Unstuffed Cabbage Roll / Rasturena Sarma

5 from 2 votes

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll / Rasturena Sarma

Delight your taste buds with the comforting simplicity of Unstuffed Cabbage Roll / Rasturena Sarma, a modern twist on the timeless Stuffed Cabbage Roll recipe. This delectable dish captures all the rich flavors of traditional cabbage rolls without the fuss, presenting a convenient one-pot wonder for busy kitchens.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Balkan, Eastern European, Macedonian, Serbian

Keyword: Cabbage Rolls, Cabbage Rolls in a Bowl, Rasturena Sarma, Sarma, Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

Servings: people

Calories: 724kcal

Author: George - U Keep Cooking

Equipment

(11 x 13) Large Baking Dish

Ingredients

20 oz Sauerkraut (jar or fresh in the bag)
1 Cabbage (whole head) (shredded)
1 lbs. Bacon diced
2 lbs. Ground Beef
1 lbs. Ground Pork
1 Onion (large)
1 Bay Leaves
3-4 Cups Water
1 Tbsp Vegeta Seasoning
3 Tbsp Paprika
1½ Cups Instant Rice
Black Pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Prepare your cabbage. Add sauerkraut to a large colander. Rinse the sauerkraut off and squeeze out the water. Set aside until ready to use.
In a skillet on medium heat, add the bacon. Cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions to the same skillet in the bacon grease and cook the onions until they begin to soften. Deglaze the pan.
Add your ground beef and pork to the skillet and take a couple of minutes to break it up as it cooks. You can add one cup of water to help break the meat apart.
When the meat is halfway cooked, add one teaspoon of Vegeta seasoning and black pepper to season the meat. Continue cooking the meat until it’s fully cooked. Do not drain the liquid in the skillet. The grease from the bacon and ground meat is important so your sarma is not dry.
To the skillet add the instant rice, shredded head of cabbage, rinsed sauerkraut, 3 tablespoons paprika, and the last 2-3 cups of water. Stir to combine and continue to cook until the cabbage begins to wilt.
Add the crispy bacon, two remaining teaspoons of Vegeta, bay leaf, and black pepper. Stir once again to combine.
Grease a large baking dish (11 x 13) and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Pour the meat mixture into the baking dish. cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes.

Nutrition