If you have two good pickled cabbages and a piece of pork belly, it's worth making a round of classic sarmale. I always prepare them in a ceramic pot and have never had issues with the leaves or the filling, as long as I have salted cabbage and smoked bacon on hand. It's the basic recipe, without complications, with common ingredients. The preparation time is medium, but once baked, you don't need to touch them.
Quick Info
Total time: approximately 3 and a half hours
Preparation: 40-50 minutes (depending on speed)
Baking: 2-3 hours in the oven
Servings: 8-10, depending on how big you roll the sarmale
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: traditional Romanian dish, suitable for large gatherings or family
Ingredients
1 kg pork (belly)
2 medium-sized pickled cabbages
200 g rice
3 onions
salt, pepper (to taste)
10 g smoked paprika
150 g tomato paste
2-3 bay leaves
oil
200 g smoked bacon or kaizer
1 bell pepper
sour cream and green onions for garnish (optional)
Preparation method
1. Cut the pickled cabbages in half and gently detach the leaves without tearing them too much. Remove the cores. Place the leaves in a bowl of cold water to desalt. Let them soak while you prepare the rest.
2. Chop the onion finely. Cut the meat into pieces, then grind it in a meat grinder. Mix the chopped onion with the meat and a little salt.
3. In a large pot, heat some oil and sauté the meat and onion mixture. Stir periodically, just until the meat changes color.
4. Wash the rice well in several waters, then boil it with enough water to cover it. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, then drain it very well. Do not cook it completely, just parboil it.
5. Mix the drained rice with the sautéed meat. Add a pinch of pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme (if you like). Let the mixture cool slightly.
6. Cut 4-5 cabbage leaves into thin strips and place them at the bottom of the ceramic pot as a base layer.
7. Take each cabbage leaf and cut the thick veins if necessary. Place a spoonful of the meat mixture on each leaf, roll it up, and tuck the ends in. Do not squeeze too tightly.
8. As you roll them, arrange the sarmale in the pot in a circular pattern, leaving a little space between them. Place strips of smoked bacon or kaizer among the sarmale.
9. When you finish the first layer, sprinkle some thyme on top and add the remaining bacon. Continue with another layer of sarmale until the pot is full.
10. On top, place another 4-5 thinly sliced cabbage leaves. Dilute the tomato paste with water or broth (about 500-700 ml of liquid in total) and pour it over the sarmale. Add the bay leaves as well.
11. Put the lid on and place the pot in the oven at medium temperature. Let it bake for 2-3 hours without stirring. The sarmale are ready when the liquid has reduced and the cabbage on top starts to brown.
12. Serve them hot, with polenta and hot peppers if you have them. You can add sour cream and green onions at the end, to taste.
Why I make this recipe often
These sarmale keep well and are great reheated on the second or even third day; their flavor is rich and they are easy to prepare if you have the time. For family meals or when you need to feed more people, it’s the recipe I always return to. I use the same base, sometimes with leaner meat, other times just with what I have in the freezer.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don’t skip the desalting of the cabbage leaves. If the cabbage is too salty, the sarmale will turn out too tough.
- The rice should not be fully cooked. Just parboil it so it absorbs liquid during cooking.
- If you don’t have a ceramic pot, a cast iron or enamel pot will work too. It should have thick walls.
Substitutions
- The smoked bacon can be replaced with regular bacon or even lean smoked pork.
- If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular sweet paprika.
Variations
- You can add some finely chopped bell pepper to the filling for extra color and flavor.
- For a more pronounced taste, whole peppercorns can be placed among the sarmale.
Serving ideas
- Sarmale are great hot with polenta and hot peppers, but also with sour cream and green onions on top.
- Leftovers are also good cold, sliced with a bit of fresh bread.
Frequently asked questions
1. If I don’t have pickled cabbage, can I use sweet cabbage?
Pickled cabbage gives the classic flavor, but if you don’t have it, you can use parboiled sweet cabbage seasoned with salt and vinegar. However, it won’t turn out the same.
2. What do I do if the sarmale are too salty at the end?
If they are too salty, you can try boiling them for the last 20 minutes with a little unseasoned water and discard the excess liquid. The result will still be salty.
3. Can I freeze cooked sarmale?
Yes, sarmale can be frozen after they have completely cooled. They hold up well during thawing, especially if you heat them in the oven.
4. Can they be made with only chicken or beef?
Yes, but the texture and flavor will be different. Pork and smoked meat are essential for the classic recipe.
5. Is tomato paste necessary?
It helps with color and flavor, but it is not mandatory. You can make them without it if you don’t have any.
Nutritional values
Approximate values for one serving (about 200 g):
- Calories: 320-350 kcal
- Protein: 18-20 g
- Fat: 22-25 g
- Carbohydrates: 13-17 g
Pork and smoked meat increase the fat content, while rice and cabbage provide carbohydrates. The estimate is general; values may vary depending on the type of meat and the amount of smoked meat used.
Storage and reheating
Sarmale can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a covered container. They can be reheated either on the stove over low heat with a little water or in the oven, covered, so they don’t dry out. If you want to keep them longer, they can be frozen and will last a month without problems. For thawing, it is recommended to heat them slowly in the oven or on the stove.
Quick Info
Total time: approximately 3 and a half hours
Preparation: 40-50 minutes (depending on speed)
Baking: 2-3 hours in the oven
Servings: 8-10, depending on how big you roll the sarmale
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: traditional Romanian dish, suitable for large gatherings or family
Ingredients
1 kg pork (belly)
2 medium-sized pickled cabbages
200 g rice
3 onions
salt, pepper (to taste)
10 g smoked paprika
150 g tomato paste
2-3 bay leaves
oil
200 g smoked bacon or kaizer
1 bell pepper
sour cream and green onions for garnish (optional)
Preparation method
1. Cut the pickled cabbages in half and gently detach the leaves without tearing them too much. Remove the cores. Place the leaves in a bowl of cold water to desalt. Let them soak while you prepare the rest.
2. Chop the onion finely. Cut the meat into pieces, then grind it in a meat grinder. Mix the chopped onion with the meat and a little salt.
3. In a large pot, heat some oil and sauté the meat and onion mixture. Stir periodically, just until the meat changes color.
4. Wash the rice well in several waters, then boil it with enough water to cover it. Let it cook for about 15 minutes, then drain it very well. Do not cook it completely, just parboil it.
5. Mix the drained rice with the sautéed meat. Add a pinch of pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme (if you like). Let the mixture cool slightly.
6. Cut 4-5 cabbage leaves into thin strips and place them at the bottom of the ceramic pot as a base layer.
7. Take each cabbage leaf and cut the thick veins if necessary. Place a spoonful of the meat mixture on each leaf, roll it up, and tuck the ends in. Do not squeeze too tightly.
8. As you roll them, arrange the sarmale in the pot in a circular pattern, leaving a little space between them. Place strips of smoked bacon or kaizer among the sarmale.
9. When you finish the first layer, sprinkle some thyme on top and add the remaining bacon. Continue with another layer of sarmale until the pot is full.
10. On top, place another 4-5 thinly sliced cabbage leaves. Dilute the tomato paste with water or broth (about 500-700 ml of liquid in total) and pour it over the sarmale. Add the bay leaves as well.
11. Put the lid on and place the pot in the oven at medium temperature. Let it bake for 2-3 hours without stirring. The sarmale are ready when the liquid has reduced and the cabbage on top starts to brown.
12. Serve them hot, with polenta and hot peppers if you have them. You can add sour cream and green onions at the end, to taste.
Why I make this recipe often
These sarmale keep well and are great reheated on the second or even third day; their flavor is rich and they are easy to prepare if you have the time. For family meals or when you need to feed more people, it’s the recipe I always return to. I use the same base, sometimes with leaner meat, other times just with what I have in the freezer.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Don’t skip the desalting of the cabbage leaves. If the cabbage is too salty, the sarmale will turn out too tough.
- The rice should not be fully cooked. Just parboil it so it absorbs liquid during cooking.
- If you don’t have a ceramic pot, a cast iron or enamel pot will work too. It should have thick walls.
Substitutions
- The smoked bacon can be replaced with regular bacon or even lean smoked pork.
- If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular sweet paprika.
Variations
- You can add some finely chopped bell pepper to the filling for extra color and flavor.
- For a more pronounced taste, whole peppercorns can be placed among the sarmale.
Serving ideas
- Sarmale are great hot with polenta and hot peppers, but also with sour cream and green onions on top.
- Leftovers are also good cold, sliced with a bit of fresh bread.
Frequently asked questions
1. If I don’t have pickled cabbage, can I use sweet cabbage?
Pickled cabbage gives the classic flavor, but if you don’t have it, you can use parboiled sweet cabbage seasoned with salt and vinegar. However, it won’t turn out the same.
2. What do I do if the sarmale are too salty at the end?
If they are too salty, you can try boiling them for the last 20 minutes with a little unseasoned water and discard the excess liquid. The result will still be salty.
3. Can I freeze cooked sarmale?
Yes, sarmale can be frozen after they have completely cooled. They hold up well during thawing, especially if you heat them in the oven.
4. Can they be made with only chicken or beef?
Yes, but the texture and flavor will be different. Pork and smoked meat are essential for the classic recipe.
5. Is tomato paste necessary?
It helps with color and flavor, but it is not mandatory. You can make them without it if you don’t have any.
Nutritional values
Approximate values for one serving (about 200 g):
- Calories: 320-350 kcal
- Protein: 18-20 g
- Fat: 22-25 g
- Carbohydrates: 13-17 g
Pork and smoked meat increase the fat content, while rice and cabbage provide carbohydrates. The estimate is general; values may vary depending on the type of meat and the amount of smoked meat used.
Storage and reheating
Sarmale can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a covered container. They can be reheated either on the stove over low heat with a little water or in the oven, covered, so they don’t dry out. If you want to keep them longer, they can be frozen and will last a month without problems. For thawing, it is recommended to heat them slowly in the oven or on the stove.