Walnut spinach stew is a slow-cooked Persian dish from the Damghan tradition, built around tender mutton, plenty of spinach and finely ground walnuts. Saffron and cinnamon give the dark, savoury sauce a warm finish, while tomato or pomegranate paste can steer it toward tangy or gently sweet.
Walnut spinach stew ingredients
- 400 g boneless mutton or lamb, cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 kg fresh spinach
- ⅔ cup walnuts, finely ground
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Tomato paste, as needed, starting with 1 tablespoon
- Brewed saffron, as needed
- Salt, black pepper, turmeric and cinnamon, to taste
- Neutral oil, as needed
- Hot water, as needed
The quantities are flexible, but the generous amount of spinach is intentional. It cooks down substantially and becomes the body of the stew rather than a small garnish.
Prepare the ingredients
Wash the spinach carefully to remove any grit, drain it well and chop it into medium ribbons. Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, cube the meat and grind the walnuts. Brew the saffron separately so it is ready for the final stage.
Avoid leaving the spinach wet. Extra washing water dilutes the sauce and makes the greens steam rather than sauté.
Brown and braise the mutton
- Warm a little oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly golden.
- Add the garlic and a small pinch of turmeric. Stir for less than a minute, just until fragrant.
- Add the mutton and brown it on several sides. Work in batches if necessary rather than crowding the pan.
- Move the meat aside, add the tomato paste and fry it briefly until it darkens slightly and loses its raw smell.
- Add enough hot water to come most of the way up the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently until the mutton has begun to soften.
The full stew takes about two hours, but the exact timing depends on the cut and age of the meat. Give the mutton a head start before adding the spinach so the greens do not have to cook at a hard boil while the meat catches up.
Add the walnuts and spinach
Toast the ground walnuts in a dry frying pan over low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly. They should smell nutty but must not burn. Add them to the simmering meat and stir well.
In the same frying pan, sauté the drained spinach with a small amount of oil until it wilts and its excess moisture evaporates. Add it to the stew. Continue cooking over low heat with the lid slightly ajar, stirring occasionally so the walnuts do not settle on the base.
Season the stew
When the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened, add the brewed saffron, salt, black pepper and a restrained pinch of cinnamon. Simmer for another 10–15 minutes, then taste. The finished sauce should coat the meat and spinach rather than look watery.
Serve the Persian spinach stew with plain basmati rice or saffron rice. Let it rest off the heat for a few minutes first; the sauce thickens slightly and is easier to spoon.
Pomegranate, chicken and plum variations
For a sharper version, replace the tomato paste with pomegranate paste. Brands vary from sweet to very sour, so add it gradually. If the stew becomes too tart, balance it with a small amount of sugar; if it becomes too thick, use hot water or unsalted broth.
Chicken can replace the red meat. Use bone-in pieces for a deeper sauce and shorten the cooking time so the chicken does not dry out. The thickest part should be fully cooked before serving.
Pre-soaked stewing plums can be added during the final 30 minutes. Coriander may also be cooked with part of the spinach if you want a more aromatic green base. Both variations belong in the background: walnuts and spinach should still define the dish.
How to keep the sauce balanced
- Toast ground walnuts gently; high heat makes them bitter.
- Sauté spinach only until wilted and no longer wet.
- Use cinnamon sparingly so it does not overpower saffron.
- Add hot water in small amounts during the braise instead of flooding the pot.
- Season with salt near the end, after the sauce has reduced.
A well-made walnut spinach stew is neither a spinach soup nor a heavy walnut paste. The slow braise brings the three central ingredients—mutton, spinach and walnuts—into one cohesive sauce, with saffron there to lift the finish rather than dominate it.
