Serbian Grašak / Pea Stew

An easy recipe for the fever so popular Serbian Grašak / Pea Stew. This Serbian dish is one that is a big part of my cooking repertoire. Grašak is one easy dish that you can try and get a small taste of Serbian cooking. It really is easy to make and a great way to get your veggies in. This is a healthy, nutritious yet such a comforting meal, one that I am never tired of eating or making.

Grašak / pea stew

Not meaning to sound like a broken record, but like with most Serbian recipes, I have grown up eating Grašak my whole life. From our time in Serbia and all the way in New Zealand, Grašak was a staple in our home. We all loved it and enjoyed eating it. I still make Serbian Grašak / Pea Stew on a regular basis. This is the one recipe that I can turn to when I either have nothing else in mind to cook or if I am really craving it.

There is just something about cooked peas … to me they taste so delicious! And like with most recipes, we all have our own little tweaks. For me, what truly makes Grašak, asides from the peas, is the marjoram seasoning. Trust me! The marjoram is what gives this recipe the flavour that immediately screams Grašak. So, the recipe for this Serbian Grašak / Pea Stew is one that I make repeatedly, and it tastes delicious every time!

What you will need

Onto what you will need. The basics are frozen peas, yellow onion, carrots, and potatoes. Most of these ingredients are year-round vegetables, which means that you should be able to access them no matter where you live. I love to use a good veggie stock because it adds so much flavour. This recipe also uses a chicken breast as does the traditional Serbian Grašak / Pea Stew.

Now, my favourite part of this recipe is the marjoram. And this comes with a short story. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I visited my godparents in Serbia, who served grašak and OMG! All I could see was a pot filled with the peas and so many herbs. Then I learned that their version was loaded with the herb -marjoram, and parsley! This was my guess at that time as I did not ask them what was in it exactly, but I had the marjoram nailed down. So now, I cannot make grašak without marjoram and parsley. No way!

You will also need some olive oil for sautéing the onions and salt & pepper to taste.

Cooking grašak

We are using just one pot for this recipe. First up, sauté the yellow onions in some olive oil, then add the cut-up chicken breast and cook until the meat turns a white colour. The flavour from the meat will also give this Serbian Grašak / Pea Stew some extra flavour. Following this, add the peeled and chopped carrots and potatoes. Give everything a little stir and cook for a few minutes.

Now, for the peas. Add the frozen baby peas, followed by the two liters of vegetable stock, salt & pepper. Cook on a medium heat with the lid closed for 25 minutes, stirring the pot often. As for the herbs, add the marjoram, parsley and the dried paprika and let everything simmer for a further 15 minutes without the lid.

Serve warm into bowls. A nice side salad or fresh bread on the side pairs so well with grašak.

See, easy.

There always comes a day when you need a straightforward recipe. And this recipe is just that! Despite this recipe being deeply rotted in my culture, there is not much fuss over it. If you are skilled in chopping vegetables, putting everything in a pot and being mindful while cooking, you will have no problems here! you will have no problems here!

looking for more?

If you are looking for other recipes to make, the ones below may be for you:

Vegetarian Chickpea Paprikash

Broccoli and Chutney Muffins

Butter Bean Casserole

If you make this Serbian Grašak / Pea Stew recipe, leave a comment below and let me know if you enjoyed this recipe. If you get a moment, please give this recipe a rating. You can also tag me over on Instagram with a picture.