Main Course📍 All of RomaniaMedium💪 High-protein🥦 Clean eating🫒 Mediterranean

Rabbit in Cream Sauce (Ciulama)

Name: Rabbit in Cream Sauce (Ciulama)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Romanian
Ingredients: 1 whole rabbit (approx. 1.5 kg), portioned; 1.5 L water or vegetable broth; 1 large onion, whole; 2 carrots, whole; 1 small celery root, whole (80 g); 1 bay leaf; 1 tsp whole peppercorns; 1 tsp salt; 1 sprig thyme; 3 tbsp pork lard or butter; 3 tbsp plain flour; 500 ml strained rabbit cooking broth; 200 ml heavy sour cream (20–30% fat); 4 garlic cloves, crushed; salt and white pepper to taste; a handful of chopped fresh parsley; soft warm polenta; boiled rice (alternative); assorted pickles

Ciulama de iepure is a traditional Romanian dish in which slowly cooked tender rabbit meat is enveloped in a rich white cream sauce made from lard, flour, and sour cream. Rich, comforting, and refined all at once, this dish is one of the most elegant ways to prepare rabbit — traditionally served with polenta or boiled rice.

🍽️

Servings

⏱️

Prep

20 min

🔥

Cook

100 min

⏰

Total

120 min

🥘Ingredients

servings

Meat

Ciulama sauce

For serving

📝Preparation steps 🗓️Add to Meal Planner🎨Serving & Presentation

✅Dietary Compatibility

💪High-protein🥦Clean eating🫒Mediterranean

🍽️

Yield

approx. 1.2 kg dish with sauce

📦Storage

❄️

Refrigerator

Up to 2 days in a covered container (sauce may thicken — thin with a little broth when reheating)

🧊

Freezer

Not recommended — the sour cream separates when thawed

🥗Nutrition Facts

Values per serving (approx. 250g with sauce)

🔥

Calories

290 kcal

🥩

Protein

28 g

🧈

Fat

16 g

🍞

Carbohydrates

8 g

🌾

Fiber

0 g

🍷Pairs Well With

🥂Soft warm polenta

🥂Boiled rice with butter

🥂Homemade pickles (cucumbers, green tomatoes)

🥂Fresh white bread

🥂Dry white wine (Chardonnay or Feteasca Alba)

💡Variations

Replace sour cream with heavy cream for a finer, less tangy sauce.

Add 150 g sliced mushrooms sautéed separately and fold them into the sauce before serving.

Make the ciulama with chicken instead of rabbit for a more accessible and familiar version.