Perets is a traditional vegetable side dish in Armenian cuisine. You can find canned versions of it at Mediterranean grocery stores. However, if you want to make the freshest, most delicious perets, you can make it at home using healthy oils and fresh ingredients.
The word Perets actually means “pepper” in Russian. Between 1936-1991, Armenia existed as its own Armenian SSR with the Soviet Union. During this time, Russian was a common second language in Armenia. Both languages were used interchangeably.
As a result of the Soviet Union influence on Armenia, this dish is a result of a traditional Armenian dish with a Russian name.
With that said, I loved eating perets as a child so much, I would crave it often as an adult. I tried purchasing a variety of canned ones. but nothing came close to what I remember as a child.
That’s when I knew I had to recreate it, carefully measure each ingredient, and create an easy-to-follow recipe for my fellow vegetable lovers. One of the ingredients this recipe calls for that you might want to double-check in your pantry is bay leaves. I buy mine in bulk from here.
This perets recipe happens to be sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. Something about the combination of sauteed carrots, onions, and peppers is really comforting. I hope you try this out and if you’ve had it as a child, please share if this version tasted similar to the one you remember.
To me, this recipe is deeply reminiscent of home. I love knowing exactly what ingredients go into my food and appreciating the freshness and quality of each one.
Enjoy!
Love and Light,
Rips
Perets (Armenian Recipe)
Ingredients
Method
- Finely chop onions and set aside.
- Next, chop carrots, place in a separate bowl, and set aside. Now chop peppers and set that aside in a separate bowl.
- In a large saucepan on medium heat, add the oil and chopped onions. Saute until translucent, stirring every few minutes. (About 5-7 minutes)
- Once onions are cooked through, add chopped carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
- Check the texture of the carrots, it should be easy to cut with a wooden spoon, but not too soft or too crunchy.
- Once the carrots are slightly tender, add the peppers and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Next, dilute the tomato paste with the water, and add it to the cooked vegetables.
- Next, add bay leafs, salt, pepper, and paprika and stir until well combined.
- Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, then add finely chopped parsley and cilantro. Stir and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Enjoy warm or cold (they taste great both ways!)
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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