Persian Ghormeh Sabzi (Herb and Beef Stew)

Name: Persian Ghormeh Sabzi (Herb and Beef Stew)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 2 h 5 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of large fat, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes and patted dry; 2 medium (300 g) yellow onions, finely diced; 6 tbsp (90 ml) neutral oil (such as sunflower or canola), divided: 3 tbsp (45 ml) for the onions and beef, 3 tbsp (45 ml) for the herbs; 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric; 2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 4 cups (950 ml) water, hot or room temperature; 7 oz (200 g) flat-leaf parsley, thick stems removed, washed, thoroughly dried and finely chopped (about 4 packed cups); 3½ oz (100 g) fresh cilantro, thick stems removed, washed, thoroughly dried and finely chopped (about 2 packed cups); 3½ oz (100 g) scallions, trimmed, white and green parts finely sliced (about 1 bunch); 3 tbsp (8 g) dried fenugreek leaves (shanbalileh), crushed between your fingers; 15 oz can (425 g) canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups beans); 4 whole (20 g) dried limes (limoo amani), pierced 4-5 times each with a small knife or fork; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed, plus more to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender beef simmered with deeply fried parsley, cilantro, scallions and fenugreek, red kidney beans and tangy dried limes. This is Iran's beloved dark green herb stew: savory, sour and aromatic. Serve it over fluffy basmati rice.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 2 hr 5 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 2 hr 50 min
Makes: About 7 cups stew (6 servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 lb (900 g) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of large fat, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes and patted dry
2 medium (300 g) yellow onions, finely diced
6 tbsp (90 ml) neutral oil (such as sunflower or canola), divided: 3 tbsp (45 ml) for the onions and beef, 3 tbsp (45 ml) for the herbs
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
4 cups (950 ml) water, hot or room temperature
For the herbs
7 oz (200 g) flat-leaf parsley, thick stems removed, washed, thoroughly dried and finely chopped (about 4 packed cups)
3½ oz (100 g) fresh cilantro, thick stems removed, washed, thoroughly dried and finely chopped (about 2 packed cups)
3½ oz (100 g) scallions, trimmed, white and green parts finely sliced (about 1 bunch)
3 tbsp (8 g) dried fenugreek leaves (shanbalileh), crushed between your fingers
15 oz can (425 g) canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups beans)
4 whole (20 g) dried limes (limoo amani), pierced 4-5 times each with a small knife or fork
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed, plus more to taste

Equipment (5)

5-6 quart (5-6 L) heavy lidded pot or casserole
12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet or sauté pan
Chef's knife and cutting board
Salad spinner or clean kitchen towels
Wooden spoon

Steps

Before you start

Wash the herbs and dry them completely (a salad spinner, then a towel). Wet herbs steam instead of fry and won't turn dark and nutty.
Buy dried limes (limoo amani) at a Middle Eastern grocery or online. Discard any that are moldy inside; very dark, hard limes are fine.
Pat the beef dry with paper towels so it browns instead of steams.
Plan for about 3 hours from start to finish. The flavor is even better the next day.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Finely chop the parsley, cilantro and scallions and crush the fenugreek, keeping the fenugreek separate from the other herbs.
- Dice the onions and cut the beef into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes.
- Pierce each dried lime 4-5 times with a small knife so the sour flavor can seep out.
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Ready when: Herbs are finely chopped, completely dry and not clumped; beef is dry on the surface.
Tip: Dry herbs fry better: water left on the leaves steams them and keeps them bright green instead of dark and rich.
2
Brown onions and beef
- Heat 3 tbsp (45 ml) of the oil in the heavy pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes until deep golden.
- Stir in the turmeric for 30 seconds.
- Push the onions to the side, add the beef in a single layer (work in two batches if crowded) and cook, turning occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until browned on all sides.
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Ready when: Onions are golden and the beef has no raw pink on the outside and has a brown crust.
Tip: If the onions start to scorch, lower the heat to medium. Bitter, burnt onions will spoil the whole pot.
3
Simmer the beef
- Pour in the water and add the salt and pepper.
- Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming off any foam in the first 10 minutes.
- Fry the herbs (next step) during this time.
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Ready when: The liquid is at a gentle simmer with small, lazy bubbles and the beef is beginning to soften.
4
Fry the fresh herbs
- While the beef simmers, heat the remaining 3 tbsp (45 ml) oil in the large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the parsley, cilantro and scallions and cook, stirring constantly, for 15-18 minutes.
- Add the fenugreek for the last 2 minutes.
- Stop when the herbs have reduced to about 1½ cups, are very dark green and smell toasty and rich.
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Ready when: Herbs are dark olive-green, glossy with oil, fragrant and no longer smell grassy; oil starts to separate at the edges.
Tip: Add the dried fenugreek only at the end because it burns quickly and turns bitter.
5
Combine and simmer
- Scrape the fried herbs and all their oil into the pot with the beef.
- Add the drained kidney beans and the pierced dried limes.
- Stir, bring back to a simmer, then cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook on low for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
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Ready when: A beef cube crushes easily when pressed with a spoon, and the stew is thick with a layer of dark green oil on top.
Tip: If the stew thickens too much and sticks, add ¼ cup (60 ml) hot water at a time.
6
Balance the sourness
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the lime juice and taste the stew along with a piece of beef.
- Squeeze the dried limes against the side of the pot with a spoon to release more tang if you want it sourer, and add more salt or lime juice as needed.
- If the limes turn the stew bitter, remove them.
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Ready when: The stew tastes savory, herbal and pleasantly sour, with no bitterness.
Tip: Dried limes vary a lot in strength, so always taste before serving.
7
Rest and serve
- Cover and let the stew rest off the heat for 10 minutes so the flavors settle and the stew thickens slightly.
- Serve hot over steamed basmati rice, with one dried lime on top if you like.
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Ready when: Stew is steaming hot, thick and spoonable.

Good to know

Tips

Frying the herbs until dark and reduced is the most important step. Rushing it gives a grassy, pale stew.
The stew should be thick, not soupy, with oil rising to the top. Simmer uncovered for the last 10 minutes if it's too thin.
Poke the dried limes before cooking, and remove them if the stew starts tasting bitter.
Serve with basmati rice, plain yogurt, raw onion wedges and fresh herbs.

Make ahead

Ghormeh sabzi tastes best made a day ahead. Cool completely, refrigerate in an airtight container, then reheat gently.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, adding a splash of water, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C).

Substitutions

boneless beef chuck → Bone-in or boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Traditional alternative; simmer 15-30 minutes longer until tender.
dried limes (limoo amani) → Zest of 2 limes plus an extra 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice added at the end. Gives a similar sourness but lacks the earthy, fermented flavor of dried limes.
canned red kidney beans → Cooked black-eyed peas. Equal amount; also traditional in many Iranian households.
dried fenugreek leaves (shanbalileh) → 2 tbsp dried fenugreek plus 2 tbsp extra chopped fresh cilantro. Fenugreek is the signature flavor; use less to avoid bitterness if your dried product is very strong.