Ghormeh Sabzi (قرمهسبزی)—often called the “king of Persian stews”—is a deeply aromatic mélange of herbs, beans, and melt-in-your-mouth meat simmered with citrusy dried limes (limu amani). Its name comes from ghormeh (slow-braised meat) and sabzi (greens), and it is the dish Iranians most crave after time away from home. Friday lunches, Nowruz celebrations, and even casual family dinners revolve around a pot of this emerald-flecked comfort food ladled over snowy chelo rice.
Essence & Cultural Role
Ghormeh Sabzi embodies Persian cooking’s devotion to herbs: parsley, cilantro, fenugreek, chives/leeks, and spinach are chopped fine and sautéed until their raw sharpness mellows into a toasty, almost tea-like perfume. Kidney beans (or black-eyed peas in some regions) add earthy heft, while punctures in dried limes release a uniquely tart, slightly bitter aroma that balances the stew’s richness. When you lift the lid after hours of slow simmering, you know instantly why many Iranians deem this “our national fragrance.”
Core Ingredients (6 servings)
| Ingredient | Metric | US |
|---|---|---|
| Beef or lamb stew cubes | 600 g | 1 ⅓ lb |
| Kidney beans, soaked overnight | 200 g | 1 cup |
| Onion, finely chopped | 1 large | 1 large |
| Fresh parsley, finely chopped | 120 g | 3 packed cups |
| Fresh cilantro, finely chopped | 60 g | 1 ½ cups |
| Chives or leek greens, finely chopped | 60 g | 1 ½ cups |
| Fresh spinach (or beet greens), chopped | 60 g | 1 ½ cups |
| Dried fenugreek leaves (shanbalileh) | 1 Tbsp | 1 Tbsp |
| Turmeric | 1 tsp | 1 tsp |
| Dried limes (limu amani), pierced | 3–4 | 3–4 |
| Ground saffron steeped in 2 Tbsp hot water | pinch | pinch |
| Neutral oil (or ghee) | as needed | as needed |
| Salt & freshly ground pepper | to taste | to taste |
To serve: 6 cups steamed chelo rice, wedges of raw onion or shallot, torshi pickles.
Quick Preparation
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Bloom the herbs Heat 3 Tbsp oil; add all fresh chopped greens plus dried fenugreek. Sauté 10–12 min on medium-low until dark emerald and fragrant (not burnt). Transfer to a bowl.
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Build the base In the same pot add a splash of oil, sauté onion to pale gold. Stir in turmeric, then meat; brown on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.
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Simmer Add soaked beans, 3 cups water, and the sautéed herb mixture. Bring to a gentle bubble, skim foam, then drop in pierced dried limes. Cover and cook 1½–2 hours on low, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender and beans are creamy.
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Finish Adjust salt-sour balance (crush limes gently for extra tang or remove if strong enough). Stir in saffron water; simmer 10 min more. The stew should be thick but pourable, with a thin layer of green oil glistening on top.
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Serve Ladle beside chelo rice; invite diners to spoon stew over rice and mash the limes for bursts of citrusy perfume.
Variations
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Chicken Version: Use bone-in chicken thighs; shorten simmer to ~45 min after herbs go in.
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Vegetarian: Omit meat, double the beans, and add 1 cup diced mushrooms for umami depth.
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Northern Flair: A spoon of pomegranate paste lends gentle sweetness and ruby sheen.
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Pressure-Cooker Shortcut: 25 minutes on high pressure after step 3 yields near-traditional texture in a fraction of time.
Pairing Tips
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Bright Salad-e Shirazi or chilled mast-o-khiar cuts through the stew’s richness.
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Doogh (savory yogurt-mint drink) refreshes the palate.
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Sumac sprinkled over rice underscores the stew’s citrus notes.
Nutritional Snapshot (per 1-cup stew, no rice)
≈ 300 calories • 22 g protein • 10 g fat • 28 g carbs • Excellent iron, folate, and antioxidant content from leafy herbs and kidney beans.
With its forest-green hue, bouquets of herbs, and comforting acidity, Ghormeh Sabzi is much more than a recipe—it’s a taste of Persian home that unites families and sparks nostalgia with every aromatic spoonful.
