Persian stews are an essential element of Persian cuisine and a great place to start if you want to start in cooking Persian food. Whether it’s sweet and sour Fesenjoon flavored with pomegranate molasses or herby ghormeh sabzi made with dried limes, there’s an incredible Persian stew to suit every flavor preference.

Four dishes with different stews, two red, one green, and one brown.

🌟 Why You’ll Make These Persian Stews Time and Time Again

  • Amazing depth of flavor: These stews offer a deep, flavorful experience with every bite. Slow-cooked beef, tender veggies, and a vibrant mix of herbs and spices create rich, aromatic layers of flavor.
  • Hearty and filling: You’ll never be more comforted and satisfited than after a heaping ladle of one of these one-pot Persian stews served warm over a bed of fresh basmati rice.
  • Adventurous ingredients: You’ll see class Persian ingredients like dried limes, pomegranate molasses, and saffron to create the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and savory notes in these stews. These stews use plenty of fresh herbs to add a bright finish.

😋 5 of the Best Persian Stews

1.

Khoresh Gheymeh (Persian Meat and Split Pea Stew)
Khoresh Gheymeh is a robust and flavorful meat and split pea soup, instantly recognizable by the yellow split peas dotted throughout.
Check out this recipe
Serving bowl with red meat stew.

2.

Traditional Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)
Ghormeh Sabzi is something I grew up eating almost every week. Filled with fresh herbs and dried limes, the aroma of this stewed, herbaceous dish brings to the house is incredible and nourishing in itself, and instantly presences me to family Shabbat dinners.
Check out this recipe
Green stew in a white pot.

3.

Khoresh Bademjan (Persian Eggplant & Chicken Stew)
Khoresh Bademjan is a fantastic, rich stew made with chicken, Japanese eggplant, and sour grapes. It is one of my mom's staples.
Check out this recipe
Top view of cooked eggplant stew with chicken in red sauce.

4.

Fesenjoon (Persian Pomegranate & Walnut Chicken Stew)
Khoresh Fesenjan, also known as Fesenjoon, is a tasty sweet and sour stew made with walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and chicken.
Check out this recipe

5.

Khoresh Beh (Persian Quince & Plum Beef Stew)
This Persian quince stew (khoresh-e beh) is a cozy, slow-simmered dish where tender beef or lamb and tart-sweet quince meld into a rich, aromatic tomato base.
Check out this recipe
Red beef and quince stew in a white bowl with a gold serving spoon.

🍚 What to Serve with Persian Stews

Pair any of my stews with these dishes for a balanced and hearty meal.

🏆 Become a Pro at Persian Cooking!

I put together these easy-to-navigate guides to help anyone of any skill level learn the basics for Persian recipes and general cuisine.

Check out my Substack newsletter​ Noushijan dedicated to sharing my musings, food crumbs, exclusive recipes, and more!

🥣 More Persian Recipes

Persian cuisine is so diverse and flavorful that there are countless amazing non-stew recipes!

I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *