This Stuffed Cabbage Rolls recipe, also known as Lahana Sarmasi, is a Turkish classic made by wrapping tender cabbage leaves around a spiced beef and bulgur filling. The rolls simmer low and slow until the cabbage turns soft and the filling cooks through.
It's a dish Turkish families make for entertaining, but simple enough for a weeknight too. Serve them warm with a squeeze of lemon.
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If you like Dolmas - Stuffed Grape Leaves, Stuffed Onions, and Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef, you'll love this one too.
To make this easy stuffed cabbage recipe, all you need is a handful of ingredients that you might already have in hand.
If you'd rather see it in action, the video below walks through rolling and cooking the cabbage rolls step by step.
What is cabbage rolls - Lahana Sarma?
Lahana Sarmasi-Dolmasi is a very popular winter dish in Turkey and also can be made vegan-friendly using the same filling as Yaprak Sarma - Stuffed Grape Leaves.
There are many variations of stuffing you can use for the cabbage rolls. This simple version is made with ground meat, bulgur, and warm spices. Cabbage is one of the most popular vegetables to stuff.
Hence Lahana Sarma is very common in many Eastern European countries such as Poland, Serbia, and Bulgaria, and also in Lebanon (Malfouf), and Greece (Lahanodolmathes).
The History of Sarma and Dolma
Sarma and dolma are related but not identical. Dolma comes from the Turkish dolmak, meaning "to be stuffed," and refers to hollowed vegetables like peppers or zucchini packed with filling. Sarma comes from sarmak, "to wrap," and specifically means leaves wrapped around a filling, which is exactly what this dish is. In everyday conversation, though, most Turkish cooks use dolma and sarma interchangeably, so you'll hear this same dish called Lahana Dolmasi just as often as Lahana Sarmasi.
Stuffed and wrapped dishes have a long, disputed history. Ottoman palace kitchens documented stuffed vegetables as early as the 15th century, and by the 16th century the repertoire had expanded well beyond a handful of dishes.
Food historians don't agree on a single point of origin, some trace the technique back further still, to stuffed leaves recorded in Ancient Greek texts from the 5th century BCE. What's clear is that cabbage became a winter staple across the Ottoman Empire and the Balkans, and the habit of wrapping it around rice or meat spread along with it.
Sarma and dolma hold a real place in Muslim households during Ramadan, often served as part of the iftar meal that breaks the daily fast, and again during Eid al-Fitr celebrations. Jewish communities in Eastern Europe developed a parallel tradition of their own, stuffed cabbage rolls known as holishkes, a sign that wrapping cabbage around a filling was an idea that took hold independently in more than one kitchen.
Why This Recipe Works?
- The filling uses bulgur which gives the rolls more texture and a nuttier flavor than a plain rice filling.
- You need just a few basic ingredients to make this dish, and most of them are pantry staples.
- Every step is shown with photos, so you can check your rolling technique against the pictures as you go.
- Cabbage, rice, and bulgur make this a genuinely filling meal on its own, no side dishes required, though a bowl of yogurt never hurts.
- The rolls actually taste better the next day, so this is one of those dishes that's better made ahead of time.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Cabbage - White cabbage or cannonball cabbage works better for this recipe but you can also use green cabbage or sweetheart. Make sure they are big, the leaves are not packed too tightly, and give you a lot of big wide leaves perfect for stuffing.
- Ground meat - I typically use ground beef or lamb with a minimum of 30% fat content but you can use lean minced beef and add in olive oil to make it lighter and healthier. Alternatively, you can use finely chopped lamb or beef meat.
- Bulgur - It is widely used in Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines. Use coarse or medium-coarse bulgur for the best results. You can replace it with rice for a gluten-free version.
- Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops.
- Red pepper paste - Turkish red pepper paste is a rich, delicious paste made with juicy, spicy red peppers and I use it quite often with my Turkish recipes. You can make your own with my homemade Red Pepper Paste (Biber Salçası) recipe, or use a good store-bought version.
How to make turkish stuffed cabbage rolls
Prepare the Cabbage Leaves
Remove the first outer layer of cabbage leaves as they are mostly tough and with dirt. Cut the core out using a sharp knife, going as deep as you can.
Place the cabbage in a large pot of boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly softened and loosen the leaves until pliable. Avoid overcooking the leaves as it will be difficult to roll them.
Save the hard stalk or the hard middle part of the cabbage leaves as they are delicious in Beef Cabbage Stew - Kapuska. You can also use them to cover the bottom of your pan.
Alternatively, you can peel off the cabbage leaves and blanch them in batches for a few minutes until they are slightly softened and pliable.
Transfer the cabbage to a strainer and let them cool down until it is easy to handle. Separate the leaves and proceed to prepare the filling.
Prepare the Filling
Place the ground meat, diced onions, bulgur, tomato and pepper paste, salt, flaked chili, freshly ground pepper, chopped herbs, dried mint, olive oil, and ½ cup of tap water in a large bowl.
Mix them well using a spoon or your hands.
Roll the Cabbage Leaves
Cut the cabbage leaves into reasonable sizes that you can roll (check the pictures below as a guide). Prepare a Dutch oven or a heavy-based pan by covering the bottom with the tough cabbage stems or any discarded leaves to avoid the dolmas burning or sticking.
Alternatively, you can use sliced tomatoes or lamb chops to add extra flavor to your dish.
Take a piece of cabbage and place it on a flat surface or a cutting board, coarse side up. Add about one tablespoon of the meat and bulgur stuffing to the end of the leaf closest to you.
Roll up the cabbage leaf to completely cover the stuffing.
Fold in the sides as you roll.
Gently squeeze the rolled cabbage leaves to secure them. Don’t roll them too tight, as the bulgur needs space to expand while cooking.
Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves. As you roll the stuffed cabbage, add them to your prepared Dutch oven or heavy-based pan to form layers of cabbage rolls.
Prepare the Sauce and Cook the Dolmas
In a saucepan, combine olive oil, tomato paste, and salt, add in the hot water and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat. Pour the sauce over the stuffed cabbage leaves. Put the lid on, place the pan over medium heat, and bring it to a boil.
Lower the heat and gently simmer for about 45 minutes until most of the sauce has been absorbed completely and the bulgur filling is cooked through. Also, make sure the leaves are super tender and yellowish.
Check from time to time if there is any water left and if cabbage leaves need to cook more, add more hot water little by little each time if necessary. Allow the stuffed cabbage leaves to rest for half an hour in the Dutch Oven to absorb any remaining liquid before serving the dish.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- If you have any leftover filling after finishing the cabbage leaves, you can use it for stuffing other vegetables. Alternatively, you can cook it in a pan with any trimmings or hard bits left from the cabbage leaves, very similar to Kapuska dish.
- Don't stuff the leaves with too much filling as the rice will expand while cooking.
- You can freeze the cabbage leaves instead of boiling them to soften them up. Simply wrap the whole cabbage in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for a few days. The leaves will soften naturally after they are thawed.
- Trim the thick center vein from each leaf before filling it. It's the main reason leaves tear while rolling.
- Shock the blanched leaves in cold water right after boiling. It stops the cooking and keeps the leaves from turning a dull yellow.
- Let the cooked rolls rest for about 30 to 45 minutes off the heat before serving. They firm up and hold together much better once they've had time to settle.
Regional Turkish Variations
This recipe is the classic white-cabbage version made across Turkey, but a few regional versions are distinctive enough to have earned official geographic-indication protection in the last few years.
Rize Etli Karalahana Sarması, registered in 2024, is made only with karalahana, a dark, kale-like "black cabbage" grown in Rize's cool mountain climate, not white cabbage. The rolls are tiny, about 5 to 9 cm long and rolled into thin cylinders, and are traditionally made as a communal activity, a Black Sea custom known as imece.
Ordu Zeytinyağlı Karalahana Sarması, registered in 2023, is a meatless, olive-oil version of the same black cabbage roll, served cold rather than hot. Malatya Pöçüklü Lahana Sarması and Sivrihisar Kelem Dolması, both registered in 2022, are two more regional versions, each with its own specific filling and rolling style tied to its home province.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the cabbage rolls warm, with a squeeze of lemon and a spoonful of the cooking juices over the top. They pair well with a cooling yogurt side like Cacik, or a bright salad such as Gavurdagi Salatasi (Turkish Tomato Walnut Salad) or Greek Cucumber Salad. Crusty Greek Bread - Horiatiko Psomi is great for mopping up the extra sauce.
Storage
Store leftover cabbage rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make Ahead
Stuffed cabbage rolls are a great make-ahead dish. Prepare and cook them up to 2 days in advance, then store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The flavors deepen overnight, so they often taste even better the next day. Reheat gently on low heat with a splash of water until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute the bulgur with an equal amount of short-grain rice. Rinse the rice well before mixing it into the filling, since raw rice needs a bit more moisture and cooking time than bulgur to soften properly.
This usually happens when the cabbage leaves are underblanched and still too stiff to roll tightly, or when the rolls aren't packed snugly enough in the pot. Make sure the leaves are pliable before filling, roll them firmly, and arrange the rolls seam-side down and tightly packed so they hold their shape while simmering.
Yes, swap the ground beef for a mix of extra bulgur, chopped mushrooms, or a plant-based ground meat substitute. Keep the same herbs, spices, and pepper paste for flavor, and reduce the simmering time slightly since the filling won't need as long to cook through.
Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pot that fits the rolls snugly in one or two layers. A pot that's too large lets the rolls shift around and unravel while cooking, while a properly sized pot keeps them tightly packed and helps them hold together.
Related Recipes
For more delicious Turkish recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making these delicious Lahana Sarmasi - Turkish Cabbage Rolls as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂
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Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head very large cabbage
- 14 oz ground lamb, beef or a mixture (400 grams)
- 1 cup bulgur (200 grams)
- 2 medium finely diced onions
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon pepper paste
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon flaked chilli
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- ½ cup tap water
For the Cooking Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water (500 ml)
Instructions
Prepare the Cabbage Leaves
- Remove the first outer layer of cabbage leaves as they are mostly tough and with dirt. Cut the core out using a sharp knife, going as deep as you can.
- Place the cabbage in a large pot of boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly soften and loosen the leaves until pliable. Avoid overcooking the leaves as it will be difficult to roll them. Save the hard stalk or the hard middle part of the cabbage leaves as they are delicious in Kapuska (Turkish Cabbage Stew).
- Alternatively, you can peel off the cabbage leaves and blanch them in batches for a few minutes until they are slightly softened and pliable.
- Transfer the cabbage to a strainer and let them cool down until it is easy to handle.
- Separate the leaves and proceed to prepare the filling.
Prepare the Filling
- Place the ground meat, diced onions, bulgur, tomato and pepper paste, salt, flaked chili, freshly ground pepper, chopped herbs, dried mint, olive oil, and ½ cup of tap water in a large bowl.
- Mix them well using a spoon or your hands.
Roll the Cabbage Leaves
- Cut the cabbage leaves into reasonable sizes that you can roll (check the pictures above as a guide).
- Prepare a Dutch oven or a heavy-based pan by covering the bottom with the tough cabbage stems or any discarded leaves to avoid the dolmas burning or sticking. Alternatively, you can use sliced tomatoes or lamb chops.
- Take a piece of cabbage and place it on a flat surface or a cutting board, coarse side up.
- Add about one tablespoon of the meat and bulgur stuffing to the end of the leaf closest to you.
- Roll up the cabbage leaf to completely cover the stuffing. Fold in the sides as you roll.
- Gently squeeze the rolled cabbage leaves to secure them. Don’t roll them too tight, as the bulgur needs space to expand while cooking.
- Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves.
- As you roll the stuffed cabbage, add them to your prepared Dutch oven or heavy-based pan to form layers of cabbage rolls.
Prepare the Sauce and Cook the Dolmas
- In a saucepan, combine olive oil, tomato paste, and salt, add in the hot water and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the sauce over the stuffed cabbage leaves.
- Put the lid on, place the pan over medium heat, and bring it to a boil.
- Lower the heat and gently simmer for about 45 minutes until most of the sauce has been absorbed completely and the bulgur filling is cooked through. Also, make sure the leaves are super tender and yellowish in color.
- Check from time to time if there is any water left and if cabbage leaves need to cook more, add more hot water little by little each time if necessary.
- Allow the stuffed cabbage leaves to rest for half an hour in the Dutch Oven to absorb any remaining liquid before serving the dish.
Video
Notes
- If you have leftover filling after finishing the cabbage leaves, use it to stuff other vegetables, or cook it in a pan with the cabbage trimmings, similar to Kapuska.
- Don't overstuff the leaves, the rice expands as it cooks.
- Trim the thick center vein from each leaf before filling it, it's the main reason leaves tear while rolling.
- Shock the blanched leaves in cold water right after boiling to stop the cooking and keep them from turning a dull yellow.
- You can freeze raw cabbage leaves instead of boiling them: wrap the whole cabbage in plastic wrap and freeze for a few days, then thaw, the leaves soften naturally.
- Let the cooked rolls rest for 30 to 45 minutes before serving so they firm up and hold together.
- For a vegan version, use the same rice-based filling as Yaprak Sarma (Stuffed Grape Leaves) instead of the meat and bulgur filling.
- To store: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: freeze the cooked rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Make ahead: cook the rolls up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate, the flavors deepen overnight, then reheat gently on low heat with a splash of water.
- Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon alongside a cooling yogurt side or a bright salad.
Amina says
I used sweetheart cabbage and it turned out perfect. They tasted amazing. I wish there was a quicker way to do them but worth the effort.