Home Cook Together. Celebrate Life.

PersianAuthentic Cuisine

Persian Bean Stew

Serves 4 to 6 Entree vegetarian

Persian Bean Stew

Persian Bean Stew, a staple of home kitchens across Iran, is a comforting dish often prepared for family dinners. This version mirrors the way a Persian family cook would prepare it, with ingredients measured by intuition and seasoned to personal preference. A hearty blend of beans and tomatoes, it's a dish that speaks of home and warmth, shared around a table with loved ones.

The stew carries a rich and satisfying flavor, with the beans providing a creamy texture, balanced by the savory depth of tomato paste and the soft sweetness of slow-cooked onions. Generous use of oil gives it a luscious mouthfeel, while salt and pepper add a simple yet effective seasoning, allowing the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine.

Ingredients

  • 400 gdried beans — soaked
  • 1onion
  • 2 tbsptomato paste
  • 80 mloil
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Rinse the 400 g of dried beans under cold water and place them in a large bowl. Cover with plenty of water and let them soak overnight. This step is crucial for softening the beans and reducing cooking time. Once soaked, drain the beans and set them aside.
  2. Peel and finely chop the onion. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 80 ml of oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. This slow cooking releases the onion's sweetness, forming the base of the stew.
  3. Stir in 2 tbsp of tomato paste into the onions. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly in color and melds with the onions. This step enhances the flavor and gives the stew its rich color.
  4. Add the soaked and drained beans to the pot. Pour in enough water to cover the beans by about 2 inches. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the flavors have melded together. The beans should be soft but not mushy, and the stew should have a thick consistency.
  5. Season the stew with fine sea salt and black pepper to taste. Stir well and let it cook for another few minutes to allow the seasoning to blend into the stew. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, ensuring the flavors are balanced and to your liking.
  6. Serve the Persian Bean Stew warm, ideally with a side of rice or bread, and enjoy it as part of a shared meal. The stew should have a rich, savory aroma and a hearty texture, perfect for a comforting meal.
Cover of Authentic Persian Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Persian Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Persian Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Persian volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

Explore Persian cuisine