Vegetarian Ghormeh Sabzi

Over the years, many of my readers have requested vegetarian recipes. At first, I hesitated, because I've always believed that Iranian cuisine is naturally vegetarian-friendly and already offers many meatless options. If you look through my recipe index, you'll find plenty of examples, hearty bean-based dishes like Ash Reshteh and the Seven-Bean Soup, or vegetable-focused favorites such as Koo Koo Sabzi and Koo Koo Sibzamini. 

Even when it comes to polow (rice dishes) and khoresh (stews) that traditionally include meat, you can simply leave it out or make a small adjustment to enjoy these meals in a fully vegetarian way. Growing up in Iran, I only knew a handful of vegetarians, but today, more and more people are either vegetarian, vegan, or simply reducing their intake of red meat like lamb and beef for health reasons. With just a few substitutions, many Iranian recipes can be adapted to fit a vegetarian lifestyle.

I'm a firm believer in maintaining the integrity of Iranian cuisine, and I've always been reluctant to make drastic changes to our beloved recipes. I feel deeply grateful to the culinary magicians of the past who created many timeless dishes for us to enjoy across generations. Sometimes I wonder if the inventors of ghormeh sabzi or fesenjoon ever imagined their creations would transcend time and borders, continuing to bring joy to so many around. 

For today's recipe, I'm sharing my vegetarian take on one of the most beloved stews: ghormeh sabzi.  There are a few simple ways you can customize it to fit a meat-free lifestyle. The easiest option is simply to omit the meat altogether.  You can increase the beans (red kidney beans or pinto beans) by an extra 1/2 cup (or more if you like). Another option is to substitute the meat with tofu, tempeh, or seitan. My personal favorite, however, is baby bella mushrooms. Their flavor, rich brown color, and meaty texture make them both flavorful and substantial.

Vegetarian Ghormeh Sabzi

Ingredients

Serving 4-6

- 1 cup dried red kidney beans or pinto beans, soaked overnight
-10 oz baby bella mushrooms or large portabella, trimmed and cut into chunks or sliced
-1 large onion, finely chopped
-3 cups chopped fresh parsley
-3 cups chopped leeks, or scallions or chives (tareh)
--1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
-1 cup chopped fresh fenugreek or a tablespoon dried fenugreek
-4-5 limoo amani (dried limes)
-1/2 teaspoon turmeric
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Juice of a lime
-Vegetable oil/olive oil

Method

1. In a large pot, add the soaked beans and enough water to cover them by a couple of inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat, partially cover, and cook until beans are tender. 
2. Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped herbs and sauté for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the color darkens. Set aside.
3.  In a large stockpot, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion and sauté the chopped onions until golden brown. Stir in the turmeric powder. 
4. Add the sauteed herbs, cooked beans, dried limes, salt, and pepper to the pot. Pour in enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 50 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release most of their liquid. Remove from the pan, place in a bowl, and sprinkle with lime juice.
6. Add the mushrooms to the stew and continue cooking on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a little more water if needed for consistency.

Serve hot with rice, mast o khiar, and salad shirazi.

Enjoy!

Khoresh Kadoo Halvaie - Persian Beef and Pumpkin Stew

One of the beauties of fall is the abundance of a wide variety of winter squashes that come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. I typically use butternut squash for its flavor and color in my cooking; however, this time I chose to use کدو حلوایی - kadoo halvaie, the vibrant orange small sugar pumpkin that is both beautiful and delicious. It is the same kind of pumpkin my mother used to roast in the oven back in Iran, and now, when I cook it, it still has the overwhelmingly familiar taste of home. Orange is a joyous color, and pumpkins are nature's gift; a free dose of color therapy on these gray, short, and gloomy autumn days. I'm thankful to my lovely neighbors for leaving out all these gorgeous pumpkins on their front porches early in the fall season until they eventually become food for the squirrels. There are numerous sweet pumpkin dessert recipes available. However, pumpkins are also delicious in savory dishes. خورش کدو حلوایی - Khoresh-e kadoo is a ملس - malas (sweet and sour) fall-flavored dish that will warm your heart.

I'm often asked if there are any Persian vegetarian or vegan recipes. Most people may not think of Persian cuisine as vegetarian/vegan-friendly, and only think of کباب - Kabobs when they think of Iranian food. Or there may not be many obvious vegetarian dishes on restaurant menus. However, many types of fresh vegetables are served raw or cooked as a side dish. As for vegan recipes, I'd like to point out that you can easily omit the meat in many stew recipes that call for stewing lamb/beef, except for the traditional آبگوشت abgoosht/dizi varieties, and still have a delicious and fulfilling meal.

I added a handful of آلو بخارا - aloo bokhara (dried yellow plums) to the stew toward the end of cooking. They may be found in most Persian/Middle Eastern grocery stores. If not, you can substitute them with prunes instead. Typically, potatoes and carrots are not a part of the authentic version of this khoresh, but they make the stew richer and more flavorful without changing the overall taste. I also like to add a bit of nutmeg and cinnamon. جوزهندی - Nutmeg is not a commonly used spice in Iranian cooking, but in our home, it was one of the spices that my mother cherished, and she always kept some in her little glass spice jars.

Khoresh Kadoo Halvaie

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

-1 1/2 pounds boneless beef or lamb stew meat, cut into small bite-sized pieces
-1 1/2 pounds peeled, seeded, and cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
-1 large onion, thinly sliced
-1 large tomato, peeled, chopped
-1 medium carrot, sliced *optional
-1 large potato, peeled, cubed *optional
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce, organic
-1 cup aloo bokhara (dried plums), pitted
-1/2 teaspoon turmeric
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-A pinch of nutmeg
-Juice of 1 lemon (use more if you prefer)
-1 tablespoon table sugar or brown sugar (use less if you prefer)
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-Olive oil

Method:

1. In a large skillet, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil, add pumpkin, and saute lightly for about 7 minutes.
2. Stir in cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, and a dash of salt. Cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside. 
3. In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil, add sliced onions, and saute over medium-high heat until golden. Add minced garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the turmeric powder, stir, and mix well.
4. Add beef and cook until brown on all sides, stirring occasionally.
5. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add water to cover all ingredients by about an inch, and mix well. Bring to a boil on high heat, lower the heat, cover, and cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes or until tender.
6. Add the sauteed pumpkins, potatoes, and carrots to the stew. Add a little bit of water if necessary. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes over low heat. Add in the plums, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir well, taste and adjust the seasoning, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. 

Serve hot with rice, mast o khiar, and sabzi khordan.

Enjoy!

Khoresh Gheymeh: A Traditional Iranian Dish with Meat and Yellow Split Peas

 خورش قیمه Khoresh-e Gheymeh! I will not call this dish a stew, a casserole, or anything else for that matter. In my book, it's one of the top five Khoresh, and Persian cuisine has many unforgettable ones! Someday, I hope to share them all with you, one dish at a time. 

This is a simple yet flavorful dish that not only satisfies my hunger but warms my heart and soothes my occasional longing for home, even after all these years. As soon as I start cooking gheymeh, slicing an onion, pouring oil into a heated pan, and breathing in the aroma of sauteed onion with turmeric, browning meat, stirring in those tiny yellow split peas, and piercing the dried lemons, I feel at home once again. 

Khoresh Gheymeh

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

-2 pounds of lamb or beef, rinsed and cut into small pieces
-1 cup yellow split peas, picked over and washed.
-1 large onion, peeled and chopped
-2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
-4-5 dried limes (limoo amani), soaked for 5 minutes, then pierced with a fork.
-1/2 teaspoon turmeric
-A pinch of cinnamon
-1 teaspoon rosewater *optional
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Vegetable oil
-2 large potatoes, peeled, sliced, and fried for topping

Method

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add tomato paste and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Stir in the turmeric and cook for another minute. Add the meat and brown it on all sides. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cinnamon.  
3. Stir in the yellow split peas and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. 
4. Pour in enough water to cover the ingredients by 1-2 inches. Add the dried limes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender.  Add water if needed and adjust seasoning to taste. 
5. The split peas should be tender but still hold their shape. To ensure this, you can parboil them separately until just tender and add them during the last 30-40 minutes of cooking.
6. In the last ten minutes, stir in the rosewater if using.

Serve the gheymeh in a large bowl, topped with the fried potato slices. Pair it with basmati rice, mast o khiar, salad shirazi, and torshi.

Enjoy!

Khoresh-e Kadoo - Gray Squash Lamb Stew

In the Persian cuisine there are a number of tasty, slow cooked stews (khoresh/khoresht) that combine the seasonal vegetables with either meat or chicken. Iranian food is not heavily spiced and in order to achieve the optimal taste, some patience, time and planning is required. I usually buy the needed ingredients a day in advance and take care of some of the things that could be done ahead of time without jeopardizing the freshness of the food. There are those that have their onions thinly sliced (an essential part of Iranian cooking), fried, packed, sealed and frozen for when it's needed. Same goes with fried eggplants and herbs. And there are those that even have a  herb and bean stew (ghormeh sabzi) ready to be served in their freezer for that guest that might drop by unexpectedly! We grew up where going to a family member or friend's house didn't require an invitation or a prior notice, even a phone call wasn't necessary.

Gray Squash

This dish خورش کدو khoresh-e Kadoo is usually made with the summer squash called zucchini/courgette, the long and green zucchini which tastes wonderful. Yet, since I've discovered the gray squash in my local Italian vegetable store, which is a town over, I've made the switch at least for now. I find this kind of squash to be more firm and tastier and they are the perfect size also, just cut them in half, lengthwise. This dish can also be made without meat.

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Khoresh Kadoo Sabz- Gray Squash Lamb Stew

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

1 1/2 pounds meat (lamb or beef), wash, cut in cubes
7 gray squash or zucchini, wash, peel, cut in half, you may leave the skin on
2 large tomatoes, remove skin and finely chop/or use a can of crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large onion, peeled, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled, finely chopped
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
3-4 crushed or whole dried lemons (limoo amani) or juice of 1-2 lemons depending on your taste

1/3 teaspoon cinnamon  
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil


Method:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a frying pan, fry the squash slices over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan, saute sliced onions over medium heat until translucent, add the turmeric powder and garlic, stir and saute for another 2-3 minutes. 
3. Add the meat, brown on all sides, add cinnamon, salt and pepper. 
4. Add the tomato paste, cook for five minutes, add the crushed tomatoes. 
5. Add water to cover the ingredients by a couple of inches and add limoo amani. Bring to a rapid boil, lower the heat to medium low, cover and cook for an hour or until meat is tender. 
6. Add water if needed. If you are using lemon juice, add it after the meat becomes tender.
7. In an oven-proof dish, place half of the meat sauce and add a layer of the fried squash, repeat. Taste and adjust the seasoning, cover with a foil and cook for 40 minutes in the 350 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven.  

Serve warm with some white basmati rice, yogurt, salad and herbs.

Enjoy!

Khorak-e Morgh - Chicken with Green Beans and Carrots

I sometimes fall into the trap of making the same kind of food one time too many. Don’t you think most of us have a set rotation of favorite dishes we return to? If you give me chicken, the first thing I want to make is salad olivieh! But this time, I resisted the temptation of cooking the same thing over and over. Instead, I made this wonderful chicken dish with green beans, carrots, and tomatoes. خوراک مرغ Khorak-e Morgh is an easy, comforting, and delicious one-skillet meal.

Khorak-e Morgh 

Ingredients

Serves 4

-2 pounds skinless chicken, cut into pieces
-2 cups of fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
-2 large carrots, sliced
-2 medium tomatoes, sliced
-2 large potatoes, sliced
-1 large onion, sliced
-A handful of dried plums

-2-3 limoo amani (dried limes)
-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
-1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
-1/2 teaspoon turmeric
-A dash of  cinnamon

-A pinch of red pepper
-Juice of 1 lime
-Salt and pepper to taste

-Olive oil

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in 2-3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add turmeric and a pinch of salt, and stir well. 
2. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and fry on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. 
3. Add the tomato sauce and 1 cup of water. Lower the heat, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes. 
4. Add the green beans, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, cinnamon, and dried lime or lemon juice. 
5. Cover and cook for another 40 minutes over medium to low heat. 
6. This dish could also be made in the oven. After browning the chicken in the pan, transfer everything to an ovenproof dish. Add all vegetables, spices, and tomato sauce, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour or until the chicken is fully cooked.
7. Add the prunes near the end of cooking. Taste and adjust the seasoning

Serve with warm bread or rice, fresh herbs, and torshi.

Enjoy!

Tas Kabab

تاس کباب Tas kabab is a hearty one-pot beef or lamb stew made with onions, tomatoes, carrots, quince, and potatoes. Traditionally enjoyed in autumn and winter when quince is in season. I love Tas Kabab so much that  I make it year-round, sometimes swapping quince for tart Granny Smith apples when quince isn't available; they make a great substitute.

This flavorful stew can also be made without quince or apples and will still be delicious. Some people even add eggplant for an extra layer of taste and texture. Tas kabab is an all-in-one meal that doesn't require rice. It's best served with warm bread, yogurt, and torshi. 

Tas Kabab

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

-1 pound beef or lamb, cubed
-3 medium onions, peeled and sliced into rings

-4 medium carrots, sliced 

-4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced

-2 large quince, cored and sliced

-2 large tomatoes, sliced
-2 tablespoons tomato sauce 

-A handful of pitted dried plums (aloo Bokhara) 

-2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

-1-2 teaspoons dried lime powder (limoo amani )

-1/2 teaspoon turmeric

-Pinch of cinnamon

-Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a large heavy pot, add 2-3 tablespoons of oil, and spread a layer of sliced onions on the bottom of the pot. And sprinkle with turmeric.
2. Layer the meat over the onions. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and turmeric. Then layer the sliced tomatoes, carrots, and quinces in that order.
3. Add the potatoes and dried plums on top. 
4. Season with salt, pepper, lemon powder, and a pinch of cinnamon. Add the potatoes and plums on top. 
5. Add the tomato sauce and pour in 1-2 cups of water. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour or until the meat and vegetables are tender. 
6. Transfer to a serving platter with warm bread, fresh herbs, yogurt, and torshi.

Enjoy!

Ghormeh Sabzi - Persian Herb Stew

خورش قورمه سبزی Khoresh-e Ghormeh Sabzi is one of the most delicious and popular dishes among Iranians. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t enjoy this flavorful khoresh. A rich combination of fresh,  aromatic herbs, slow-cooked lamb, tender beans, and tangy dried lemons makes this khoresh both delicious and nutritious. My mother used to call it a "Sabzi Stew" because she would add an abundance of vegetables, including spinach and dill. This recipe is my simplified version. 

Ghormeh Sabzi - Persian Herb Stew 

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

-2 pounds lamb or beef, washed and cubed
- 1 cup red kidney beans or pinto beans, soaked overnight
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 bunches flat-leaf parsley
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 2 large leeks or 4 scallions (green stems only)
- 1 small bunch fresh fenugreek, or 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek (shanbalileh), too much fenugreek will make the stew bitter
- 3-4 dried lemons (limoo amani), pierce each lemon a few times with a fork
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
-Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil

Method

1. Clean, wash, and dry the herbs. Finely chop the parsley, cilantro, leeks/scallions, and fenugreek. 
2. Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped herbs and saute for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.
3. In a large stew pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the chopped onions and saute until golden brown. 
4. Add cubed meat, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Cook until brown on all sides.
5. Add the soaked beans, sauteed herbs, and dried lemons. 
6. Pour in enough water to cover the mixture by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook on medium to low heat for 1 1/2 hours. 
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add more water if needed. Lower the heat and let the stew gently simmer for another 30 minutes. Ghormeh sabzi tastes better when it simmers longer ( khoob ja miofteh) and is often more flavorful the next day. 

Serve hot with basmati rice, salad shirazi, and mast o khiar.

Enjoy!