Khoresh Gheymeh is a robust and flavorful meat and split pea soup, instantly recognizable by the yellow split peas dotted throughout.

It has the fragrant Persian spice mix, advieh, to give it layers of complex flavor, but I’m giving you a shortcut if you don’t have it on hand or feel like making it. You’ll want to serve this stew with roasted potatoes or steamed basmati rice!

Serving bowl with red meat stew with split peas.

🌟Why you’ll love this recipe

  • An amazing stew has a depth and richness of Iranian flavors from the advieh and dried limes. The dried limes are a crucial part of the dish. They are citrusy and add a unique slightly sour flavor to the stew. The tender, flavorful meat plus a savory tomato-based broth and a slight sweetness from the split peas.
  • I usually use boneless lamb roast as my meat of choice, but it works with beef too. It gets super tender because the meat is gently browned on all sides in the initial steps and then it cooks fully as the stew cooks. Cooking it more than that will make it tough and dry.

🧾Ingredients in this recipe

Meat and other stew ingredients on a white countertop.
  • Lamb – boneless lamb roast is my go-to, but you can also use beef like shoulder or chuck roast.
  • Yellow split peas – The flavor of yellow split peas is mild, nutty and slightly sweet, though some people’s tastebuds register green peas as sweeter. Make sure they are rinsed and picked through for tiny rocks before adding to your stew.
  • Turmeric – This orange-yellow spice comes from a plant in the ginger family. You’ll want fresh, powdered turmeric for the stew.
  • Dried Limes – These are small limes boiled in a salt brine and left to dry until they harden. They add a unique sourness to your stew to balance the flavors. You can buy dried limes on Amazon or at your local Middle-Eastern market.
  • Advieh – you can make your own, find advieh online, and/or don’t have time to make it, you can substitute every 1 teaspoon of advieh with this mix: ⅓ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon coriander, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of cardamom.
  • Tomato paste – You will need a whole can of this, rather than just a small tube tomato paste sometimes comes in.
  • Onions – Yellow onions are preferred for this recipe, but white onions can work.
  • Oil – I tend to use canola oil, but any flavorless oil will do.
  • Salt & Pepper – Keep these handy so you can season to your liking.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

👩‍🍳How to Make This Recipe

The first step is to partially cook the yellow split peas by bringing a pot of hot water to a gentle boil. You should par-boil them for about half an hour, then drain and set aside.

Next, sautee the yellow onions in the oil over medium-high heat, until they are translucent.

Add in the boneless lamb roast cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks, season with the advieh, turmeric, salt, and pepper, and then sauté the meat until it’s brown on all sides.

Pro Tip

Do not overcook the meat at this stage or it will be dry and tough. Just barely brown the meat on all sides without cooking it all the way through.

Add the garlic and stir while you cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Meat browning in a white pot on a stove.

Now you’re ready to add in the tomato paste, 4 cups of water, parboiled split peas, and dried limes. Bring the stew to a boil.

White pot on a stove with red stew.

Then, lower the stew to a simmer on the lowest possible simmer setting and simmer it for 1 hour.

Then your stew is ready! I like to serve over perfectly roasted potatoes. You can also cook potatoes in the stew, and serve on steamed basmati rice if you prefer. Simply peel yukon gold potatoes and add them to the stew at the same time as the water is added.

I find this stew freezes well – You can freeze it in a freezer bag, or portion it our using a silicone tray. These are the trays I like to use to freeze soups, stews, stocks, and more.

Serving bowl with red meat stew.

Hungry for more Persian recipes and stews? I have some sure-to-please dishes ready for you!

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.★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

Serving bowl with red meat stew.
Author: Candice Walker

Khoresh Gheymeh (Persian Meat and Split Pea Stew)

5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Save
Khoresh Gheymeh is a robust and flavorful meat and split pea soup, instantly recognizable by the yellow split peas dotted throughout.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Persian
Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 260kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. boneless lamb roast or beef chuck or shoulder
  • 3 tbsp flavorless oil like canola or avocado seed
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric dry, ground
  • 2 tsp advieh
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/2 cup yellow split peas picked through for rocks
  • 6 oz. tomato paste 1 small can
  • 2 dried limes
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Partially cook yellow split peas in hot water at a gentle boil. You should par-boil them for about half an hour, then drain and set aside.
  • Next, sautee the yellow onions in the oil over medium-high heat, until they are translucent.
  • Add in boneless lamb roast or beef, advieh, turmeric, salt, and pepper and sauté meat until it's brown on all sides.
  • Add the garlic and stir while you cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add in the tomato paste, 4 cups of water, split peas, and dried limes.
  • Bring the stew to a boil.
  • Serve stew warm over potatoes or rice

Video

Notes

You can buy dried limes on Amazon or at your local Middle-Eastern market.
You can make your own advieh or find it online, and/or don’t have time to make it, you can substitute every 1 teaspoon of advieh with this mix: ⅓ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon coriander, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of cardamom.
Do not overcook the meat when you are browning it or it will be dry and tough. Just barely brown the meat on all sides without cooking it all the way through.
You can cook potatoes in the stew and serve on steamed basmati rice. Simply peel yukon gold potatoes and add them to the stew at the same time as the water is added. Or, you can serve the stew over potatoes.
Freezer friendly.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 723mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 470IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.

3 Comments

  2. 5 stars
    I was gifted a bag of yellow split peas and didn’t know how to use them so I gave this recipe a try and now I’m realizing how much I love Persian cuisine! I can’t wait to try all of your stew recipes. Thanks for the delicious introduction!

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad you’re enjoying it, Kara… thank you for taking the time to share! Looking forward to hearing what you think, and as always, feel free to send any questions my way.

      Reply
5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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