Ghormeh Sabzi (Iranian Herb Stew)

Ghormeh sabzi is one of the most popular dishes in the Persian part of Iran. It is relatively easy to prepare and yields food for multiple days. That is why typically a large amount of stew is prepared. The herbs and the dried limes create a unique flavour. As the meat is boiled at low temperatures over an extended period of time, it becomes soft enough to be eaten with a fork and a spoon only.
Ingredients
- 200 g red beans
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 800 g beef or lamb which has some fat (such as the meat for boiled beef)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 1 bunch spinach, finely chopped
- 1 bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped
- 1 can (about 400 g) fried ghormeh sabzi herbs
- 8 dried limes
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- Salt
- Pepper
- 800 g rice
- Saffron
- Sugar (optional)
Steps
- Boil red beans 1 hour.
- Trim unnecessary fat from meat. Cut into smaller pieces.
- Heat a bit of olive oil in big lidded pot. Add onions. Fry at high heat 1–2 min.
- Stir in meat. Cook 1–2 min more.
- Reduce heat to lowest. Meat releases juice.
- Stir in parsley, spinach, coriander leaves and ghormeh sabzi herbs.
- Stir in boiling water (about 0.5 L or until consistency is right).
- Stir in cooked, drained beans. Simmer ½–3 hours over low heat; longer is better.
- Soak dried limes in hot water 15 min. Puncture each with a fork.
- Add dried limes, turmeric, pepper and salt. Simmer ½–1 hour more.
- Cool and refrigerate for best taste, if desired. Flavor improves over next two days.
- Steam rice.
- Grind saffron and sugar in mortar. Add about 1 tablespoon boiling water. Toss some cooked rice with saffron water.
- Serve stew hot in its own bowl. Serve plain rice in a separate bowl, topped with saffron rice.
Notes from the original
- Smaller dried limes have a better taste.
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Ghormeh Sabzi (Iranian Herb Stew)” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2025-07-17, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo. Ghormeh sabzi.jpg by Ckling, CC0, via Wikimedia. Resized; otherwise unchanged.






