Drob sarma
At a glance
| Type of dish | Traditional Balkan dish |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Offal, rice, onion and herbs |
| Common version | Lamb |
| Served | Warm |
| Bulgarian name | Дроб сарма |
Source: Дроб сарма; Lamb drob sarma (lamb liver with rice) - a Bulgarian meal1,2
About the dish
Drob sarma is a traditional dish in Turkish, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian and other cuisines, particularly across the Balkan peninsula. The lamb version is the most common. It can also be prepared with chicken offal, or without meat.1
The name is written Дроб сарма in Bulgarian. The commonly used spelling сърма is incorrect for this dish: in the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences dictionary, the word means a thin gold thread or a gold-woven fabric.1
Ingredients
The dish is built around offal and rice. The lamb version may use liver, heart and kidneys, with finely chopped scallions, mint, pepper and salt. Butter is used in some versions; others use oil and may include parsley, red pepper and black pepper.1,2
Some versions add tomatoes or mushrooms. A topping can be made with yoghurt, eggs and flour. The ingredients vary, so the dish may be made with green or mature onions and can also be prepared without meat.1
How it is made
In outline, the offal is boiled in salted water and cut into small pieces. Onion is softened, then combined with rice and the offal. Herbs and seasonings are stirred in, followed by hot stock or water.1,2
The mixture is transferred to an oven dish and baked. In some preparations, the rice mixture is cooked with stock before baking, then topped with beaten eggs and yoghurt for a final period in the oven.1,2
Serving
Drob sarma is eaten warm and is part of several Balkan cuisines, without being tied to a particular meal or occasion. Its familiar lamb version brings together chopped offal, rice and herbs in a baked dish, sometimes finished with a yoghurt-and-egg topping.1,2
Sources
Facts checked 13 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information.
