Khoresht kadoo, or zucchini stew, is an appetizing Persian food full of nutrition for the body. Many people cook this stew in Iran in their family gatherings and enjoy its unique flavor. As the name reveals, the main ingredient of this summer stew is zucchini. Zucchini is in the Cucurbita plant family, a great source of protein, fiber, monounsaturated fats, and potassium. We can cook many foods with zucchini (kadoo), such as kuku-kadoo and borani kadoo. However, khoresht kadoo is presumably the most popular one. There are many regional variations of zucchini stew in different parts of Iran. Today we are going to cook khoresh kadoo with chicken, tomato paste and some seasonings. Do not miss the rest to cook the delicious khoresh kadoo with us!
Other Persian Stews:
- How to Persian Plum Stew | Khoresht Aloo Recipe
- Khoresh Bademjan Recipe; Persian Eggplant Stew
- Khoresh Karafs (Persian Celery Stew)

zucchini stew ingredients
Ingredients | Quantity |
---|---|
Zucchini | 4 |
Chicken thighs | 6 skinless, bone-in |
tomato | 3, cut in half |
yellow onion | 1 diced |
tomato paste | 4 tablespoons |
vegetable oil | 4 tablespoons |
turmeric | 1 teaspoon |
ground black pepper | 1/2 teaspoon |
water | 2 1/2 cups |
salt | 1 1/2 teaspoons |
lemon juice | 3 tablespoons |
Khoresht kadoo recipe
- To cook this savory tart stew, firstly, wash and peel zucchinis, and then cut them in halves.
- Add 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil to a frying pan, and sauté zucchinis on both sides. Then set them aside.
- In the same pan, add some more oil, and put the chickens in it, along with salt and pepper. Fry both sides of the chickens thoroughly, and then set them aside.
- Chop the onion, and sauté them in the same pan with 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil. After sautéing, add turmeric, 2 1/2 cups of water, and tomato paste, and increase the heat until boiling. Now add salt and pepper, and lower the heat to medium.
- Add the chickens to the pan, and put the lid on. Let them cook for about 30 minutes.
- After this period, cut the tomatoes in half, and add them to the pan along with sautéed zucchinis. Let them cook for around 15 minutes.
- Now it is time to add lemon juice. It gives a pleasant sourness to our stew. Also, taste the stew, and add more salt if needed.
- After about 5 minutes, our tasty khoresht kadoo is ready!
how to serve khoresht kadoo
People normally serve khoresht kadoo with Persian-style rice, like any other kinds of Persian stews such as Ghorme sabzi stew and Gheymeh stew. You can also serve it with flatbreads like Lavash bread or pitta bread. Zucchini stew matches perfectly with Sabzi Khordan (Persian fresh herbs) and also Persian yogurt drink or doogh.

FAQs about zucchini stew
Can chicken be substituted by meat in zucchini stew?
Yes, of course. You can use meat instead of chicken but be careful that it needs more time to cook.
Is there any vegan khoresht kadoo?
Yes, there is. You can omit the chicken in and add up more zucchini and tomato in the stew. Adding eggplant to the stew also gives a fantastic taste to it.
I do recommend you to cook khoresht kadoo, and let me know how it was by leaving a comment!
You can ask me questions about this food in the comments. I will answer your questions as soon as possible.
Khoresht Kadoo Recipe, Persian Zucchini Stew
Course: Main coursesCuisine: PersianDifficulty: low4
servings15
minutes1
hour100
kcalKhoresht kadoo, or zucchini stew, is an appetizing Persian food full of nutrition for the body. In this recipe, we cook this stew with chicken,
Ingredients
4 zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
6 chicken thighs, skinless, bone-in
3 tomatoes, cut in half
1 yellow onion, diced
4 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
- To cook this savory tart stew, firstly, wash and peel zucchinis, and then cut them in halves.
- Add 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil to a frying pan, and sauté zucchinis on both sides. Then set them aside.
- In the same pan, add some more oil, and put the chickens in it, along with salt and pepper. Fry both sides of the chickens thoroughly, and then set them aside.
- Chop the onion, and sauté them in the same pan with 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil. After sautéing, add turmeric, 2 1/2 cups of water, and tomato paste, and increase the heat until boiling. Now add salt and pepper, and lower the heat to medium.
- Add the chickens to the pan, and put the lid on. Let them cook for about 30 minutes.
- After this period, cut the tomatoes in half, and add them to the pan along with sautéed zucchinis. Let them cook for around 15 minutes.
- Now it is time to add lemon juice. It gives a pleasant sourness to our stew. Also, taste the stew, and add more salt if needed.
- After about 5 minutes, our tasty khoresht kadoo is ready!