Khoresh Rivas (Savory Rhubarb and Bean Stew) Recipe
Khoresh Rivas is a traditional Persian savory stew featuring tender red rhubarb, butter beans, fresh herbs, and aromatic saffron. This flavorful dish balances the tartness of rhubarb with fragrant parsley, mint, turmeric, and lemon, served over fluffy rice for a comforting and vibrant meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Persian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Herbs and Aromatics
- 3 large bunches parsley (about 12 ounces), tough stems trimmed, leaves and tender stems finely chopped (about 3 cups)
- 2 large bunches mint (about 5 ounces), stems trimmed, leaves finely chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Seasonings and Flavorings
- 1 tablespoon plus a pinch of granulated sugar, plus more to taste
- A pinch of saffron threads (about ¾ teaspoon)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
Beans and Vegetables
- 3 (15-ounce) cans butter beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 to 3 large red rhubarb stalks (about 8 ounces), cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
Oils and Liquids
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- Water, as needed (about 2 cups plus a few tablespoons)
To Serve
- Cooked rice
Instructions
- Prepare saffron infusion: Bring a few tablespoons of water to a boil in a small pot. Let it cool slightly for 2 minutes. Grind a pinch of sugar with the saffron threads into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or a small bowl and wooden spoon handle. Add 2 tablespoons of hot water, stir gently, cover, and let steep until ready to use.
- Cook herbs: Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chopped parsley and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 8 minutes. Add more oil if dry. Then add chopped mint and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until fragrant but not burned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Sauté onions and beans: In a large deep sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium-high. Add onions and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Reduce heat to medium, add turmeric, stir, and cook for 30 seconds. Add rinsed beans, season with salt and pepper, and gently cook for 5 minutes to meld flavors without breaking beans. Taste and adjust salt.
- Simmer stew base: Add the cooked parsley and mint mixture, 2 cups water, and half of the saffron water to the beans. Season with salt, stir gently, and bring to a rapid simmer. Partly cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until flavors meld and oil rises on top.
- Finish stew flavor: Stir in remaining saffron water, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Simmer partly covered for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more water if needed to maintain a saucy consistency, or remove lid to reduce liquid. Stew can be made up to this point a day ahead.
- Sear rhubarb: Clean the pan used for herbs, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat over medium. Add rhubarb pieces and cook, turning each side, until color deepens, about 2 minutes per side. Rhubarb should remain slightly firm, not fully cooked.
- Combine rhubarb and finish cooking: Gently add seared rhubarb to the stew, increase heat to medium-low, partly cover, and cook for about 10 minutes until rhubarb is tender and imparts its tangy flavor. Avoid stirring rhubarb to maintain shape. Taste stew and add extra lemon juice or sugar as needed for balance.
- Serve: Spoon the stew over cooked rice and enjoy warm.
Notes
- The parsley and mint mixture is cooked separately to enhance flavor before combining with the stew.
- Be careful not to burn the mint, as it cooks quickly.
- Turmeric intensifies during cooking; it might taste strong early on but mellows as the stew simmers.
- Rhubarb is only partially cooked when seared to keep texture before finishing in the stew.
- The stew can be prepared a day ahead up to adding rhubarb, making it convenient for meal prep.
- Adjust sugar and lemon juice to taste to balance the tartness of the rhubarb.
Keywords: Khoresh Rivas, Persian stew, rhubarb stew, butter beans stew, saffron recipe, mint parsley stew, vegetarian Persian dish
