Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew with Lamb and Kidney Beans)
A classic Iranian stew of slow-braised lamb, tart dried limes and a large, fragrant mixture of fried herbs. It’s richly savory, naturally gluten-free, and makes excellent leftovers.
AI image2 hr 25 min
start to finish
25 min
hands on
Some skill
difficulty
6
servings
Ingredients
Herb mix
Roughly, per serving
380 kcal28g protein26g carbs18g fat
An estimate, not a lab analysis.
Method
Soak the dried kidney beans in cold water overnight (at least 8 hours); drain and rinse before cooking.
If short on time, use the quick-soak method: cover beans with water, bring to a boil 2–3 minutes, remove from heat and let sit 1 hour, then drain and rinse.
Heat 2 tbsp (about 30 ml) oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and add the chopped onions.
Sauté the onions, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened.
Take your time — well-browned onions add depth to the stew.
Stir in the ground turmeric and cook 30 seconds to release its aroma.
Add the lamb cubes and increase heat to medium-high; brown the meat on all sides.
Do this in batches if needed so the meat browns rather than steams.
Add the drained beans, pierced dried limes, and 800 ml water to the pot; bring to a gentle simmer.
Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook until the meat and beans are nearly tender.
Check after 60–75 minutes; cooking time varies with meat cut and bean age.
While the stew simmers, combine parsley, cilantro and green onions (or chives) and chop finely if not already prepared.
In a wide skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsp (about 30 ml) oil over medium heat and add the chopped herb mixture.
Fry the herbs, stirring frequently, until they darken, reduce noticeably in volume, and become fragrant — aim for a deep, herbaceous green-brown (do not let them burn).
This frying step is essential — properly fried herbs give ghormeh sabzi its characteristic flavor and aroma.
Add the fried herbs and the dried fenugreek leaves to the stew, stir to combine.
Continue to simmer the stew uncovered for 20–30 minutes so flavors meld and the sauce thickens to a loose, stew-like consistency.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; remove the pierced dried limes (or split them open and discard seeds if you prefer more tartness) and add sumac if using.
Serve hot in bowls; traditional accompaniment is plain saffron basmati rice (not included).
Ghormeh sabzi tastes even better the next day — refrigerate and reheat gently.
Worth knowing
- Dried Persian limes (limu omani) give a distinctive sour, slightly fermented note. If you must substitute, use fresh lime zest+juice as listed in the ingredient note, but the flavor will be different.
- If you prefer a vegetarian version, replace the meat with 400 g extra beans or 300 g roasted eggplant and increase the herb frying time by a few minutes for extra richness.
- Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3–4 days or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
- To speed cooking, use a pressure cooker: brown meat and onions, then add beans, limes, water and cook 25–30 minutes under pressure; finish by adding fried herbs and fenugreek off heat.
Make it yours
Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.
Gluten-freeDairy-freeMeal prep
More Persian cooking
An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Persian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be gluten-free and dairy-free as listed.