Gheymeh Recipe: Persian Split Pea & Meat Stew

Gheymeh is a Persian split pea and meat stew simmered with tomato, dried lime, and a touch of cinnamon, traditionally topped with crispy golden fried potato matchsticks (sib zamini sorkh karde) just before serving. It’s one of the most common everyday stews in Iranian home cooking.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1.5-2 hours
Servings: 4-6

Gheymeh Ingredients

1 lb stew beef or lamb, cubed
1 cup yellow split peas, rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp tomato paste
2-3 whole dried limes (limoo amani), pierced with a fork
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp turmeric
2-3 medium potatoes, cut into matchsticks, for frying
Oil, salt, and pepper to taste

How to Make Gheymeh

In a pot, sauté the chopped onion in oil until golden, then add the cubed meat and brown on all sides.
Stir in the turmeric and tomato paste, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add enough water to cover, along with the pierced dried limes and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.
Add the rinsed split peas and continue simmering, covered, for another 45 minutes to an hour, until the meat is tender and the split peas are soft but still holding their shape. Season with salt and pepper.
While the stew finishes, fry the potato matchsticks in oil until golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel and salt lightly.
Ladle the stew over steamed rice and top each serving with a generous handful of the crispy fried potatoes right before serving, so they stay crunchy.

Short on Time? Try the Ready-Made Version

Simmering split peas and meat for nearly two hours isn’t always realistic on a weeknight. Goaldees carries a ready-to-eat canned gheymeh — just heat, top with quick-fried potato matchsticks, and serve over rice. Real dried lime (limoo amani) is worth keeping on hand if you’re building the dish from scratch — it’s what gives gheymeh its distinctive tang.

Tips for the Best Gheymeh

Pierce the dried limes before adding them — this lets their tangy flavor infuse the stew instead of staying locked inside the shell.
Don’t add the potatoes to the stew itself — frying them separately and adding just before serving is what keeps them crisp instead of turning soggy.
Simmer the split peas gently — too vigorous a boil breaks them down into mush; a low simmer keeps them intact.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is gheymeh made of?

Gheymeh is a stew of cubed meat and yellow split peas simmered with tomato paste, dried lime, and cinnamon, typically topped with crispy fried potato matchsticks and served over rice.

Why does gheymeh taste tangy?

The tang comes from dried limes (limoo amani), which are simmered whole in the stew and pierced first to release their sour, slightly smoky flavor.

Why do the potatoes go on top instead of in the stew?

Frying the potato matchsticks separately and adding them just before serving keeps them crisp — simmered in the stew, they would turn soft and soggy.

Is there a faster way to make gheymeh?

Yes — Goaldees sells a ready-to-eat canned gheymeh, so you can skip the long simmer and just heat, top with fried potatoes, and serve over rice.

Shop the Ready-Made Version

Skip the long simmer and try authentic gheymeh from Goaldees (also searched as Goldis), shipped fresh, nationwide across the US. Shop Can Foods.

Not sure which stew to try? See our Persian khoresht guide comparing this and 3 other classics.