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Macedonian Sarma

A Macedonian dish of pickled cabbage leaves stuffed with a mixture of rice, ground meat, onion, and spices, then baked.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 6 ingredients
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Why it works: Cabbage and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,081 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓

Macedonian Sarma

Ingredients

Directions

Make the filling

  1. Cut the onion into small pieces and fry it in oil.

  2. Add the ground meat, red pepper, pepper, salt, spices, and the rice.

Stuff and layer

  1. Use the mixture to stuff the pickled cabbage leaves.

  2. Line the pot with pickled cabbage leaves at the bottom.

  3. Place the steamed meat between the stuffed cabbage leaves.

Bake and finish

  1. Pour some hot water over the leaves, boil over low heat, then transfer to the oven to bake.

  2. By the end of baking, add some oil and fried red pepper.

  3. Cover the pieces with pickled cabbage leaves.

  4. Ensure the dish is dry, not very moist.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

438Calories
10 gProtein
15 gFat
69 gCarbs

Counts 7 of 9 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 7 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Rice1 cup cooked (158g) white206
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Broccoli1 cup chopped (156g)55
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Coffeenot in our table0
Meatnot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Cabbage + peppertop 5% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together4,081 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  2. Cabbage + oniontop 7% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together3,001 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  3. Rice + oniontop 9% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together10,433 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).

  4. Onion + peppertop 11% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together68,474 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  5. Rice + peppertop 12% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together8,379 recipes

    Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Ground meat
Provides protein that sets into a firm, sliceable filling as it cooks.
Rice
Absorbs juices from the meat and cabbage, softening and adding body to the filling.
Pickled cabbage leaves
Wrap the filling and add a sour, acidic bite that balances the rich meat.
Onion
Sweetens and builds a savory base when fried slowly in oil.
Oil
Adds fat that carries flavor and helps the surface brown.

The step that matters

Keep the dish dry, not very moist. Meat and rice release juices as they cook, and too much added water makes the filling soggy and dilutes its flavor. Controlling the liquid from the hot water keeps the filling firm and well seasoned.

Swap the cabbage

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (rice, coffee, onion, meat, pepper):

  1. Potatofits better
  2. Capsicumfits better
  3. Asparagusfits better
  4. Cabbagethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against rice, coffee, onion, meat, pepper. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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