Romanian Sauerkraut Casserole (Varză à la Cluj)

a plate of ground meat and rice topped with shredded sauerkraut

Romanian Sauerkraut Casserole (Varză à la Cluj)

Varză à la Cluj is a Transylvanian layered casserole of sauerkraut, ground meat, rice, onions and seasonings, slow-baked until aromatic and tender. Think of it like traditional Romanian cabbage rolls, just deconstructed for all the flavor in less time. This recipe makes approximately 6 servings (6 generous meal-sized portions or 8 more moderate portions).

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Romanian

Keyword Cabbage, Ground Meat, Sauerkraut

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings servings

Calories 646kcal

Equipment

large shallow roasting pan Approximately: 20cm by 30cm and 12cm deep / 8 × 12 inches, and 5 inches deep.

Ingredients

500 grams ground pork about a lb, not lean
500 grams ground beef about a lb, not lean
500 grams sauerkraut about a lb
2 cups white cabbage fresh - not sauerkraut
2 large yellow onions
200 grams short grain rice (arborio etc.) 1 cup
200 ml lard about 0.8 cup melted, or sub. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 can diced tomato standard small can about 410–415 g / 14.5 oz
3 tablespoon tomato paste
500 ml water 2 cups
1 bunch fresh dill
2 tablespoons summer savory a.k.a. cimbru
1 tablespoon black pepper
4 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt or more to taste

Instructions

Soak sauerkraut: Put the sauerkraut in a bowl and cover with water. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
Prep vegetables: Finely shred the white cabbage and finely chop the fresh dill then set both aside. Finely dice the onion.
Precook rice: Heat a few tablespoons of lard or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and sauté until translucent and aromatic.
Add the tomato paste, rice and 1 teaspoon salt then sauté a few more minutes while stirring to combine evenly and warm through.
Reserve a half cup (150ml) of the diced tomato then pour the rest over the rice mix along with a cup (250ml) water.
Reduce temperature to medium-low, cover and cook 8-10 minutes until the rice has absorbed the water. Then turn off heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 175 °C / 350 °F.
Prepare kraut and cabbage mix: Drain the sauerkraut and then squeeze out all excess water. In a large bowl combine the kraut with the shredded fresh cabbage.
Spoon in about 6 tablespoons of lard or vegetable oil and use your hands to mix, ensuring even coating. Add more as needed to ensure the cabbage is well coated in oil. Finally, divide the cabbage kraut mix into 2 even parts in the bowl and set aside.
Prepare meat mixture: Once the precooked rice tomato mix is cool, add it to a large bowl along with the chopped fresh dill, ground meat, and eggs.
Evenly sprinkle in 1 teaspoon salt, all of the black pepper and all of the summer savory. Mix well until evenly combined.
Layer the casserole: Take one part of the cabbage mix and layer it along the bottom of your roasting dish. Add the meat mixture as another layer in the middle and top with bay leaves. Layer remaining cabbage on top.
Mix the reserved diced tomato with another cup (250ml) of water and pour it evenly over the top.
Bake: Cover tightly (lid or foil is fine) and bake about 1.5 hours or until the cabbage is very tender / wilted. Uncover and continue baking another 30 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Serve: Serve warm with sour cream and crusty bread or mămăligă (Romanian polenta).

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