Name: Sarma (Belgrade style)
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Serbia
Ingredients: 1 head soured cabbage (kiseli kupus), about 12 large leaves; 500g minced pork; 300g minced beef; 150g long-grain rice, rinsed; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 200g smoked bacon, diced; 2 tablespoons sweet paprika; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; Salt and black pepper; 1 litre chicken or beef stock; 2 bay leaves

Sarma is the Serbian stuffed cabbage roll: minced pork, beef and rice rolled in a soured cabbage leaf, slow-cooked in tomato and paprika stock until the meat melts.

Sarma reached Belgrade through Ottoman rule (the Turkish sarma means rolled), then took the Serbian form: soured (kiseli kupus) rather than fresh cabbage leaves, minced pork and beef rather than lamb, slow-cooked through Christmas Eve for the Serbian Slava feast. Every Belgrade kafana has its house version.

4 editor picks for Sarma in Belgrade, ranked by editorial score. All Belgrade signature dishes · Sarma across every city.

Also in: Sarajevo.

Tri Sesira ★ 4.6

Cocktail bar

stari-grad · Skadarska 29, 11000 Belgrade

Tri Sesira (Three Hats) opened on Skadarska in 1864 in a building whose previous workshop had three pleated hats for trademark. Skadarlija anchor.

Sesir Moj ★ 4.3

Cocktail bar

stari-grad · Skadarska 21, 11000 Belgrade

Sesir Moj (My Hat) sits in the middle of Skadarska in Belgrade. Live tamburica on weekday evenings and weekend afternoons, classic Serbian menu.

Stara Hercegovina ★ 4.3

Bosnian

stari-grad · Carigradska 36, 11000 Belgrade

Stara Hercegovina has hosted Belgrade artists and politicians from a Carigradska room. Herceg lamb, halls named for Herzegovinian regions, garden.

Ima Dana ★ 4.2

Cocktail bar

stari-grad · Skadarska 38, 11000 Belgrade

Ima Dana opened on Skadarska in 1969 during the Skadarlija renovation by Bogunovic, Kapor and Dzumhura. Painted interior, tamburica evenings nightly.

Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide

Sarma makes more sense with someone from Belgrade explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.

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