Gheimeh, gheymeh, or qeimeh () is an Iranian cuisine stew ( khoresh) consisting of diced mutton, , , onion, and dried lime, garnished with golden, thinly sliced crispy potatoes. The stew is sometimes garnished with fried eggplant and is usually served with white rice ( polow).
Etymology
The Persian word
gheimeh (also transliterated as
qeimeh) derives from Classical Persian
qeema, which comes from a
Turkic languages word
qıyma 'minced meat', like the
Urdu language ground meat,
Turkish language kıyma, and
Greek language kimás.
[ Oxford English Dictionary, s.v.]
Iraqi variant
In Iraq, especially in the Shi’a holy cities of
Najaf and
Karbala, the Persian stew khoresh-e gheimeh (qeema) has become a beloved part of local cuisine, largely through the deep cultural and religious ties between Iran and Iraq. For centuries, Iranian pilgrims have traveled to these cities for
ziyarat, especially during major events like Arba’een. Along with their spiritual devotion, they brought their culinary traditions—including gheimeh, a hearty stew made with split peas, tomato, dried lime (limoo amani), and meat, often topped with fried potatoes. Over time, Iraqis adopted and adapted the dish, incorporating it into religious gatherings and communal meals, particularly during Muharram. Today, gheimeh is commonly served at mawakib (free food stands) during pilgrimage events, symbolizing both hospitality and the shared cultural fabric between the two nations. It can also eaten on Easter, Christmas, funerals and weddings.
Iranian variants
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Gheimeh sibzamini (): with thin-cut French fries.
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Gheimeh bademjan (): with pan-fried whole or long-cut .
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Gheimeh nesar (): with almonds and fried onions; a specialty of Qazvin.
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Pichagh gheimeh (): a different dish with almonds and fried onions; a specialty of Ardabil. Pichagh (Azeri spelling: pıçaq) means knife in the Azerbaijani language, and it refers to the almonds.
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Gheimeh rashti (): with sour pomegranate paste, pomegranate juice, tomato, and verjuice; a specialty of Rasht.
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Gheimeh nokhoud (): with chickpeas instead of split peas; a specialty of the Persian Gulf coast of Iran; including Bushehr.
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Gheimeh kadou (): with pan-fried whole or long-cut squash.
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Gheimeh beh (): with pan-fried whole or long cut .
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Gheimeh bamieh (): with pan-fried okra. It also has lemon juice and cinnamon.
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Gheimeh jahromi (): with chickpeas and meat. a speciality of Jahrom.
See also
-
List of lamb dishes
-
List of stews
