Khoresh Ghormeh Sabzi or Khoresh Sabzi is a traditional Persian stew with millions of fans in Iran. This food is an inseparable part of Persian parties and can be served both as a daily meal and a tasty formal dish.

It is interesting to know that in some parts of Iran, ghormeh sabzi stew is served as a Persian New Year’s Eve food. The word “ghormeh sabzi” consists of two parts; Ghormeh which means diced meat, referring to the meats used in this stew, and the second part is Sabzi, that can simply be translated as “herb.” Persian ghormeh sabzi is made up of five different fresh herbs that are all common in Iran. However, it may be difficult for you to find them in your hometown. So you can easily substitute them with dried herbs and cook the food as delicious as the one with fresh herbs. For simplicity, we are going to introduce you ghormeh sabzi recipe with dried herbs, so that you can find the ingredients without any trouble and enjoy their fantastic flavor

Ghormeh Sabzi ingredients

As mentioned before, the principal ingredients of ghormeh sabzi stew are the herbs that make this food highly nutritious. Furthermore, kidney beans, which are the source of protein, are found in ghormeh sabzi ingredients which perfectly accompany meat to give you enough energy for your daily activities. The dried limes also give a little bit of sourness to the food.

Here are all you need to cook the heavenly-tasted ghormeh sabzi:

- ½ kilos lamb, diced

- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped

- Dried parsley, coriander, and leeks: 200 grams of each

- 6 tablespoons dried Fenugreek

- 50 grams dried spinach

- 3 small-sized dried lime

- 50 grams of kidney Beans

 - Salt

- Pepper

- Turmeric

- Oil

- Verjuice

Note: Traditionally and in most regions of Iran, Spinach is used within khoresht ghormeh Sabzi; however, if you are allergic to it or do not like its taste, you can remove spinach from the recipe.

Ghormeh Sabzi recipe with dried herbs

1. As the first step in ghormeh sabzi recipe, wash and soak the kidney Beans using cold water. Let them soak for about 30 minutes so that they become softer and will cook properly. Also, do the same for the dried limes but with lukewarm-hot water.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a big pot, and then add the chopped onions. Sauté the onions and stir them frequently until they turn into golden brown.
3. Now add the diced meats to the onions and sauté them as long as they are not raw anymore. Remember that you do not need to fry the meat completely at this stage. Do not forget to add salt, pepper, and turmeric.
4. In the meantime, put another frying pan on the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, and start sautéing the herbs. Do not stop stirring, and continue until they get dark green. This is the vital step to have a savory ghormeh sabzi.

• Note: You can add some tomato paste to the herbs while frying; however, this step is optional, and many people choose not to add the tomato paste at all.

5. Add the herbs and kidney beans to the mixture of onions and meats, and pour enough hot water until it covers the mixture.
6. Put the lid on, increase the heat to high, and bring the stew to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the stew cook and simmer. The proper time for the stew to cook completely depends on the type of meat you use, but it normally takes about 3-4 hours.
7. After around 3 hours, pierce the dried limes with a fork, and add them to the stew. In order to make your stew a bit sourer, you can add one tablespoon verjuice.
8. Give it about 30-60 more minutes to stay on the heat. Remove the lid, and check your stew. If it is too watery, put it on high heat for more minutes in order for the extra
9. water to be steamed. If not, your stew is ready. Bon appetite!

3 tips to have a perfect ghormeh sabzi

- You can add lamb bones broth to the dish to give it a rich and more delicious taste.

- If you do not have access to dried limes, you can use ground dried lime instead.

- It is possible to use beans instead of kidney beans based on your desire.

How to serve ghormeh sabzi stew? 

Traditionally, khoresh ghormeh sabzi is served with rice, and rice can perfectly complement its wonderful flavor. You can also serve it with flatbreads like Lavash, but if you prefer the rice, do not forget to prepare Tahdig, as It perfectly matches with ghormeh sabzi stew! You can serve ghormeh sabzi with side dishes such as mast-o-khiar, marinated olives, salad shirazi, and pickles.

We hope you enjoyed ghormeh sabzi recipe with dried herbs. Do try it at home and have it with your loved ones. This recipe was inspired by the cooking county website. If you are looking for various types of recipes, check the website out.