Khoresh Kadoo Halvaii (Butternut Squash Stew)
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- A pinch of saffron threads (about ¾ teaspoon)
- 1tablespoon plus a pinch of granulated sugar, more as needed
- 1pound precut butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes if needed
- ¼cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 1large yellow onion, finely chopped
- ½teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1(15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1tablespoon tomato paste
- 20pitted prunes or dried golden sour prunes (aloo Bukhara), rinsed (see Tip)
- 2tablespoons lemon juice, plus more as needed
- Steamed rice, fresh herbs, scallions and plain yogurt, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
564 calories; 20 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 91 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 30 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 903 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2
Bring 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a small saucepan or kettle, or using the microwave, then let stand for 2 minutes to allow the temperature to drop slightly while you grind the saffron. Using a mortar and pestle (or small bowl and the handle of a wooden spoon), grind the saffron with a pinch of sugar to a fine powder (scant ¼ teaspoon), add the hot water, gently stir, cover and let steep until ready to use.
- Step 3
Place the butternut squash in a mound in the center of the prepared baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt, and season with pepper. Toss to combine. Scatter the squash across the baking sheet in an even layer, and roast for 10 minutes. Flip the squash and roast until golden and almost tender, about 10 minutes more.
- Step 4
Meanwhile, in a medium pot, heat remaining ¼ cup oil over medium-high, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Step 5
Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle the onion with a little salt, add the turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas, season well with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. With the back of a wooden spoon, crush a few chickpeas to release their starches. Taste the chickpeas and make sure they’re seasoned to your liking.
- Step 6
Push the chickpeas to the sides and make a little space in the middle of the pot; if the pot is dry, drizzle in a little more oil. Add the tomato paste to the oil to cook off its raw taste, stirring continuously and taking care not to burn the paste, about 1 minute. Mix the tomato paste with the chickpeas, add 2 cups water and bring to a gentle boil, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the prunes and half of the saffron water. Stir, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Step 7
Add the roasted squash, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sugar and the remaining saffron water. Gently stir to combine, cover and simmer over low heat until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. The stew should be saucy but not soupy: add more water if the stew is too thick, or simmer uncovered if it’s too loose. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon juice or a little more sugar if needed to balance all the flavors. Serve over rice with herbs, scallions and a dollop of plain yogurt.
Tip
- You can purchase aloo Bukhara, golden sour prunes, from Iranian markets and online. They’re also great to snack on.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Tim
Oversalted the winter squash by accident using fine sea salt instead of kosher, but it still tasted great with the sweetness of the prunes. Rich and delicious on a fall day!
Nan
Pierce the skin of the squash 8-10 times with the tip of a sharp knife then microwave for 3 minutes. Makes prepping so much easier!!
JillMB
I substituted kabocha squash for butternut, dried apricots for prunes and added a few florets of uncooked cauliflower. Instead of sugar I used similar amount of pomegranate molasses. Also, I had fresh turmeric so grated some into the onion saute. Fabulous fragrant vegetarian dish! Served with basmati rice.
Gina
This was delicious. Weird mix of ingredients for us US folks but I like that about The NY Times. Recipes expand my horizons. We served over rice. I cooked my own Butternut squash so it took a bit longer but still made in about an hour. I had large prunes so I cut them in half and used 10 instead of 20.
Gaelen
I made this and it was divine! Had a hankering for turmeric when this popped up in the inbox. Of course I couldn’t just follow the recipe- I had most ingredients but had to sub a few. I used kabocha squash and regular prunes. I didn’t have any saffron on hand. I doubled the turmeric, and also added a few dashes of cumin and coriander. Served the next day (stews are always better on day 2, right?) over rice, with a squeeze of lime, sliced green onion, and sheep milk yogurt. YUM.
Rami
Made as directed except had to use regular prunes. Taste is nice, but its a lot of work, standing, chopping, stirring for an hour. Lots of cleanup too. Don't know if I'll make again.
Cindy A
Absolute heaven. Quickly became one of our favorite Khoreshes! I had a package of organic boneless skinless chicken thighs, so started this in the usual Persian way: sauté the onions with turmeric, salt and pepper till they get some color, then add salt and peppered chicken pieces, turning them to coat w juices and proceed with the rest of the stew ingredients. Fantastic fall dish. If you’re interested in exploring Persian food, check out Naz’s excellent book, “Bottom of the Pot”
Kim
I grew up eating all kinds of khoresh so am familiar with the desired flavors. This one did not disappoint! It is also amenable to some modification. I didn't have the prunes so I substituted some date-tamarind paste and left out the sugar. The sourness of the tamarind was a great substitute for the prunes and the flavor was excellent. I also did not have saffron- I'm sure it would have been better with it but I would still make it again without.
annie o
Golden raisins worked as a good substitute for the prunes.
Nan
I made this as directed (regular prunes) and LOVED it. I prepped/roasted the squash the night before when the oven was already on and also pre-prepped the onion. Can’t wait to try this with sour prunes.
Sue
Followed recipe, using the aloo Bukhara/golden sour prunes. Unique and delicious flavors. I think the golden sour prunes are essential to this dish. They're easy to get online. Otherwise, I think dried apricots might be the best alternative. Now I'm thinking about other ways to use the aloo Bukhara. Probably would be good with chicken.
Jules
Prepared as written. Next time I will use aloo Bukhara because regular prunes are just a little too sweet, but this was delicious!
Linnea
Substituted sweet potato for butternut squash. Peeled and chopped and baked for 15ish minutes with EVOO/salt/pepper. Needs 1 whole lemon, scallions, yogurt at the end. Use medium beige le creuset. If doubling, use big red one.
James
I loved it! It was a little too sweet with the regular plums, but next time I'll up the sour (maybe a little tamarind paste?) A nice, lush, complexity of flavors. I added some toasted cashews for some crunch, and spinach for some greens. Definitely a keeper.
Hannah
I ended up using unsulfured, dark apricots rather than prunes since I had them around already - I found the result to be a little tart/sour without a baseline flavor to ground it. Prunes may have ameliorated this, but I think next time I might try to add something for better depth - more tomato paste maybe? Serrano? Also, instead of sugar, I'd recommend pomegranate syrup.
Susan
A hit! Didn’t have saffron; made do with turmeric, cardamom, fresh ginger. Didn’t have prunes, used dates (delicious) and dried apricots. Also didn’t have tomato paste; used Aaji’s Lonsa. Cooking time was a bit longer than expected. Overall a great meal!!!
Karmy
Followed directions exactly and we all liked it. That said, I thought it needed another spice note to go with the sour plums. Online I see lots of recipes call for a bit of cinnamon. I think I'll try that next time. I also think that roasting the squash separately might not add much to the flavor. I'm going to try cooking the squash directly in the stew next time. I found the yellow plums in our local Korean market. They looked a lot like giant sultanas so easy to overlook.
Heather
Absolutely delicious. I used about 10 dates because that’s what I had on hand, otherwise made as is. Will add to the dinner rotation for sure!
annie o
Golden raisins worked as a good substitute for the prunes.
Sara
Roast squash til nearly done. It doesn’t cook long in the stew. Don’t use full TB of sugar.
Kit K
Made this as written other than leaving out the sugar. Butternut squash is sweet, tomato paste is sweet, the prunes (even sour ones) are sweet. It just didn’t need sugar. For “herbs” I used parsley, mint & chives. I’ll definitely make this again, but I do feel like it was a little labor intensive. Adding things in batches and then cooking for 10 more min, and then 10 more, and then 10 more felt a bit unnecessarily complicated. Maybe next time I’ll try to adapt it for instantpot?
pchips
I added carrots and a few potatoes otherwise stuck to the recipe. Fantastic and simple.
Linda
A beautiful dish. The balance of salty, sweet and tart against the saffron is unimaginably delicious. Followed recipe really closely. I used dried plums and cut them in half to make 20 pieces. This was just right for a spoonful. I let all the flavors sit for about an hour on a low simmer in the last step. Added salt and lemon. Used cilantro and mint for garnish. White rice. Realized too late I didnt have yoghurt so used small amt of sour cream. It was ok - yoghurt is better.
Rebecca
I thought this was a stellar recipe! Loved how filling it was without feeling heavy. The sour prunes have an addictive flavor
Megan
This was a great weeknight way to use some butternut squash from my CSA box. I'm tired of the typical euroamerican fall squash flavor profile and sought a more interesting alternative. This was super tasty and easy to make. I didn't have aloo Bukhara but subbed raisins... totally fine. Added some chopped kale for the last 10-15 minutes to include some greenery. Served with yogurt and chopped cucumbers.
Jeff M
So fragrant; a nice vegetarian option w/chickpeas - and also good with side dish of [last night’s spicy] grilled chicken. Would raisins substitute ok for the prunes?… don’t usually have the latter on hand. May become a Fall (squash season) favorite.
Anne
Really wonderful. Prepared as written, but added a couple of chicken thighs to roast along with the squash and simmered with the vegetables. Used chickpeas as instructed. Also added a light sprinkle of red pepper flakes on the squash before baking. Truly a keeper!
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