Sarma

ground meat

🥗Healthier: lean turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Lean turkey reduces fat content while ground pork is often less expensive.

smoked bacon

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: pancetta

Turkey bacon offers a lower fat option, while pancetta is a more affordable alternative.

sour cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: plain yogurt

Greek yogurt maintains creaminess with fewer calories, while plain yogurt is usually less expensive.

broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with seasoning

Vegetable broth is lower in calories, and seasoned water can be a budget-friendly substitute.

Cut up the bacon.

Fry the bacon along with some onion in a cooking pan.

Mince some garlic.

Combine ground meat, onion, bacon, and rice in a bowl.

Season with paprika, salt, and pepper.

Add stock and mix to combine.

Get the sauerkraut cabbage, slice some bacon to line the pot.

Remove the core from the cabbage, detach the leaves, and rinse them.

If using fresh cabbage, blanch the leaves for five minutes in hot water.

Cut off the thick stemmy middle part from the leaves.

Lay the leaf flat, spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling, fold in the sides, and roll tightly.

Repeat for all remaining leaves.

Heat a pan, layer with bacon or bacon skin, and lay remaining cabbage leaves at the bottom.

Arrange the cabbage rolls along with bacon inside the pot.

Add remaining cabbage leaves and bay leaves for aroma.

Mix seasoning paprika and stock, add to the pot, and cover with a heat-proof dish.

Cover with the lid and simmer on medium low for about two hours.

Once cooked, prepare and add in the roux to thicken the sauce.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens