Ghormeh Sabzi

Ghormeh Sabzi or Persian herb stew is undoubtedly the nation’s most-loved dish made with beef, fresh herbs, kidney beans, and dried limes.

What are the Ingredients?

• 600g chuck cubes
• 2 onions
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 4 dried Persian limes
• 1/3 cup kidney beans, dried
• 4 cups fresh parsley
• 2 cups fresh cilantro
• 1 cup fresh fenugreek
• 2 cups fresh chives
• salt & pepper
• oil

How to prepare Ghormeh Sabzi?

Step 1: Preparing Ingredients

Step1: Preparing Ingredients

Rinse and soak the kidney beans the night before.

Dice the onions.

Finely chop the herbs.

Pierce the dried limes using a fork.

Step 2: Preparing Meat 

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, salt, and pepper for 1 to 2 minutes. Add chuck cubes; fry until coated in turmeric and browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

Step 3: Preparing Herbs

Stir fry the herbs in a frying pan until deep dark green in color, 20 to 30 minutes over low heat.  Set aside.

Step 4: Mix Stew Ingredients

Add the fried herbs to the chuck cubes. Put in the drained kidney beans and the dried limes. Add water, and bring it to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat and let it simmer slowly for 2 to 3 hours until the fat and oil move to the surface of the stew. Adjust salt and pepper. You can either add lemon juice or ground dried limes to Ghormeh Sabzi but the four dried limes add enough tang to this stew. The less water there is in the stew, the more delicious it will be.

Step 5: Serve

Scoop the stew on a deep plate. Discard the dried limes before serving. Serve the stew together with the perfect steamed Persian rice (Chelo), fresh slices of onion, and fresh herbs.

Useful links:

Delicious Iranian Side Dishes

Persian steamed rice (Chelo)

How to prepare Dried Limes