Sarmades with Avgolemono Sauce (Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
A traditional Greek dish of stuffed cabbage rolls filled with pork, beef, and rice, served with a tangy and creamy Avgolemono (egg-lemon) sauce. Perfect for holidays like Christmas and New Year's or any family gathering.
Ingredients
- 1 kg 2.2 lbs pork hocks, cleaned and chopped into pieces you can alsp use pork chops instead of pork hocks
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Juice from 2 lemons
- 2 liters 8 cups water with 3 bouillon cubes or chicken broth
For the Cabbage Rolls
- 2 large heads of white cabbage
- 500 gr 1.1 lbs ground meat (mixture of pork and beef)
- 1 cup Carolina rice
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup dill finely chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
- 3 fresh scallions finely sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste optional
- 1 tsp sweet paprika optional
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Roux Avgolemono Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups reserved broth from cooking Sarmades
- 3 large eggs
- Juice from 2 lemons
Instructions
Prepare the Cabbage
- Remove the core of the cabbage and boil the whole head in salted water for 5–7 minutes to soften. Separate the leaves and set aside.
Prepare the Filling
- In a large bowl, mix ground meat, rice, onion, garlic, dill, parsley, scallions, olive oil, and seasonings.
Assemble the Rolls
- Place a heaping tablespoon of filling onto each cabbage leaf. Roll tightly, tucking in the edges, to create a neat roll.
Layer and Cook
- Line the pot with leftover cabbage leaves and arrange the rolls in layers, placing pork hock pieces between them. Add the water or broth to cover.
- Simmer over low heat for about 90 minutes, until the rolls are tender.
Prepare the Roux Avgolemono Sauce
- In a saucepan, melt butter (or heat olive oil). Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 2 cups of the reserved broth, letting the sauce thicken.
- Temper the egg-lemon mixture with a ladleful of hot sauce, then slowly whisk it back into the saucepan. Heat gently until the sauce thickens further.
Serve:
- Pour the Avgolemono sauce over the Sarmades before serving, or serve it on the side for individual portions.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with mushrooms or lentils.
- Sour (pickled) cabbage leaves add extra tangy flavor, ideal for those who love bold taste of the original way to prepare this dish.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
- Calories: 504
- Serving Size: 365 grams
- Protein: 26g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fat: 26g