Turkish stuffed cabbage rolls — tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a spiced lamb and rice filling, braised in tomato sauce until meltingly soft.
Lahana sarması are Turkey's warm, hearty stuffed cabbage rolls — the meat-filled, hot-served answer to the cold zeytinyağlı yaprak sarması. Blanched cabbage leaves are filled with a mixture of ground lamb and rice seasoned with allspice, cinnamon, mint, and onion, then rolled into tight cylinders and packed into a pot with tomato sauce. The rolls braise slowly in their own juices and the tomato until the cabbage is completely tender and the filling fully cooked and fragrant. Lahana sarması is the ultimate Turkish cold-weather comfort food, served hot with thick yogurt stirred with garlic and a drizzle of paprika butter.
Serves 4
Core the cabbage. Blanch whole in boiling salted water 5–8 minutes, carefully peeling off leaves as they soften. You need about 20 large leaves.
Mix lamb, rice, grated onion, tomato purée, allspice, cinnamon, mint, salt, and pepper. Do not cook — the raw filling cooks inside the rolls.
Trim the thick rib from each leaf. Place 1 tbsp filling at the base of each leaf. Roll firmly, tucking in the sides.
Tight rolling keeps the sarma from unravelling and helps the filling cook evenly inside.
Line a heavy pot with torn cabbage leaves. Pack sarma tightly, seam-side down. Pour crushed tomatoes and 200 ml water over. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 55–60 minutes on low heat until filling is cooked through.
Arrange on a platter. Melt butter with paprika and drizzle over. Serve with garlic yogurt alongside.
Blanching the cabbage just enough to be pliable but not falling apart is the key skill.
The sarma must be packed tightly in the pot — loose packing causes them to fall apart.
The final butter-paprika drizzle is not optional — it transforms the dish.
Use sour cabbage (pickled) for a tangy winter version common in eastern Turkey.
Mix beef and lamb for a milder filling.
Add a layer of sliced potatoes at the bottom of the pot — they absorb the juices and become incredibly flavourful.
Excellent refrigerated for 3 days. The flavour deepens overnight. Reheat gently covered.
Stuffed cabbage rolls appear across the former Ottoman Empire from the Balkans to the Middle East, each region with its own filling and sauce. The Turkish lahana sarması is distinguished by its warm, meat-rich filling served hot with yogurt — reflecting the influence of Central Asian cooking traditions on Turkish cuisine.
Savoy cabbage has more tender leaves and works very well. Pointed (hispi) cabbage leaves can be too small. White cabbage is traditional for its sturdiness.
After 55–60 minutes at a gentle simmer, the rice should be cooked and expanded inside the rolls. Cut one open to check — the rice should be tender and the meat cooked.
Per serving · 4 servings total
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