This quince and beef stew is the most popular Persian recipe on my blog for good reason and will please everyone at the dinner table.
You will find this dish in any Persian home, all Persian restaurants, and even at Persian weddings. Every time I make Khoresh e Beh, my kitchen smells incredible and reminds me of home.
Quince & Freezing
A fruit in the apple family, quince can be eaten raw or cooked, but I really don't enjoy eating it raw. It tastes best in stews, in jellies, in quince jam, and in pies.
Quince is harder than apples and pears, so make sure you use a sharp knife to cut into it.
You can core and freeze quince to be able to use it all year round.
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Why this Recipe Works
The flavors in Khoresh e Beh are magic! While the quince and plums add a tart and sweet taste, the pomegranate molasses is what gives the stew a delicious sweet and sour flavor profile.
Simmering the stew over a long period of time produces a tender, juicy texture in the beef and softens the quince while it absorbs all the great flavor.
The stew is usually served with a heaping mound of Persian rice, which serves as the perfect start to accompany the stew.
Ingredients & substitutions
Quince - you can find Quince when it's in season in the fall from September to December.
Onion - Use yellow or white onion.
Beef - I use beef shoulder, neck or chuck roast, with the shoulder and neck as the preference. It becomes tender over the long cook time.
Turmeric - Use powdered turmeric.
Saffron - an optional addition, but adds incredible depth of flavor and aroma... try not to skip this one, if you can!
Pomegranate molasses - If you can't find it, you can buy pomegranate juice, and reduce it down until it is syrupy, ~75%. Pomegranate molasses is not known to be sweet but has an awesome tanginess that is tasty in stews, marinades, with lamb, and even salad dressings.
How to Make This Recipe
Saute the onion in the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef, turmeric, salt, and pepper and saute until just brown on all sides.
Note: Do not over-brown the meat or it will fully cook through at this stage and be dry in the final stew.
Next, add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, and 3-4 cups water to make sure everything is covered, and bring to a boil. Then, lower the stew to simmer, and add the prunes and quince. Cook the stew for 90 minutes.
To add the saffron just before serving, grind and steep a pinch of saffron in 2 tablespoons of hot water, then add the saffron and water to the stew and stir to mix.
Serve with Persian basmati rice. Noush-ie-jan!
Want to learn more about Persian cuisine and cooking? Here are some great resources I've created to help you!
- Persian Pantry Staples
- Farsi Cooking Terms
- Garm or Sard? Balancing Warm and Cool Foods in Persian Cuisine
- 31+ Traditional Persian Recipes
FAQs
Quince is only easy to find in the Fall, when it's in season. As this quince stew is a dish I crave often, freezing the quince is a great way to always have them on hand.
Simply quarter, remove the core and freeze in an airtight container. Remove as much air as possible. They keep in the freezer for up to 18 months.
This will be in stock at your local Middle Eastern market or you buy it online. If you can't find it, buy pomegranate juice, and reduce it down until it is syrupy, ~75%, which will work great.
You can find it in certain grocery stores or your local Middle Eastern market. This saffron you can buy online is not the best quality but is unbeatable for the price.
Related Recipes
Khoresh e Beh is just one of the amazing Persian recipes you will discover on the blog!
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Khoresh Beh - Persian Quince & Plum Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. stew meat shoulder, chuck, or cow neck, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
- 1 medium onion chopped or sliced in half moons
- 16 oz tomato sauce
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 3 quinces each cut in 8 wedges (If you can't find quince, you can substitute with granny smith apples. However, do not add the apples until the last 15-20 minutes.)
- ¾ cup prunes
- 2 tablespoon canola oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 pinch saffron ground and steeped in 2 tablespoon hot water
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Sautee the onion in the canola oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the beef, turmeric, salt, and pepper and sautee until brown on all sides.
- Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses and 4 cups water. Bring to boil. Lower to simmer. Add the prunes and quince. Simmer for 90 minutes.
- Optional: Before serving, add the saffron and mix.
- Serve with basmati rice. Noush-ie-jan!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in January of 2017 but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips October of 2019. It was updated in February 2023 with a new 'Why This Recipe Works' section, FAQs, and additional details throughout.
Tiffany
I finally know what to do with the quince from the tree in my yard. Hoping my Tajik neighbors will love it as much as Iranians do!
Candice
Yay! Can't wait to hear what you think, Tiffany!
Debra Stenberg
This week, I had the opportunity to buy a 5-gallon bucket full of gorgeous quince from a neighbor with a tree in her back yard. I have not tried it before and had jelly in mind but have quickly realized how much jelly that bucketful will make! So I started a batch of membrillo yesterday and now have an 8x8 inch baking dish full of the thick sauce in the dehydrator. The instant pot has another batch of cooked quince waiting to be drained and then boiled into jelly. (I'm going to try throwing in jalapenos for a pepper jelly). So when this recipe came up, I gladly went out and bought a $15 chuck steak (only around 1.25 lbs) and I have it stewing with the other ingredients now. I didn't have pomegranate molasses, so I threw in a 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds, figuring they will cook down too. Looking forward very much to trying it!
Candice
What an incredible bounty of quince, Debra! And you're making such wonderful things.
The pomegranate will cook down - homemade pomegranate molasses is just cooked down pomegranate juice. Sounds like you had quite the feast... enjoy!
Anoosheh
Thank you Candace. I loved your recipe. This came very close to my mom’s recipe. The portions were all perfect.
Candice
This makes me so happy to hear, Anoosheh! It's hard to live up to a mom's recipe. Thank you.
Sharon
This recipe is missing yellow split peas
Candice
Khoresh e beh does not usually have split peas, but you can add them if you'd like! You may be thinking about Koresh Gheymeh 🙂
Meg
Thank you so much for this recipe. I've been wanting to try something different lately, and this is perfect! The flavors worked so well together & it was so nice to be able to see every step in preparation so beautifully documented.
Candice
That is wonderful to hear, Meg! This one is always such a hit with everyone. Glad you enjoyed the flavors!
Lori
You've inspired me to want to try quince, Candice! And the flavors in this were amazing and I love the color. Such a cozy dish!
Candice
Thanks, Lori! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!! Definitely one of my favorite cozy dishes.
Kushigalu
This recipe is sonething new to me. So flavorful and delicious.
Candice
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Annissa
What a wonderful combination of sweet and savory flavors! I've never tried quince. It does look like an apple, but tastes so different. And it's delicious in this stew... Thanks for sharing!
Candice
Thank you so much, Annissa! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Jamie
What a flavorful, hearty stew! My home smelled amazing making this!
Candice
Thank you, Jamie... So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Ashley @ Sweetpea Lifestyle
Yummm!!!! I've had a similar recipe at a Persian restaurant, and I can't wait to try this at home! Thanks for sharing!
Candice
Can't wait to hear what you think, Ashley!