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    Home » Recipes » Grains

    Sabzi Polo - Persian Herb Rice

    Published: Jul 10, 2023 Modified: Jul 10, 2023 by Candice This post may contain affiliate links.

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Herbed rice topped with crispy skin salmon.
    Rice mixed with herbs on an oval white platter with gold serving utensils.

    Sabzi Polo combines fragrant herbs with rice, creating a flavorful side dish. This dish is often served with fish, called "Sabzi Polo ba Mahi", and it's a popular combination during the Persian New Year celebration, Nowruz.

    You can enjoy the rice as a side dish, but I'll also show you how to make it with fish. And the leftovers are delicious with plain or Greek yogurt as a meal the next day.

    Rice mixed with herbs on an oval white platter.
    Jump to:
    • 🌟Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🧾Ingredients in this recipe
    • 👩‍🍳How to Make This Recipe
    • 🐟 How to Make Sabzi Polo ba Mahi (with Fish)
    • 📋 Recipe FAQs
    • 😋 Related Recipes
    • Sabzi Polo - Persian Herb Rice

    🌟Why you'll love this recipe

    • Plenty of fresh herbs - The fresh herbs in this recipe are aromatic and packed with great flavor. Just like Ghormeh Sabzi and Kuku Sabzi.
    • Fluffy rice - The basmati rice comes out perfectly fluffy, with separated grains that will satisfy your hunger. You'll also love the other easy Persian rice dishes, baghali polo and adas polo.
    • Enjoy alone or with fish - Sabzi Polo ba Mahi is the version of this dish that pairs flavorful rice with succulent fish. It's to die for, and I'm helping you make both.
    • Wonderful aroma - This is a dish that looks AND smells good. The herbs are so aromatic it will make your mouth water.
    • Great tahdig - this recipe makes a fantastic tahdig. Just follow the steps in this recipe for tahdig, adding the greens at step 6.

    🧾Ingredients in this recipe

    A large bowl of herbs next to a container of white rice, oil, and other ingredients to make herb rice.
    • Basmati rice - Basmati is the ideal rice as it's a long-grain rice, and the rice stays separate and fluffy when cooked. Do not substitute for other rice types.
    • Parsley - Use fresh, not dried.
    • Cilantro - Use fresh, not dried.
    • Dill - Use fresh, not dried.
    • Scallions - Use dark greens only. You can also use chives.
    • Flavorless oil - You can use canola, sunflower, vegetable, or any flavorless oil.
    • Turmeric - An optional addition that helps give the rice a warmer yellow hue than bright white.
    • Saffron - A pinch of saffron steeped in water or over ice is an optional addition for added aroma and color.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    🍚 Pro Tip: Wash That Rice!

    Washing your rice is an important step as it cleans away any dirt or debris, and also removes excess starch, which will cause the cooked rice to come out sticky and clumpy instead of dry and separated.

    👩‍🍳How to Make This Recipe

    Pouring pink salt into a metal pot.
    • Bring about ⅔ of a pot of water to boil. Add 3 tablespoon salt to the water. Add the turmeric if you are choosing to include this.
    Hand washing rice in a glass bowl.
    • In the meantime, wash the basmati rice 3 times with cold to lukewarm water until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch.
    Pouring rice from a glass bowl into a metal pot.
    • Add the basmati rice to the boiling water and gently stir. Bring it back to a boil, then remove the lid to keep it from bubbling and overflowing.
    Pouring water out of a metal pot into a colander in a sink.
    • When the rice is al dente, strain it. Do not overcook! If the rice tastes salty, rinse it with cold water. Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible. Then, you're ready to mix in all the herbs.

    🍚 Pro Tip: Turn it into tahdig

    Turn this rice into tahdig by following my recipe for tahdig and stirring in the herbs after step 6.

    Get the recipe →
    Mixing herbs and rice together in a large glass bowl with a spout and a handle.
    • Gently mix the rice and herbs. Then add 3 tablespoon of oil to a pot and gently add the rice with herbs on top of the oil.
    • Using the back side of a kitchen utensil, make 6 deep holes in the rice, then put the lid back on. Cook on medium heat, watching the rice carefully.
    Hand with orange nail polish holding the lid of a metal pot wrapped in a white towel on a metal pot.
    • When the lid gets foggy, pour a little oil over the rice - about 2 tbsp. Then put the lid back on and turn the heat to the lowest possible setting.
      Cook 20-30 min from the time that you pour the oil on top.
    • Note: Wrapping the lid in a kitchen towel helps absorb excess steam.

    🍚 Pro Tip: Adding Saffron

    If adding saffron, grind the saffron using a mortar & pestle. Then, steep it in 2 tablespoons of hot water while the rice is steaming. When the rice has finished cooking, pour the steeped saffron and water to the top of the rice and fluff it together to mix.

    Pouring herbed rice from a metal pot into a white oval serving platter.
    • Fluff the entire rice mixture with a fork and (optional) saffron, then serve!

    🐟 How to Make Sabzi Polo ba Mahi (with Fish)

    This is how Sabzi Polo is traditionally served. Any fish can work, but I really like salmon. I'm using salmon from Copper River Salmon, a producer of sustainable salmon based in Cordova, Alaska, and it's super identifyable by that bright orange color you just can't beat.

    Read more about how to choose fish with sustainability in mind.

    Cracking pepper over two salmon filets on a black cutting board.
    • First, pat the salmon skin very dry. If you have the time, you can even keep it in the fridge overnight, skin side up, to help the skin dry out. Season the fish to your preference with salt and pepper.
    Hand placing a salmon filet in a cast iron pan.
    • Heat some oil in a pan until it shimmers over medium-high heat.
    • Add the salmon to the pan skin side down. Press it down with your spatula. Turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 5-7 minutes. The skin should be crispy, and the salmon should be cooked most of the way through.
    Flipping a salmon filet in a hexagonal cast iron pan.
    • Gently flip and cook the other side.
    Herbed rice topped with crispy skin salmon.
    • Internal temperature should read 145F when done. Serve skin side up on a bed of sabzi polo.

    📋 Recipe FAQs

    What does Sabzi Polo translate to?

    "Sabzi" means fresh herbs and "polo" means rice. I have a guide to cooking words and terms in Farsi that you can read if you're curious!

    What is Sabzi Polo in English?

    The closest transition would be "herb rice" or "herbed rice"

    Is Persian rice basmati or jasmine?

    Persian rice dishes almost always use basmati rice. For a simple classic rice dish, try this Persian steamed rice.

    What does Sabzi Polo ba Mahi mean?

    This means "herb rice with fish".

    What are some famous Persian rice dishes?

    The most popular Persian rice dishes are Shirin Polo, Baghali Polo, or Adas Polo.

    Rice mixed with herbs on an oval white platter with gold serving utensils.

    😋 Related Recipes

    There are plenty of Persian recipes and grain recipes on the blog, but these favorite Persian rice dishes will make your tastebuds come alive!

    • Crispy yellow tahdig on a white plate.
      4-Ingredient Tahdig (Persian Crispy Rice)
    • Yellow rice with lentils and currants in serving dish with gold spoons.
      Adas Polo - Persian Lentil Rice
    • Rice pilaf with gold serving spoons.
      Shirin Polo - Persian Jeweled Rice (Javaher or Morasa Polo)
    • Green rice with lima beans.
      Baghali Polo - Persian Dill Rice

    I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to.

    Rice mixed with herbs on an oval white platter with gold serving utensils.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Sabzi Polo - Persian Herb Rice

    This recipe will help you make perfect, herby Sabzi Polo, plus an option to include salmon for tasty Sabzi Polo ba Mahi!
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time40 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Persian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Servings: 5
    Calories: 411kcal
    Author: Candice

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups basmati rice
    • 1 bunch parsley ~100-gram bunch, large and medium stems removed and minced
    • 1 bunch cilantro ~100-gram bunch, large stems removed and minced
    • 1 bunch dill ~70-gram bunch, large stems removed and minced
    • 1 bunch scallions dark greens only, thinly sliced, 30 grams of dark greens
    • 3 tablespoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric optional
    • 5 tablespoon flavorless oil canola, sunflower seed, vegetable, etc.
    • 1 pinch saffron optional
    • water

    Instructions

    • Bring about ⅔ a pot water of water to boil. Add 3 tablespoon salt. Add the turmeric if using it.
    • In the meantime, wash rice 3 times with cold to lukewarm water until the water runs clear.
    • Add the rice to the boiling water and gently stir. Bring it back to a boil, then remove the lid to keep from overflowing.
    • When al dente, strain. Do not overcook! If salty, rinse with cold water. Shake colander to remove as much water as possible. Mix in all the herbs.
    • Add 3 tablespoon of oil in a pot. Then gently add the rice with herbs.
    • Using the back side of a kitchen utensil, make 6 deep holes in the rice, then put the lid back on. Cook on medium heat, watching it carefully.
    • When the lid gets foggy, pour a little oil over the rice - about 2 tbsp. Then put the lid back on and turn the heat to the lowest possible setting.
    • Cook 20-30 min from when the oil is poured on top.
    • If adding saffron, grind the saffron using a mortar and pestle. Then, steep it in 2 tablespoons of hot water while the rice is steaming. When the rice has finished cooking, add the steeped saffron and water to the top of the rice.
    • Fluff the entire rice mixture with a fork and (optional) saffron.

    Notes

    You want the rice to still have a little bite. Persian rice is never served mushy.
    If your pot does not have a glass lid, check for condensation on the top of the lid.
    You can make this rice with 1.5 cups of basmati rice and use the same amount of herbs, but I like to make a little extra to enjoy with some yogurt for breakfast the next day.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 4210mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2766IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you try this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and/or comment! And tag @ProportionalPlate on TikTok or Instagram... I'd love to see what you're making.
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    1. Leila

      July 27, 2023 at 9:39 am

      5 stars
      This is my new favorite side dish, it's so flavorful and I had no idea how easy it is to make! Way less complicated than I thought it would be, now we will be keeping this in our weekly rotation.

      Reply
      • Candice

        July 27, 2023 at 9:54 am

        I'm so glad to hear it, Leila! After the chopping, it's pretty easy, especially when herbs are so easy to find this time of year. I'm so glad you like it and it made its way into your weekly rotation... enjoy, and thank you for sharing!

        Reply

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    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

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