Etli Bezelye is a Turkish Green Pea Stew with Meat, carrots, and potatoes, cooked in a light tomato sauce. It is everyday home cooking in Turkey, made with simple ingredients you probably already have.
I make mine with diced lamb, but beef or ground meat work just as well. Everything cooks in one pot with about 10 minutes of prep, and this recipe tastes even better the next day, so it is a good one to make ahead. I serve it with rice and a bowl of cacik.
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What Does Etli Bezelye Mean?
Bezelye is the Turkish word for green peas, and etli means with meat, so etli bezelye simply translates as peas with meat. The dish is also called bezelye yemegi, which means pea dish. In Turkey it belongs to the sulu yemek family, the brothy home-style dishes that are eaten with rice and plenty of bread.
It is a spring and summer favorite, made when fresh peas are in season, but frozen peas make it an all-year dish. There is also a meat-free olive oil version, which you will find under the variations below. Do not confuse it with Orman Kebabi, which is a meat and potato dish with only a few peas. Here the green peas are the star.
Why This Recipe Works
- Browning the meat until its juices cook away builds the flavor of the whole stew before any water goes in.
- The vegetables go in as big chunks, so they hold their shape instead of turning to mush during the long simmer.
- It is a complete meal in one pot, with meat, vegetables, and sauce, so all it needs on the side is rice or bread.
- Frozen green peas work just as well as fresh ones, and the timing for both is in the recipe.
- It is the easiest way I know to get a plate of green peas eaten with no complaints.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Green peas - I use fresh peas in the pods when they are in season and frozen green peas the rest of the year. Both work well in this stew.
- Lamb - I use diced lamb from the leg or neck. You can also use diced beef or ground meat. Cut the meat into small cubes, about ½ inch pieces.
- Vegetables - I like using carrots and potatoes for pea stew to add color and texture to the dish. Cut them into chunks slightly bigger than the meat so they hold their shape.
- Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops.
How to Make Etli Bezelye?
Start by chopping the onion and garlic. Cut the carrots and potatoes into chunks slightly bigger than the meat pieces so they hold their shape.
Remove the peas from the pods if using fresh peas.
Put a Dutch oven or heavy-based pan on high heat and then add olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the meat. Cook it until it releases its juices and they reduce again, about 10 minutes. Let the meat brown nicely.
Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing until they become translucent and fragrant.
Toss in the diced carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, peas, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine with the meat and onions.
Cook for a few minutes to allow the tomato paste to deepen in flavor.
Add the water or vegetable stock, bringing the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.
Continue to simmer the stew for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the meat and vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Using a good cut of meat is key. Beef chuck or leg of lamb works well because they become tender with slow cooking.
- Brown the meat properly at the start. Let it release its juices and cook until they are absorbed again before anything else goes in, this is where the stew gets its flavor.
- Cut the potatoes and carrots into chunks bigger than the meat so they hold their shape and do not fall apart.
- If you like the potatoes to stay in firm pieces, add them halfway through the simmer instead of at the start. They cook faster than the meat and the peas.
- If the stew is too thick, add a bit more broth. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a bit longer to reduce the liquid.
- If using frozen peas, add them towards the end of the cooking period, when the meat and vegetables are almost cooked.
- Don't rush the stew, let it simmer gently to help the flavors meld together and make the meat tender.
- If your beef is on the tough side, cook it in a pressure cooker first until nearly tender, then finish the stew in the pot. It cuts the cooking time down a lot, and the strained cooking liquid makes a good stock for the stew.
Variations
- Make it with ground meat instead of diced lamb, the way it is often cooked in Turkish Cypriot homes. Brown the ground beef or lamb with the onions, and add a bay leaf and a small pinch of cinnamon if you like.
- For a meat-free version, leave out the lamb, cook the vegetables in olive oil, and use Basic Homemade Vegetable Stock instead of water.
- Swap half of the tomato paste for Turkish pepper paste (biber salçası). It gives the sauce a deeper flavor.
- Stir some chopped fresh dill into the pot with the peas, and scatter more on top just before serving.
- Leave out the potatoes and carrots for a simpler version with just meat and green peas in the tomato sauce.
- For a baked version (fırında etli bezelye), cook the stew on the stove first, then divide it into small ovenproof dishes and bake at 180° C - 356° F for 10 to 15 minutes until the top sets. A little grated cheese on top before serving is a common touch.
Serving Suggestions
Etli Bezelye pairs well with all kinds of sides. These are the ones we eat it with at home:
- Serve it with a scoop of Turkish Rice and a bowl of Cacik. This is how it is usually served in Turkey.
- Serve the stew over a bed of fluffy Lebanese Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli. The rice absorbs the flavorful broth, making each bite extra delicious.
- A crusty loaf of bread such as Bolillo - Crusty Mexican Bread Rolls or Easy Sourdough Bread is perfect for dipping into the stew, soaking up every last bit of the savory sauce.
- A bowl of refreshing Çoban Salatası goes well with Bezelye Yemegi.
- Enjoy it on its own for a hearty and filling meal. The meat and vegetables make it a complete plate without any sides.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
You can cook the stew fully one or two days ahead and keep it in the fridge, then reheat it just before serving.
Allow the pea stew to cool completely before storing. Transfer the cooled stew into an airtight container and store refrigerated for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, pour the stew into a pot and reheat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through.
You can also use a microwave to reheat pea stew. Transfer a portion of the stew to a microwave-safe dish and cover it. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
For an even better pot, use my Homemade Tomato Paste in place of the canned one.
Skipping the browning step, so the stew tastes flat. Adding the peas too early, so they lose their color and turn mushy. Cutting the vegetables smaller than the meat, so they fall apart before the meat is tender. And using too much water, which thins the sauce.
Brothy Turkish stews like this one are called sulu yemek, which means dishes with juice. A meat stew can also be called yahni. Etli bezelye is one of the most common sulu yemek dishes in Turkish homes.
Yes. Brown the meat and soften the onions in a pan first, then move everything to the slow cooker and cook on high for about 4 hours. The stovetop version gives a richer sauce, but the slow cooker works well on busy days.
Yes. Canned peas are already cooked, so drain them and stir them in during the last 5 minutes, just long enough to heat through in the sauce. Fresh and frozen peas give a better texture, but the canned version is a normal shortcut in Turkey.
Related Recipes
For more Turkish stew recipes why not try:
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I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious Etli Bezelye Yemeği - Pea Stew With Meat as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Etli Bezelye - Turkish Green Pea Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lbs diced lamb (800 grams)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 large carrot (diced)
- 2 small potatoes (diced)
- 2 ⅕ lbs green peas in pods or 1 lbs (400 grams) of frozen green peas (1 kilo)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups water or vegetable stock
Instructions
- Put a Dutch oven or heavy-based pan on high heat and then add olive oil.
- When the pan is hot, add the meat. Cook it until it releases its juices and they reduce again, about 10 minutes. Let the meat brown nicely.
- Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing until they become translucent and fragrant.
- Toss in the diced carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, peas, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine with the meat and onions. Cook for a few minutes to allow the tomato paste to deepen in flavor.
- Add the water or vegetable stock, bringing the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.
- Continue to simmer the stew for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the meat and vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together.
Notes
- Beef chuck or leg of lamb are the best cuts, they turn tender with slow cooking. Diced beef or ground meat both work instead of lamb.
- Brown the meat on high heat until its juices cook away before anything else goes in, this is where the stew gets its flavor.
- Cut the potatoes and carrots into chunks bigger than the meat so they do not fall apart. If you like them in firm pieces, add the potatoes halfway through the simmer.
- If using frozen green peas, add them towards the end of cooking, when the meat and vegetables are almost tender. No need to thaw them first. Canned peas go in for the last 5 minutes, drained.
- If the stew is too thick, add a bit more broth. If it is too thin, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes to reduce.
- For a meat-free version, leave out the lamb, cook the vegetables in olive oil, and use vegetable stock.
- If your beef is tough, cook it in a pressure cooker until nearly tender first, and use the strained cooking liquid as your stock.
- Leftovers keep for up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat on the stove over medium heat, or in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
- You can cook the stew fully 1 or 2 days ahead, it tastes even better the next day.
Rosanna Davis says
Super delicious recipe! I will be making again soon.
Ayla Clulee says
Thank you so much Rosanna!