Abgoosht (or dizi) is a beloved Persian meat and potato soup that uses inexpensive cuts of meat and ingredients. Although associated as a peasant’s meal, it is quintessential Persian comfort food that can now be made easily in the Instant Pot.

When most people think of Persian recipes, they see kebabs and an array of stews. A mountain of basmati rice, jeweled with dried fruits and nuts. Golden saffron and fresh herbs.
Persian food entices all of your senses but it is far from exotic. Many of these dishes are served on the family table for any day of the week as well as on special occasions.
Some dishes are total comfort food. Abgoosht (or dizi) is one of these dishes. Although it was once considered simple peasant food, every Persian family makes their version of it. And now you can make it quick and easy in the instant pot.
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Recipe highlights
- Economical: This recipe is actually two different dishes in one recipe. There is the soup broth and the meat purée. The ingredients are very basic, inexpensive items.
- Simple: The soup is made with either beef or lamb shanks, beans. onions and potatoes. It is typically sour with Persian dried limes.
- Texture: Some people serve the soup with the ingredients in chunks, but usually the soup is just the broth and the solids are mashed together into a purée. Lavash bread is served with it so you can spread the purée in the bread or rip the bread and drop it in the soup.
- Flavor: In a way, the purée reminds me of refried beans, except it also has potatoes and meat in it. There is a little tang to it from the Persian dried limes. The food is hearty and it is perfect for the fall and winter months.
- Fast: Traditionally, abgoosht is made on the stove and is simmered all day long. But this dish is perfect for the instant pot, and can be made more quickly and still taste amazing.
The soup is made with either beef or lamb shanks, beans. onions and potatoes. It is typically sour with Persian dried limes. Some people serve the soup with the ingredients in chunks.
Since meat is expensive, it is typically not the main ingredient in this dish and less is used. I add a little more meat as this is how my family likes it.
Ingredients you need
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- Beef and/lamb shank with bone: You can use either beef or lamb or use a combination of the two. Bone in is preferred as this helps add more flavor to the broth. You can also combine some bone in shanks with chunks of boneless stew meat.
- Persian dried limes: Limoo Omani offers a unique sour flavor. I use the whole dried lemons in the soup and crush it up for the meat purée. My husband’s family likes it more sour so I typically serve it with ground limoo omani on the side.
- Dried beans: I use garbanzo and white beans (like navy or cannellini).
- Yellow onions
- Russet potatoes: You want the starchiness of the russet potatoes if you are making the purée. The waxy white and red potatoes are better if you want to keep the chunks in the soup.
- Seasonings: kosher salt, black pepper and turmeric.
- Pantry staples: extra virgin olive oil, beef broth, tomato paste
Step-by-step-directions
- Cook the beans. You can either soak your beans overnight or quick soak them in the 6-quart instant pot. To use the instant pot, first rinse beans and drain then transfer into instant pot. Add salt and enough water to cover beans by 1-inch. Close lid and seal.
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- Set instant pot to manual (or pressure cook on newer models) set to high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow for 20 minutes natural pressure release. When done, drain beans and discard water. Reserve beans.
- Brown the meat. Heat instant pot to sauté on high and add oil. Season meat with salt and black pepper then brown the shanks in batches. Once browned, transfer shanks to a plate and reserve. Browning the meat first gives the soup more flavor.
- Sauté the onions. Add more oil then add chopped onions. Cook until softened then season with salt and turmeric.
- Return meat to the pot. Start adding the shanks, chopped potatoes and beans back into the pot with the onions.
- Finish and cook. Pierce the dried limes all over with a sharp knife and press them into the pot. Whisk together tomato paste with beef broth then pour into the pot. Close lid and seal. Set instant pot to manual (or pressure cook on newer models) set to high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow for 20 minutes natural pressure release.
- Shred the meat. Transfer meat and bones to a large mixing bowl. When it cools, discard the bones and extra fat, leaving just the meat in the bowl. Shred with a fork.
- Remove the solids. Strain out the remaining solids from the broth. Reserve the broth. This is the cherished soup, abgoosht. Some people serve the soup with the solids, but most mash the solids to make goosht koobideh. Transfer all of the strained solids to the mixing bowl with the meat.
- Mash it all up. Use a potato masher or food mallet to smash and press the solids into a paste. Add broth as needed, to smooth out the paste. It should have the consistency of Mexican refried beans. Adjust the seasoning to taste by adding more salt or more limoo omami (the powdered kind).
Recipe tips and FAQs
The delicious bone broth of abgusht is tangy. To serve, fill a bowl with bite-size pieces of sangak or lavash then pour the broth in. Let it soften for a minute or two then enjoy.
The meat purée, the goosht koobideh, is served along with it. Again, it is served with more flat bread, torshi (Persian pickled vegetables), radishes and fresh herbs (sabzi khordan). You make small hand size sandwiches by spreading the purée on a small square of bread and topped with torshi and herbs.
Simple yet so flavorful and incredibly satisfying.
And if you want more Persian food like this one, you should try my delicious Persian meatballs, koofteh. Made with rice and yellow split peas, the large meatballs are stuffed with raisins and served in a delicious tomato broth.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze both the broth and the meat purée. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
The broth is served with pieces of lavash or sangak in it. The meat, potatoes, beans and limes are then mashed together to make a purée. This is served with more flat bread, torshi and fresh herbs.
You can use either beef and/or lamb to make abgoosht. The bone in shanks are preferred as they add more flavor to the broth. You can also use a combination of boneless stew meat with shanks.
Persian dried limes, limoo omani, offers a very unique sour flavor. You can substitute it with ¼ cup lemon juice.
Instant Pot Abgoosht (Persian Meat and Potato Soup)
Ingredients
- 4 to 4.5 lbs beef shank with bone
- 3 large dried limes limoo Omani
- 4.5 oz dried white beans like navy or cannellini
- 4.5 oz dried garbanzo beans
- 2 medium onions
- 2 lbs russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Rinse beans and drain. Transfer beans into instant pot.
- Add 2 teaspoon kosher salt and enough water to cover beans by 1-inch, about 6 cups of water.
- Close lid and seal. Set instant pot to manual (or pressure cook on newer models) set to high pressure for 5 minutes. Allow for 20 minutes natural pressure release.
- When done, drain beans and discard water. Reserve beans.
- Heat instant pot to sauté on high and add 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil.
- Season meat with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. In batches brown the shanks on both sides, 3-5 minutes for each side. Once browned, transfer shanks to a plate and reserve.
- Add 1 TBS oil to hot pot then add chopped onions. Cook until softened then season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon turmeric. Cook for 5 more minutes.
- Start adding the shanks, chopped potatoes and beans back into the pot with the onions.
- Pierce the dried limes all over with a sharp knife and press them into the pot.
- Whisk together tomato past with beef broth then pour into the pot.
- Close lid and seal. Set instant pot to manual (or pressure cook on newer models) set to high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow for 20 minutes natural pressure release.
- Transfer meat and bones to a large mixing bowl. When it cools, discard the bones and extra fat, leaving just the meat in the bowl. Shred with a fork.
- Strain out the remaining solids from the broth. Reserve the broth. This is the cherished soup, abgoosht.
- Some people serve the soup with the solids, but most mash the solids to make goosht koobideh.
- Transfer all of the strained solids to the mixing bowl with the meat. Use a potato masher or food mallet to smash and press the solids into a paste. Add broth as needed, to smooth out the paste. It should have the consistency of Mexican refried beans. Adjust the seasoning to taste by adding more salt or more limoo omami (the powdered kind).
- To serve the broth, fill a bowl with bite-size pieces of sangak or lavash then pour the broth in.
- Serve the goosht koobideh with more bread, torshi (Persian pickled vegetables), radishes and fresh herbs (sabzi khordan).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
Thank you for the recipe! one of the shanks was a little less shreddable and did not come easily off the bone but seems like the other 2 came out perfectly! haven’t even tasted it yet but wanted to thank you for an easy abgooshd recipe!!
Hi Aline-
If the shanks didn’t shred, they need to be cooked longer. In the instant pot, that means maybe 5-10 extra minutes? Also, be sure that your pot is sealing completely. If it doesn’t have good pressure, the meat won’t cook quickly. Was the one that wasn’t cooked as well not submerged in liquid? All of this could be factors for the cooking time.
Laura
Wait! 2 clarified there’s 1851 calories in each serving!?
LOL doubt it! These calorie counters aren’t perfect. It probably is assuming all of the meat is boneless versus bone in.
Laura