot, layering them in a circular pattern on two levels, leaving space in the center for the smoked pork hock.
Cut the smoked pork hock into pieces and place them in the middle of the rolls.
Top with chopped cabbage, pour over the remaining tomato puree, sprinkle in the peppercorns and a few fresh thyme leaves, then add enough water to fully submerge the rolls.
Cover the pot with a lid and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/390°F for 2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure the liquid doesn’t evaporate completely—though usually, no extra water is needed.
Serve the hot stuffed cabbage rolls with sour cream and fresh thyme leaves. They are absolutely delicious!