Ghormeh Sabzi (Vegan)
Stews
Middle Eastern-Inspired
Ingredients:
For the Herbs (Sabzi):
- 120 g (4 cups, packed) fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 120 g (4 cups, packed) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 100 g (1 cup) green onions, thinly sliced
- 5 g (1/4 cup) dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) neutral oil or olive oil
For the Stew Base:
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral oil or olive oil
- 150 g (1 large) yellow onion, diced
- 9 g (3 cloves) garlic, minced
- 225 g (8 oz) cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 3 g (1 tsp) ground turmeric
- 16 g (1 tbsp) tomato paste
- 6 g (1 tsp) salt, plus more to taste
- 1 g (1/2 tsp) black pepper
For Simmering:
- 250 g (1 can, drained and rinsed) red kidney beans
- 750 ml (3 cups) water or vegetable broth
- 4 dried limes (limoo amani), pierced with a knife, or 45 ml (3 tbsp) lime juice to finish
To Serve:
- Cooked basmati rice
Equipments:
Features:
Freezer Friendly
Meal Prep Friendly
Nutrition:
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Wash and dry the herbs well before chopping. Wet herbs steam instead of fry, and they take much longer to darken. Chop everything before you start, since the herbs need constant stirring once they are in the pot.
Salt: Start with 1 tsp and adjust at the end. The stew reduces as it simmers, so it is easy to over-salt early.
Sugar: None is needed. If the dried limes make the stew too sour, stir in a pinch of sugar to balance it.
Oil: Neutral oil or olive oil both work. The oil is what fries the herbs, so do not cut it back much.
Flour: There is no flour in this recipe, so it is naturally gluten-free as long as your broth and tomato paste are.
Instructions:
- Fry the herbs: Heat 30 ml (2 tbsp) oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the parsley, cilantro, and green onions and cook, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the herbs are dark green, reduced, and very fragrant. Stir in the dried fenugreek leaves for the last 2 minutes. Scrape the herbs into a bowl.
- Cook the base: In the same pot, heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Brown the mushrooms: Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned and the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the turmeric, tomato paste, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- Simmer: Return the herbs to the pot and add the kidney beans, water, and pierced dried limes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stew is thick and the oil rises to the surface.
- Season: Taste and adjust the salt. If you skipped the dried limes, stir in 45 ml (3 tbsp) lime juice now. Remove the dried limes if the stew tastes bitter.
- Serve: Spoon over basmati rice.
Common Mistakes: Under-frying the herbs. They should turn dark green and almost jammy, which is what gives ghormeh sabzi its deep flavor. Adding too much dried fenugreek, which turns the stew bitter.
Notes: Dried limes (limoo amani) are sold at Persian and Middle Eastern grocery stores and online. Pierce them so the flavor can escape. If you cannot find them, finish the stew with lime juice instead. The stew tastes better after a night in the fridge.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Swaps: Black-eyed peas or pinto beans can replace the kidney beans. Cubed fried tofu or seitan can be added with the beans for a heartier stew. Leek can replace the green onions.
Tips: Serve with a side of sliced raw onion, fresh herbs, and plain vegan yogurt. Make a crispy rice bottom (tahdig) if you want to go all out.
Parsley, cilantro, and green onions — the herb base that defines the dish. Frying them gives the stew its dark green color and deep savory flavor.
Dried fenugreek leaves — add the signature earthy, slightly bitter note that makes ghormeh sabzi taste authentic.
Onion and garlic — build the savory backbone of the stew.
Mushrooms — replace the meat with a meaty texture and plenty of umami.
Kidney beans — the traditional bean in this stew, adding protein and body.
Turmeric and tomato paste — add warm color and a little depth without making the stew taste tomatoey.
Dried limes — give the stew its tangy, slightly fermented sourness. Lime juice is a fine substitute.
Ghormeh Sabzi (Vegan)
Ingredients:
For the Herbs (Sabzi):
- 120 g (4 cups, packed) fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 120 g (4 cups, packed) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 100 g (1 cup) green onions, thinly sliced
- 5 g (1/4 cup) dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) neutral oil or olive oil
For the Stew Base:
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral oil or olive oil
- 150 g (1 large) yellow onion, diced
- 9 g (3 cloves) garlic, minced
- 225 g (8 oz) cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 3 g (1 tsp) ground turmeric
- 16 g (1 tbsp) tomato paste
- 6 g (1 tsp) salt, plus more to taste
- 1 g (1/2 tsp) black pepper
For Simmering:
- 250 g (1 can, drained and rinsed) red kidney beans
- 750 ml (3 cups) water or vegetable broth
- 4 dried limes (limoo amani), pierced with a knife, or 45 ml (3 tbsp) lime juice to finish
To Serve:
- Cooked basmati rice
Equipments:
Features:
Why These Ingredients:
Parsley, cilantro, and green onions — the herb base that defines the dish. Frying them gives the stew its dark green color and deep savory flavor.
Dried fenugreek leaves — add the signature earthy, slightly bitter note that makes ghormeh sabzi taste authentic.
Onion and garlic — build the savory backbone of the stew.
Mushrooms — replace the meat with a meaty texture and plenty of umami.
Kidney beans — the traditional bean in this stew, adding protein and body.
Turmeric and tomato paste — add warm color and a little depth without making the stew taste tomatoey.
Dried limes — give the stew its tangy, slightly fermented sourness. Lime juice is a fine substitute.
Prep:
Wash and dry the herbs well before chopping. Wet herbs steam instead of fry, and they take much longer to darken. Chop everything before you start, since the herbs need constant stirring once they are in the pot.
Instructions:
- Fry the herbs: Heat 30 ml (2 tbsp) oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the parsley, cilantro, and green onions and cook, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the herbs are dark green, reduced, and very fragrant. Stir in the dried fenugreek leaves for the last 2 minutes. Scrape the herbs into a bowl.
- Cook the base: In the same pot, heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Brown the mushrooms: Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned and the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the turmeric, tomato paste, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
- Simmer: Return the herbs to the pot and add the kidney beans, water, and pierced dried limes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stew is thick and the oil rises to the surface.
- Season: Taste and adjust the salt. If you skipped the dried limes, stir in 45 ml (3 tbsp) lime juice now. Remove the dried limes if the stew tastes bitter.
- Serve: Spoon over basmati rice.
