This vegan Khoresh Gheymeh (a plant-based Persian stew) is easy to make and full of nutritious, delicious flavor.
One of my husband’s favorite childhood dishes is Khoresh Gheymeh — a rich, comforting Persian stew made with yellow split peas, tomato paste, dried limes, and tender meat. And while I may not pronounce it quite right (apologies to the Persian speakers out there!), I have managed to create a plant-based version that hits all the nostalgic notes without the meat.
It took quite a few test runs — and a few mushy or undercooked lentil disasters — but I finally nailed it. The trick? Pre-cooking the split peas. Yellow split peas tend to take their sweet time softening, and if you throw them in with the rest of the ingredients, they just won’t cook as quickly. Soak and simmer them separately, then add them to the stew once tender for that perfect texture.
This vegan Khoresh Gheymeh gets its signature flavor from aromatic spices like turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and paprika, plus limoo omani (dried Persian limes) which give it a beautifully tangy, slightly smoky finish. Traditionally, it’s topped with thin, crispy potato fries. And while I’d love to say I hand-cut and fry my own potatoes every time… I’m a shortcut fan. Frozen fries do the trick just fine.
My kids devour this dish — I suspect the fries have something to do with it — and I love that they’re being exposed to both nutrient-dense ingredients and their cultural heritage in a way that feels fun and familiar.
Whether you’re new to Persian food or looking for a cozy plant-based meal to add to your rotation, this stew is a must-try. Serve it over rice and don’t forget the fries!
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Vegan Khoresh-Gheymeh
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick cooking split yellow peas
- 1 sweet yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3-5 dried limes (Limoo Omanis)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak yellow split peas for 10 minutes. Drain.
- Bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil, add split peas and reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Cook onion with olive oil until golden brown.
- Add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, and cumin, cook for about 30 seconds.
- Carefully pierce 1-2 holes in each dried lime with a knife.
- Add tomato paste, 5 dried limes, pierced (Limoo Omanis), cooked split peas, and 2.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes until split peas are softened but still retain a little bite.
- Salt to taste.
- Serve with rice and fried potatoes or french fries.
