Cabbage dolma is one of the most popular and delicious types of Iranian dolma, which, in addition to serving as a full meal, you can also serve as an appetizer. In some cities, this dolma is called Cabbage dolma or Dolmeh Kalam. Join Cooking County with the recipe of Cabbage Dolma.
Other Dolma recipes:
- Dolmeh Barg Mo Recipe (Persian Stuffed Grape Leaves)
- Dolmeh Bademjan Recipe; Persian Stuffed Eggplant

How to Make Cabbage Dolma?
Ingredients
Ingredient | Quantity |
---|---|
Cabbage | 1 large |
Minced meat | 300 grams |
Rice | 1 cup |
Cooked split peas | ½ cup |
Onion | 1 large |
Aromatic vegetables | As needed |
Tomato paste | 1 tablespoon |
Olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
Vinegar | ⅓ glass |
Grape juice | 1 cup |
Salt, pepper, and turmeric | As needed |
Directions
Step One
Soak the split peas for a few hours to prepare cabbage dolma and cook them on medium heat.
Note: You can add a little turmeric to the boiling water to make the split peas yellow.
Step Two
After the split peas are fully cooked, remove the water and set it aside. The rice we use to cook this dish is often half-grain or round. Wash the rice, soak it in water and a little salt for a few hours. Then put the rice on the heat and let it cook.
Step Three
The rice should not be overcooked. Rinse the rice and set it aside. Wash the onion, peel, and chop it. Add the chopped onion to the pan on medium heat.
Step Four
Allow the onion to become golden. Add the minced meat and fry a little until the color of the meat changes. Now, add salt and pepper to the Cabbage Dolme ingredients and stir.
Step Five
Fry the tomato paste in a bit of oil. Add it to the meat and mix well again. You can use fresh or dried vegetables or a combination of both to make Dolmeh Kalam. Traditionally, people use tarragon, and dill, in the dolmeh.
Step Six
After washing, leave the fresh vegetables for a little while to remove the excess water. Then chop them finely. Add the vegetable to the ingredients in the pan and stir. Fry the ingredients together until the green color returns.
Step Seven
Add the split peas to the dolma ingredients and mix again. Finally, add cooked and drained rice and stir the ingredients again. Taste a little of the dolma ingredients to check if the Cabbage Dolmeh is well seasoned.
Note: Dolmeh Kalam should not be too spicy or salty.

Step Eight
Now, remove the center of the cabbage with a sharp knife. Then fill a massive pot with water and a little salt and let it boil. After the water reaches the boiling point, immerse the cabbage in it.

Step Nine
When the cabbage is ready, Take it out and separate its leaves. The middle part of the cabbage leaf is slightly thicker, especially in the larger outer leaves.

Step Ten
Cut this thick part with a very sharp knife so that the entire cabbage leaf has a relatively uniform thickness. Place the cabbage leaves on the board. Pour a spoonful of the Dolme ingredients into each leaf and shape the leaf around the ingredients.


Step Eleven
It would be best if you did not fill the cabbage leaf with ingredients because it will fall apart during cooking. Try to wrap the leaves very tightly. Choose a pot and put a cabbage leaf in the bottom to prevent possible burning.



Step Twelve
Put the Dolmeh Kalam next to each other in the pot. There should be no space between them. Cabbage Dolma should be boiled in the sauce. To prepare the tomato paste sauce, fry the tomatoes in olive oil.
Step Thirteen
Add vinegar and grape juice to it. Pour this sauce into the pot and cover the Cabbage Dolmas. If. You can add a little salt and black pepper to the sauce if you want.


Step Fourteen
Place a heavy dish on the dumplings, so the sauce does not fall off when boiling. It is better to leave it until the dolmeh is cooked on a gentle heat so that the sauce water is drawn out little by little. When the sauce reaches the desired consistency, turn off the heat.
How to Serve Cabbage Dolma?
Put the dumplings in a dish, and serve it with pickles. If you like, you can also serve it with bread and enjoy it.


Do not forget to make this recipe and share it with us. If you also have any related questions about the Cabbage Dolma recipe, please do not hesitate to ask.