This easy Macedonian recipe for cabbage rolls, also known as Sarmi, is hearty, flavorful, and wonderfully tender. You’ll love every bite of the savory rice filling, richly seasoned with herbs and spices, all wrapped in soft cabbage leaves.

rice filled cabbage rolls arranged in a white braiser.

Homemade cabbage rolls are a special meal, one that really says, “I love you!”. No, I’m not exaggerating here – the time and effort that it takes to create these little bundles of goodness is a labor of love! But, like many cooking projects, it’s also fun and relatively easy. If you’re ready to try your hand at traditional homemade cabbage rolls, this recipe is for you!

This version skips the meat and goes light on tomatoes, avoiding heavy sauces in favor of just a touch of tomato paste and fresh chopped tomatoes to zest up the rice filling. A dash of garlic, paprika, lemon pepper, olive oil, and a mix of herbs infuses each roll with deep flavors. Plus, there’s a secret crunch hidden inside: a walnut! Trust me, you don’t want to leave out that nut.

What Country Is Sarma From?

It might be easier to ask what country sarma is not from! These stuffed cabbage rolls, like stuffed grape leaves, are traditional foods in the Balkans, Central Europe, the Middle East, and the South Caucasus. But it’s no surprise that this dish is beloved across cultures and countries. This recipe is a Macedonian version, with lots of paprika and not too much tomato. Authentic Macedonian sarma is prepared with fermented cabbage leaves, but it’s not a must.

up close shot of rice filled cabbage rolls arranged in a braiser.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

While meat-filled cabbage rolls typically use ground meat such as beef, pork, lamb, or veal, this version is filled with veggies, seasonings, and rice. It’s a comforting meal that’s guaranteed to fill you up.

For the Cabbage Leaves

Pickled (Fermented) Cabbage Leaves or a head of fresh Cabbage – separate the cabbage into its leaves, away from the core.
Water
Salt

For the Filling

Oil: Olive oil is my go-to for this recipe, but you could substitute another kind of oil as desired. Butter, ghee, and bacon grease would also work (keep in mind that animal fats would make this a meatless recipe rather than strictly vegan).
Onions: The onions should be finely diced.
Garlic: You want to use a generous amount of fresh garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press.
Parsley: Like paprika, parsley is a must-have ingredient in Macedonian cooking.
Tomatoes: Take two fresh tomatoes, and chop them finely.
Tomato Paste: A small amount of tomato paste adds depth to the cabbage roll filling.
Paprika: You’ll want sweet paprika here, not smoked or hot paprika.
Salt and Pepper
Dried Herbs: Oregano and thyme bring a pungent, herbal fragrance.
Lemon Pepper: Lemon pepper seasoning makes the rice filling irresistible!
Rice: Use your favorite long-grain white rice.
Walnuts: The final touch to the cabbage rolls is to include a halved walnut in each one.

For the Sauce

Oil: A little more oil for sauteing.
Garlic: Mince the garlic, or press it.
Paprika: Again, sweet paprika, rather than smoked or hot paprika.
Water: The water should be hot before adding it to the other ingredients.

How To Make Cabbage Rolls

Okay, now that we’ve covered the ingredients, let’s talk about the cooking process. Making any type of cabbage roll can take some time, so be sure to set aside enough time to cook the cabbage, make the filling and the rolls, and bake.

braiser with rice and tomato mixture cooking for a cabbage rolls filling.

cabbage leaf with rice and tomato mixture set in the middle of the leaf.

Prep. Preheat the oven to preheat to 350˚F. Next, get out a large baking dish (9×13) or a braiser, and grease it lightly. Set it aside. If using a head of fresh cabbage, heat a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, add the cabbage leaves, and cook them for about 4 minutes. Once they are pliable, drain them and set them aside. DO not cook for too long or they’ll just get mushy. This is why I LOVE using the pickled cabbage leaves – you don’t have to stress about cooking the leaves because they’re already pliable.
Make the Filling Mixture. Next, heat up a generous amount of oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes, and then stir in the garlic and the parsley. Cook for about 30 seconds, to release the fragrance, and then add the tomatoes and seasonings. Cook this mixture for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Finally, add the uncooked rice to the filling mixture, and cook for one more minute. Take the filling mixture off the heat.
Roll the Sarma. Now, take a look at your cabbage leaves. Use a small knife, like a paring knife, to cut off the raised part of the vein on each leaf. Removing this part will make it easier to roll the sarma. Hold one cabbage leaf flat in your palm, and place a heaping spoonful of filling to one side. Don’t overstuff because you won’t be able to roll it up properly. Add one walnut half to the filling, and then roll up the cabbage tightly, tucking in the sides, like a burrito. Lay each roll seam-side down in your baking dish or braiser.
Season the Rolls and Add the Sauce. Generously sprinkle the cabbage rolls with salt and pepper, and then set them aside while you make the sauce. To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan, and cook the garlic in it for about 15 seconds. Add the paprika, and then stir in the hot water. Bring this mixture to a boil, and then pour it right over your cabbage rolls.
Bake. Cover your baking dish with foil (or a lid, if it has an ovenproof lid). Bake the rolls for 45 minutes covered. Then uncover them, and bake for 15 more minutes. Once that time is up, check one of the rolls to see if the rice is soft and cooked through. If not, put the dish back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so.
Enjoy! Once the rice is soft, you can serve your cabbage rolls with your favorite sides.

overhead shot of a white braiser with cabbage rolls in sweet paprika broth

How To Soften Cabbage Leaves

There are different ways to do this – you can blanch the leaves only, as the recipe says, or you could…

Boil the Whole Head of Cabbage. Some recipes instruct you to boil the entire head of cabbage, pulling it out of a pot of boiling water every few minutes to peel off the outer leaves, and then sticking it back in to continue boiling. This method obviously can be a bit high-maintenance! However, it is very common.
Steam the Cabbage. This works much like the boiling method, but you place the cabbage in a steamer over boiling water, instead of in the boiling water. Peel away the outer leaves a few at a time, as they become soft.
Freeze the Cabbage. This method requires some planning ahead, but the idea is that a frozen and defrosted cabbage will be softened without needing to cook. Freeze your cabbage head a day or two in advance, and thaw it out before making your sarma.

Recipe Tips and Variations

Macedonian stuffed cabbage is a simple, festive dish, and it comes in lots of variations! These are my top tips and easy adjustments.

Seal with Cabbage Leaves. If you are using an ovenproof dish with a matching lid, it may not seal the cabbage rolls very well. To help keep in the steam and soften the rice, you can arrange whole cabbage leaves over the top of your sarma before adding the lid.
Add “Smoke.” Sarma recipes often include bacon, ham hock, or another smoky, meaty ingredient in the sauce. You can definitely do this, or just substitute smoked paprika for some of the sweet paprika, and use vegetable broth instead of water for depth.
Stir in meat. Brown some ground beef and stir in the rice, and continue with the recipe as is.
Use Sour Cabbage. Some recipes for cabbage rolls actually use fermented cabbage, like sauerkraut but with the whole leaves instead of shredded leaves. If you can find this ingredient, feel free to use it – if not, you can “sour” the cabbage yourself by boiling it in water with a cup or two of vinegar and half a cup of salt. You want to achieve a “pickled” flavor.
Add Extra Veggies. If you’d like more variety in your filling mixture, feel free to include some of your favorite sauteed veggies. Finely chopped eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, or bell pepper would all work well!

Serving Suggestions

I recommend serving a side dish or two with some textural contrast. Cabbage rolls are warm, soft, and full of rice, so anything crunchy or crispy is a good choice. A crisp, cool, creamy Radish and Cucumber Salad perfectly contrasts the warm sarma. You’ll love the tangy lemon dressing and creamy feta in my classic vegetarian Chickpea Salad. Also, it doesn’t get much better than cabbage and potatoes, and these Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes with Herb Butter are a great potato dish to go with cabbage.

overhead shot of a white braiser filled with cabbage rolls.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Place leftover cabbage rolls and sauce in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat, place the desired portion in an ovenproof dish and bake at 350˚F for about 15 minutes or until heated through. You can also microwave your cabbage rolls to reheat.

Cabbage Rolls (Sarma)

What Country Is Sarma From?