Soups
Green-Herb & Kidney-Bean Stew
Parsley, cilantro, spinach, and scallions cook down into a deeply green mushroom and kidney-bean stew with lemon, served beside rice.
Inspired by Persian-inspired herb stews
Prep
25 min
Cook
45 min
Serves
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Pantry match
Uses the current servings and temporary recipe changes.
Missing 16 ingredients
- • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- • 1 onion, diced
- • 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
- • 3 garlic cloves, minced
- • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- • 2 cups finely chopped parsley
- • 1 cup finely chopped cilantro
- • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- • 6 ounces spinach, finely chopped
- • 2 cans kidney beans (15 ounces each), drained and rinsed
- • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- • 1 cup dry white rice
- • 2 cups water
View ingredient-by-ingredient match
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, dividedMissing
- 1 onion, dicedMissing
- 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, quarteredMissing
- 3 garlic cloves, mincedMissing
- 1/2 teaspoon turmericMissing
- 2 cups finely chopped parsleyMissing
- 1 cup finely chopped cilantroMissing
- 4 scallions, thinly slicedMissing
- 6 ounces spinach, finely choppedMissing
- 2 cans kidney beans (15 ounces each), drained and rinsedMissing
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable brothMissing
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher saltMissing
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepperMissing
- 2 tablespoons lemon juiceMissing
- 1 cup dry white riceMissing
- 2 cups waterMissing
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Method
Recipe notes
This plant-based herb stew is inspired by Persian cooking, using mushrooms and kidney beans without claiming to reproduce traditional ghormeh sabzi. Gently cooking down the generous herbs is the defining technique; a quick handful of raw garnish cannot replace it. Canned kidney beans are fully cooked and suit this shorter simmer.
Planning, storage, and serving
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate stew within two hours in shallow containers and use within 3–4 days. Cool rice separately and reheat both until hot throughout; freeze the stew in portions up to two months.
Make-ahead tips
Wash, dry, and chop herbs a day ahead and refrigerate them in a covered container. The cooked stew reheats well; reserve a little of the measured lemon juice for the reheated finish.
What to serve with it
- - Cucumber tomato salad
- - Roasted carrots
- - Personally suitable flatbread
Equipment needed
- - Heavy stew saucepan
- - Wide herb skillet
- - Rice saucepan and chopping board
Difficulty explained
Chopping and gently reducing the herbs takes attention; the bean simmer is straightforward once the herbs are cooked and the rice is underway.
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Nutrition facts
Updating nutrition…
Alternatives
Apply a reviewed substitution to this temporary working copy. The published recipe stays unchanged.
Browse reviewed options
Long-grain brown rice
Use the same volume of long-grain brown rice for a whole-grain variation.
Black beans
Use the same drained quantity of black beans in chili, soups, or bowls.
Flat-leaf parsley
Use the same volume of chopped flat-leaf parsley if cilantro is disliked.
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Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Adding wet unchopped herbs directly to broth misses the cooked-down herb flavor and leaves long tangled stems.
- Frying herbs over very high heat scorches them before their moisture evaporates; keep the skillet moderate.
- Using uncooked dried kidney beans in this short method is unsuitable; use fully cooked canned or separately cooked beans.
Nutrition Context
- Kidney beans provide plant protein and fiber; the estimate also includes the rice and both measured tablespoons of olive oil.
- This version relies on herbs, mushrooms, and lemon for flavor rather than meat or cream, and broth sodium varies with the product.
FAQ
Is this ghormeh sabzi?
It is an accessible plant-based herb stew inspired by Persian flavors, with different ingredients from traditional versions.
Can I use dried kidney beans?
Only after separately soaking and fully cooking them with appropriate boiling. The short stew method assumes cooked beans.
Why so many herbs?
They cook down substantially and form the body of the stew rather than acting as a garnish.
Can I skip cilantro?
Replace it with additional parsley if personally preferred; the herb balance will taste different.
Does lemon go in early?
It is added at the end here so its brightness survives the simmer and can be judged before serving.
What sides pair best with this dish?
Good pairings include Cucumber tomato salad; Roasted carrots; Personally suitable flatbread. Choose one or two based on how substantial you want the meal to be.