Cabbage a la Cluj

This is how I ended up making cabbage a la Cluj without looking up any recipes, just like I saw at my mom's and my aunt's house. I love this kind of dish because it tastes quite similar to stuffed cabbage, but you don't have to roll each leaf. This recipe can also be made with pork or a mix of meats, including chicken, and you can adapt it based on what you have in the fridge. If you want, you can add a bit of smoked neck to the meat, but it's not mandatory.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes boiling and baking)
Servings: 8
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: main dish, family meal

Ingredients

1 kg ground pork (or beef, chicken, or a mix, depending on preference)
2-3 large onions
1.5 kg finely chopped pickled cabbage
1 large cup of rice
600 g sour cream (24-30% fat)
2-3 tablespoons lard (or butter, or oil if you don't use lard)
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
salt
pepper
paprika
lard for greasing the baking dish
optional: a little finely chopped smoked neck (I sometimes add this)

Preparation Steps

1. Preparing the meat
Finely chop the onion. Heat a tablespoon of lard in a larger pot, add the onion, and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the onion becomes translucent, add the ground meat (and smoked neck if desired). Stir and cook over low heat until the meat changes color. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and marjoram. Pour in a large cup of warm water, cover, and let it simmer on low heat for about 40-50 minutes (depending on the meat). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

2. Sautéing the cabbage
In another large pot, add another tablespoon of lard. Add the pickled cabbage, rinsed in cold water and well-drained, so it’s not too salty. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika. Sauté over medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it starts to stick or dry out, add a little more lard or warm water. In the end, turn off the heat and divide the cabbage into 3 equal parts.

3. Cooking the rice
Boil the rice in plenty of salted water, just until al dente. Drain it in a colander and divide it into 2 portions.

4. Assembly
Grease a large baking dish or pot with lard, including the sides. Start with the first layer: one-third of the cabbage, spread evenly, about the thickness of a finger. Follow with a layer of half the rice, then half the meat. Spread 200 g of sour cream over the meat.

Continue with another third of the cabbage, the remaining rice, the rest of the meat, and another 200 g of sour cream.

Top with the final layer of cabbage, followed by the remaining sour cream.

5. Baking
Cover the dish with aluminum foil or baking paper. Place it in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, remove the foil to allow it to brown slightly on top.

Serve hot, with sour cream on the side.

Why I make this recipe often

It’s a dish that holds up well, can be reheated, and has a balanced taste—not too salty, not too sour. You don't have to roll stuffed cabbage, but you get almost the same result. It can be made with whatever you have at home, and you can change the meat or sour cream based on what you find.

Tips and Variations

Tips
- Rinse the cabbage if it's too salty or too sour.
- Use fatty sour cream, not yogurt or low-fat versions—they change the texture.
- Cook the rice only halfway; otherwise, it will turn mushy after baking.

Substitutions
- Pork can be replaced with chicken or beef.
- Lard can be substituted with butter or oil (you can change it at all stages or just for greasing the dish).
- You can add a little smoked neck to the meat for flavor, but it's not essential.

Variations
- You can also add some fresh dill to the cabbage or the mixture if you like.
- For a vegan version, just use cabbage, rice, onion, and a bit of oil, without meat or sour cream.

Serving Ideas
- It goes well with cold sour cream, hot peppers, or fresh bread.
- Leftovers can be reheated in the oven or on the stove, with a little added water if they’ve dried out.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. If I use fresh cabbage, how should I proceed?
It needs to be blanched and cooked a bit longer, possibly salted better.

2. Can I make the recipe with chicken?
Yes, it works just the same. It cooks faster, so you can reduce the boiling time for the ground meat.

3. Can I add tomato paste or sauce?
The recipe above doesn’t include tomato paste, but you can add it if you want. It will change the taste and color, making it more similar to stuffed cabbage in sauce.

4. Can the cooked cabbage a la Cluj be frozen?
Yes, it freezes well, especially if it doesn’t have too much sour cream on top. Thaw it slowly in the fridge and reheat it in the oven.

5. Why do I need to sauté the cabbage and meat separately?
This helps reduce the liquid and intensifies the flavor, preventing the dish from being watery in the end.

Nutritional Values (estimate for one serving)

Approximately 400-450 kcal per serving (for 8 servings from the total amount).
Protein: 22-25 g
Carbohydrates: 20-25 g
Fats: 25-30 g
Variations with leaner meat and less sour cream will have lower values. Fatty sour cream and lard significantly increase the calories.

Storage and Reheating

It keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days, covered. You can reheat it in the oven or on the stove over low heat, adding a little water if it has dried out.
It can be frozen in containers; thaw slowly in the fridge before reheating.
I do not recommend keeping it with too much fresh sour cream on top if you want to freeze it—add it when serving.

First, we prepare the meat because it needs to cook the longest: chop the onions finely and sauté them in a tablespoon of lard, stirring occasionally. When the onion becomes translucent, add the meat and continue to sauté over low heat until it changes color. Season with thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper, then add a large cup of warm water and let it simmer covered on low heat for about 40-50 minutes (depending on your preferred meat), stirring occasionally. In another large pot, add another tablespoon of lard and sauté the washed and well-drained cabbage. Season it with pepper and paprika, stirring occasionally, adding more lard or warm water if needed. After about 30 minutes, remove it from heat and divide it into 3 equal parts. Separately, boil the rice al dente in plenty of salted water. When ready, drain it in a colander and then divide it in two. In a large baking dish or a well-greased pot, place a layer of cabbage about an inch thick, then cover with a layer of rice, followed by a layer of meat topped with 200g of sour cream. Continue with another layer of cabbage, one of rice, and one of meat, topping it with another 200 grams of sour cream. Cover everything with a final layer of cabbage and spread the remaining sour cream on top. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes, covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper. In the last 10 minutes, you can remove the foil to let it brown slightly on top. Serve with plenty of sour cream! Enjoy your meal! You can replace pork with chicken if you prefer, and lard with butter or oil. I added some finely chopped smoked neck to the minced meat, but this is optional.

 Ingredients: 1 kg minced pork or beef or a mix 2-3 large onions 1.5 kg finely chopped sauerkraut 1 large cup of rice 600 g sour cream (with 24-30% fat) 2-3 tablespoons lard 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon marjoram salt, pepper, and paprika lard for greasing the dish

 Tags:  cabbage a la cluj