Today we’re heading to sunny Bulgaria, where the cuisine is steeped in the aromas of herbs, fresh vegetables, and generous Balkan spirit. Two iconic dishes served on every Bulgarian festive table are waiting for you.
Tender stuffed rolls in grape leaves with a fragrant filling of minced meat, rice, and aromatic herbs — a jewel of Bulgarian cuisine. As they braise, each little parcel absorbs the tomato juices, taking on the pleasant tang of the grape leaf and a deep, meaty flavor.
Ingredients:
• Grape leaves (preserved) — 30-35 pieces
• Ground pork — 500 g
• Short-grain rice — 150 g
• Yellow onions — 2 medium
• Tomato paste — 2 tablespoons
• Dried mint (dzhodzhen) — 1 tablespoon
• Dried thyme — 1 teaspoon
• Sweet ground paprika — 1 teaspoon
• Ground black pepper — to taste
• Salt — to taste
• Sunflower oil — 3 tablespoons
• Hot water — 400 ml
• Plain natural yogurt (for serving) — 200 g
Preparation:
Step 1. Preparing the grape leaves.
Carefully remove the preserved grape leaves from the jar and rinse them under cold running water to wash away the excess brine. Pour boiling water over them for 5 minutes, then drain in a colander. The leaves should become soft and pliable, easy to bend without tearing. If you come across leaves with tough stems, trim them off with a knife level with the leaf itself.
Step 2. Preparing the rice and onion.
Rinse the rice in cold water 3-4 times, until the water runs clear, then cover it with warm water for 15 minutes to let it swell. Peel the onion and dice it very finely — no more than 3 mm across. Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the onion for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden. The onion should turn translucent and taste slightly sweet.
Step 3. Making the filling.
In a deep bowl, combine the ground pork, sautéed onion, drained rice, dried mint, thyme, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Knead the mixture thoroughly with your hands for 3-4 minutes until completely uniform. The filling should be pliable, hold its shape well, and have a pronounced minty aroma.
Step 4. Shaping the sarmi.
Lay a grape leaf on a board, smooth side down and veins facing up. Place a tablespoon of filling on the broad part of the leaf, near the base, shaping it into an oblong log about 4 cm long. Fold the bottom edge of the leaf over the filling, tuck the sides inward, then roll it into a tight little parcel toward the tip of the leaf. The finished roll should be firm, about the size of a thumb, with no visible gaps.
Step 5. Arranging them in the pot.
Line the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot or kazan with 3-4 unused grape leaves — this will keep the sarmi from burning. Arrange the rolled sarmi tightly side by side, seam-side down, in neat rows. Lay each new row perpendicular to the one beneath it. Place an inverted plate on top so the sarmi do not unravel as they boil.
Step 6. Braising.
Dissolve the tomato paste in 400 ml of hot water, add 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil, and pour it over the sarmi so that the liquid covers them by 1 cm. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and braise for 55-65 minutes. The rice will tell you when they are done — it should be completely soft, while the grape leaves should be tender and easy to bite through. The liquid should be almost entirely absorbed.
Step 7. Serving.
Let the sarmi rest in the pot for 10 minutes after taking them off the heat. Carefully transfer them to a warm plate and spoon over the remaining juices from the pot. Serve with a generous portion of thick plain yogurt — an essential Bulgarian accompaniment that balances the tang of the grape leaves.
💡 Fact: Sarmi are an indispensable dish on the Bulgarian Christmas Eve table (Badni vecher). On this day, they are made in a fasting version — without meat, only with rice, onions, and plenty of mint. It is believed that the more sarmi the hostess rolls for the holiday, the richer the coming year will be.
A traditional Bulgarian bake made with lamb offal (or chicken liver), rice, herbs, and an egg-and-yogurt topping, baked until golden and crisp. The dish turns out juicy, with a delicate creamy texture inside and the bright aroma of dill and green onions — the true taste of a Bulgarian Easter.
Ingredients:
• Chicken liver — 500 g
• Short-grain rice — 100 g
• Green onions — 1 large bunch (100 g)
• Fresh dill — 1 large bunch (50 g)
• Fresh parsley — 1 small bunch (30 g)
• Chicken eggs — 5
• Plain natural yogurt — 300 g
• Butter — 50 g
• Sunflower oil — 2 tablespoons
• Sweet ground paprika — 1 teaspoon
• Ground black pepper — to taste
• Salt — to taste
Preparation:
Step 1. Preparing the rice.
Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Boil it in salted water (at a ratio of 1:2) over low heat for 12-14 minutes, until “al dente” — the grains should be soft on the outside but offer a slight resistance when bitten. Drain in a sieve and let the water run off.
Step 2. Preparing the liver.
Rinse the chicken liver thoroughly, removing all membranes, veins, and green bile stains — they will make it bitter. Cut each piece into 3-4 parts — cubes roughly 1-1.5 cm across. Heat the sunflower oil in a deep frying pan over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add the liver in a single layer and fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring actively. The liver should turn pale on the outside while remaining slightly pink within — it will finish cooking in the oven.
Step 3. Preparing the herbs and onions.
Wash the green onions and slice them into thin rings 2-3 mm thick, using both the white and green parts. Finely chop the dill and parsley — no pieces larger than 3-4 mm. There should be plenty of herbs in this dish — they are its calling card.
Step 4. Mixing the base.
In a large bowl, combine the fried liver, cooked rice, sliced green onions, dill, and parsley. Add the paprika, salt, and black pepper. Fold together gently with a spatula, trying not to crush the pieces of liver. The mixture should be evenly speckled, with vivid flecks of green throughout.
Step 5. Making the topping.
In a separate bowl, whisk 5 eggs until uniform, add the yogurt and a pinch of salt. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until you have a smooth, even mixture without lumps. Pour half of this mixture into the bowl with the liver and rice, then fold it in gently. Reserve the other half for the top layer.
Step 6. Assembling and baking.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). Generously butter a ceramic or glass baking dish (about 25x30 cm), including the sides. Transfer the liver-and-rice mixture to the dish and smooth it into an even layer 3-4 cm thick. Pour the remaining egg-and-yogurt mixture over the top — it should cover the surface in an even layer. Dot the top with thin pieces of the remaining butter (5-6 pieces). Place in the center of the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Step 7. Checking doneness and serving.
The dish is ready when the top crust turns a rich golden brown and the topping has fully set — when you gently shake the dish, the center should not quiver or wobble. Insert a wooden skewer into the center: it should come out dry, with no trace of liquid egg. Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes — during this time, the bake will firm up and slice easily. Cut into rectangular portions and serve warm, with a spoonful of yogurt on top if desired.
💡 Fact: Drob is the centerpiece of the Bulgarian Easter table. Traditionally, it is made with the offal of a young lamb (liver, lungs, heart), while the word “drob” in Bulgarian literally means “liver.” In the old days, the dish was wrapped in lamb caul fat (mrezha), creating a crisp casing — hence its second name, “drob sarma,” meaning “wrapped liver.”