Afghan Qorma-e-Sabzi (Braised Spinach and Meat Stew)

About This Recipe

Afghan Qorma-e-Sabzi is a real, traditional Afghan dish, known as Braised Spinach and Meat Stew. Tender lamb or beef braised with a large quantity of spinach and fresh herbs until deeply savory, a comforting Afghan home-cooked stew.\n\nQorma-e-sabzi reflects Afghanistan's tradition of hearty meat and greens stews (qorma), historically valued for combining nutritious leafy greens with meat in a single, deeply flavorful pot.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Afghan home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 800 glamb or beef(cubed)
• 4 tbspneutral oil
• 2yellow onions(diced)
• 6garlic cloves(minced)
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1 tspturmeric
• 800 gfresh spinach(chopped)
• 1 cupchopped fresh cilantro
• 300 mlwater or stock
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 1lemon(juiced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the meat

   Heat oil in a heavy pot and brown the meat cubes on all sides; set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the onions

   Add onions to the same pot, cooking until soft, about 8 minutes.

3. 3

   Add spices

   Stir in garlic, coriander and turmeric, cooking for 1 minute.

4. 4

   Braise

   Return the meat to the pot, add water or stock, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until nearly tender.

5. 5

   Add greens

   Stir in chopped spinach and cilantro, pressing down as it wilts, and continue simmering uncovered for 30 minutes until the greens are fully softened and the stew has thickened.

6. 6

   Finish

   Season with salt, stir in lemon juice, and serve hot with rice or naan.

Variations

• •

  Some households add a bit of dried fenugreek leaf for extra depth.

• •

  Use ground meat instead of cubed for a faster-cooking version.

• •

  Add a few dried chilies for background heat.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions