
Persian herb stew with kidney beans and dried limes
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
2 hr 30 min
Total Time
3 hr
Servings
6
6 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Cost
Moderate
$$
Persian herb stew with kidney beans and dried limes
Iran's national dish—a deeply herbal stew of fenugreek, parsley, and cilantro with tender beef, kidney beans, and tangy dried limes. Complex, unique, and absolutely delicious.
30m
Prep Time
150m
Cook Time
180m
Total Time
6
Servings
Medium
Difficulty
Moderate $$
Cost
(Updated )
Ghormeh sabzi is the dish every Persian craves. Mountains of fresh herbs are sauteed until dark and fragrant, then simmered with meat and the distinctive tang of dried limes for hours.
Sauté fresh herbs in 3 tbsp oil over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until dark green and fragrant. Set aside.
Brown beef cubes in the same pot. Add diced onion and cook until softened.
Add sauteed herbs, fenugreek, dried limes, turmeric, salt, pepper, and 2 cups water.
Simmer covered on very low heat for 2 hours until beef is very tender.
Add kidney beans in the last 30 minutes. Serve over fluffy white rice with tahdig.
Serve with crusty artisan bread for dipping
Finish with a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil
Pair with a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette
Not the same depth but adds sourness
Traditional and equally delicious
Test Kitchen Pick
Olive Oil
Helpful Pantry Staple
On recipes like this, olive oil is not just a background fat. A better bottle gives you cleaner flavor and a better finish.
This is one of the few pantry upgrades that keeps paying off every time you cook in this lane.
A good bottle of olive oil is one of the safest pantry upgrades for Mediterranean and Italian cooking.
Shop olive oil for this recipeDon't rush sauteing the herbs—they need to turn dark for proper flavor.
Pierce the dried limes so their flavor infuses the stew.
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freezes beautifully for 3 months.
Reheat gently on the stove. The flavor improves each day.
Per serving (85mg) · 6 servings
A moderate-calorie serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet
Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.
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Mediterranean
Mediterranean

Mediterranean

Mediterranean
Mediterranean
Mediterranean