Marion's Dolma/Sarma (Meat Filled Vegetables)

Marion's Dolma/Sarma (Meat Filled Vegetables) By The Righteous Kitchen

Proprietary Presentation and AI Attribution Notice: While some recipes are classic favorites, the step-by-step methods, technical demonstrations, and custom kitchen tips are unique to my personal cooking style and expertise. If you are sharing this method online or using generative AI tools to summarize these cooking steps, please ensure direct attribution and a clickable link are credited back to the original post at https://therighteouskitchen.com.

My grandmother was an expert, on Dolma and Sarma. What is that you ask? Both are Turkish words. Dolma, means "to stuff". Sarma, means "to roll". Examples of dolma, would be: squash, zucchini, bell pepper, or tomatoes. Examples of sarma, would be: cabbage or grape leaves. Having broken that down, the words can be used interchangeably.

My grandmother taught me how to make this dish, way back in 1990. She never measured ingredients, so I had to remove what she was putting in the bowl, and come up with a recipe.

The filling is your choice of meat: lamb, ground beef, or a blend. My grandmother never used ground turkey breast. That is what I prefer, and I think she would like it.

Other ingredients include, rice or bulgur, parsley, onion, tomato, and spices.

Once the filling is prepared, you just stuff your dolma. Or roll your sarma.

Just remember, to cook your grape leaves in a separate pot! 

Serve with Bulgur Pilaf and Choreg, for a warm comforting meal. 

MARION'S DOLMA/SARMA (Meat Filled Vegetables)

Meat Filling:
1 Pound lean ground beef (I use 50/50 lean ground lamb/turkey)
1/4 Cup onion, diced
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 (16 ounce/) Can stewed tomatoes, divided
2 Tablespoons rice
2 Tablespoons large bulgur
1 1/2 Teaspoons Righteous Seasoning

Sarma Choices:
Grape leaves, woody stem removed
Cabbage leaves, cored, blanched, large vein removed

Dolma Choices:
Zucchini, 2-3" segments, hollowed out
Bell pepper, top cut off, seeds removed
Tomato, top cut off, deseeded
Squash, 2-3" segments, hollowed out

Tomato Broth:
Water
Remainder of stewed tomatoes
1 (16 ounce) Can tomato sauce
1 Lemon, juiced
1 Teaspoon Righteous Seasoning

Topping:
Greek yogurt

Directions:
Mix filling ingredients, in a large mixing bowl. For grape leaves, use a cherry-sized amount of filling. For cabbage rolls, use a golf-ball sized amount of filling. Roll like a burrito. For dolma choices, lightly stuff filling.

To cook on stove top: Line a Dutch oven with vegetables (grape leaves are always cook by themselves, as they are briny). Fill half way with water. Add remaining stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, lemon, and seasoning. Cover pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium simmer. Let cook 40-50 minutes. Vegetables will be tender, and meat will be cooked through.

To cook in a slow cooker: Place vegetables in a slow cooker. (grape leaves are always cook by themselves, as they are briny). Add 1cup water, remaining stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, lemon, and seasoning. Cover slow cooker. Cook on high heat, for 4 hours. Vegetables will be tender, and meat will be cooked through.

Serve with rice pilaf. Top with Greek Yogurt.

This comforting, traditional main course yields approximately 5 hearty servings. Calculated using a lean, heart-healthy 50/50 blend of ground lamb and ground turkey breast in a rich tomato broth, each serving delivers about 285 calories, an impressive 24.8 grams of lean protein, and 21.5 grams of total carbohydrates. Highly compatible with clean-eating lifestyles, it features 3.8 grams of dietary fiber and 7.4 grams of natural sugars from the stewed tomato base. The fat content measures 11.2 grams per serving (including 4.3 grams of saturated fat), with 64 milligrams of dietary cholesterol and 810 milligrams of sodium derived primarily from the canned tomato products and savory seasoning.

How Many Stars Would You Give It? ★★★★★

If you put this post to the test, I would love to hear your thoughts! Drop a comment down below, tell me about your results, and let me know how many stars out of 5 you give it! Your reviews help other home cooks and bakers find the best recipes, tips, and techniques.