Serbian Grašak / Pea Stew

An easy recipe for the ever so popular Serbian Grašak / Pea Stew. This Serbian dish is a big part of my cooking repertoire. Making Grašak is one easy dish that you can try to get you started to getting a taste of Serbian cooking. Everything is cooked in one pot, so easy! It really is easy to make and a great way to get your veggies in. This healthy, yet comforting meal is one that I am never tired of making. It’s definitely a big part of my cooking repertoire.

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 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.

Like 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! Sometimes I will tweak the recipe a little, but all of the essentials remain the same.

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 meat will 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. Lastly, 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 pairs so well with Grašak.

looking for more?

If you are looking for other recipes to make, try one of the recipes below:

Vegetarian Chickpea Paprikash

Broccoli and Chutney Muffins

Karfiol sa Prezlama / Cauliflower with Breadcrumbs

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.