By Candice Walker on January 12, 2023 (Last updated January 12, 2023) This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This is the ultimate guide to the best traditional Persian recipes. Plus, an introduction to the spices and flavor combinations that define Persian cooking. I want to help you successfully cook and enjoy the incredible flavors of classic Persian food!
An introduction to Persian food
Persian recipes are all about balance. Every dish is designed to contain a balance of flavors that complement one another – you will see meat, fruit, dried herbs, and nuts combined in unique ways. The dishes are well-flavored and spiced, but not ‘spicy’.
Some ingredients are staples in a Persian pantry, like dried limes, saffron, rice, pomegranate molasses, and Persian 7 spice, called Advieh. If you’re looking to stock up on these, I recommend checking out your local Middle Eastern market. The prices will be much less expensive there than buying them online.
Garm and sard in Persian cooking
We have a concept in Persian cuisine that some foods are warming (garmi) and others are cooling (sardi). These categories don’t necessarily refer to the flavor or the spice level of the food, but rather the essence.
The idea is that too much of either would trigger a negative reaction from our bodies. The goal is to eat Garm and Sard foods in balanced proportions to create harmony in the body. You see this harmony thoughtfully created in many Persian recipes.
Showing love for others through food is an important part of Persian culture, and there’s always an abundance of amazing food and Persian recipes at a Persian dinner party!
Entertaining others in your home and showing your appreciation and hospitality through food is a valued tradition.
Persian Jewish vs non-Jewish recipes
Some Persian recipes look very different in Jewish and non-Jewish homes. This is because many Jewish people keep a kosher diet, so they cannot eat dairy products (such as yogurt or butter) and meat in the same dish.
Kosher doesn’t have to mean dairy-free, but it’s often helpful to have recipes where the dairy is already removed. Many traditional Persian recipes have dairy in them, such as rice made with butter or yogurt, and kosher households often substitute oil for butter.
🍚Persian rice dishes
Persian rice recipes are beautiful, complex, layered dishes that are a staple at every meal. I always recommend starting by making Persian rice with saffron, as it’s a fundamental dish served in every Persian home.
1.
4-Ingredient Steamed Persian Rice (with or without Saffron)
This rice is the perfect accompaniment for my favorite classic Persian stews. The trick is to first boil until al dente, then steam to get the perfect fluffed texture.
You can turn any of these Persian rice dishes into tahdig be following the directions in this recipe. The preparation of the rice, cooking heat, time, amount of oil, and pot choice are the important elements to get you that perfect tahdig every time.
Adas polo is a layered saffron rice dish with rice, lentils, and sweet currants. It's a pairs perfectly with meats like beef and lamb, or is enjoyed alone with a dollop of yogurt.
Baghali Polow is a dill rice made with fava beans, broad beans, or lima beans. I make this recipe with frozen lima beans and dried dill, so it's easy to cook all year long. The dried dill packs a flavor punch!
Shirin Polo is an extra-special jeweled rice, usually served at weddings to bring sweetness to the newly-wed couple. It's a sweet rice pilaf with dried fruit, nuts, and candied orange peel.
Albaloo Polo bah Morg – Sour Cherry Rice with Chicken
This sour cherry rice dish is made with pistachios, slivered almonds, and succulent chicken. It's my favorite thing to make when sour cherries are in season!
This herb filled rice dish is made with parsley, cilantro, dill, and scallion greens. It's most commonly served with fish, and I show you how I cook my sockeye salmon, too!
These are the most popular dishes ordered in Persian restaurants and for good reason. Persian kabob are tender, juicy, and arguably the most flavorful meat you will ever try.
8.
Joojeh Kabob (Persian Chicken Kabob)
Joojeh Kabob is marinated in saffron, grated onion, lemon, and garlic, and cooked on a charcoal grill, but you can also cook it in your oven under the broiler. The chargrilled taste is phenomenal.
Mastering koobideh takes time, but it's 100% worth it because these Persian ground lamb or beef kabobs are some of the tastiest, most juicy meat you will ever try.
Persian desserts aresweet, refreshing, and full of delicate flavors like rose and saffron. You’ll often see cookies, sweets, and fruit served as dessert in Persian homes, with plenty of tea to go along with them!
11.
Bastani (Persian Saffron Rose Ice Cream)
This pretty Persian ice cream, called bastani, is saffron and rose flavored heaven. This recipe has the perfect balance of saffron and rose that makes this ice cream irresistible.
Traditional Persian breakfasts are usually enjoyed freestyle – meaning you can choose what you want to eat and combine several Persian recipes and dishesto create the perfect combo. All the dishes served at breakfast are filling, setting you up with energy for your day.
15.
Iranian Adasi – Lentil Soup
Iranian Adasi is a slow-simmered lentil soup enjoyed for breakfast, often on weekend mornings when you can be leisurely and enjoy the meal.
Slow-simmered tea eggs are a Sephardic Jewish tradition I grew up with. These eggs are incredibly easy to peel, and the flavor & color infuse beautifully to make a pretty sepia-toned color.
This whole-wheat sourdough flatbread is widely considered to be Iran’s national bread. Sangak is cooked over hot stones, and it's most delicious when it's fresh out the oven!
Sweet, tart… this syrup is my go-to over pancakes and waffles when sour cherries are in season. Make a batch and store so you can enjoy it for months to come.
Sarsheer is a thick, smooth cream (like clotted cream or kaymak) that's perfect for spreading on bread with honey and jam. It's a classic to enjoy as part of a Persian breakfast
Hearty stews and soups are dishes at the heart of Persian cooking. Many meals I grew up eating were classic Persian stew recipes, simmering in a huge pot on the stove and making the house smell amazing. These recipes are guaranteed to deliver spectacular flavor.
22.
Ghormeh Sabzi – Persian Herb & Beef Stew with Dried Limes
This dish is characterized by the tons of fresh herbs that go into the stew. The chunks of beef are cooked low and slow to give a melt-in-your-mouth tender result, and the dried limes add a subtle sour taste.
This quince and beef stew is the most popular Persian food recipe on my blog. It's a great dish for fall, with slow roasted beef and a hearty tomato stew base.
Gondi is a wonderful recipe that's served at a Persian-Jewish Shabbat as an hors d'oeuvre, but I prefer to enjoy as a filling, hearty meal. Made from ground chicken and chickpeas, Gondi is the perfect comfort meal.
Japanese eggplant and sour grapes are the main ingredients in the Persian summer stew. The main stew sauce combines savory tomato sauce with a hint of sour from the sour grapes, making it a perfect combo.
Fesenjoon is a Persian sweet and sour stew made with pomegranate molasses, walnuts, and chicken. This recipe can be adjusted to your preference, whether that's more sweet or more sour.
Ash Reshteh is a Persian noodle soup, with a distinct, tangy, and savory flavor from the kashk, reshteh noodles, and Persian fried onions. It packs in way more flavor than your usual noodle soup!
Koufteh is a really tasty meat & rice dumpling soup, filled with fresh herbs & spices. The fresh parsley, cilantro, and bay leaves smell incredible and make the broth incredibly fragrant and flavorful.
This savory meat and yellow split pea stew is spiced with Persian 7-spice advieh, garlic, and turmeric. The aromas in your kitchen when this is cooking are just mouthwatering.
Classic Persian tea is always flowing in Persian households and served to guests with little cookies and treats like zulbia. Aside from tea, there are many delicious Persian drinks to quench your thirst.
30.
Persian Tea
A simple and classic Persian tea recipe infused with warming cardamom pods.
This wonderfully tangy sweet and sour syrup that makes my favorite refreshing and cold summer drink, and you can make it in endless flavor combinations!
How to make Doogh, a yogurt soda enjoyed in the Middle East, easily at home. If you already love fermented drinks like kefir and kombucha, doogh is perfect for you!
I hope you enjoyed this ultimate guide to the best traditional Persian recipes, plus an intro to the spices & flavors that define Persian cooking. This recipe for doogh is delicious drink that many enjoy to help with digestion after a Persian meal.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time5 minutesmins
Fermenting Time2 daysd
Total Time2 daysd10 minutesmins
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Persian
Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegetarian
Servings: 6
Calories: 60kcal
Ingredients
Doogh
2cupsmilksee notes
1cupwater
1/4cupyogurtor 1/2 cup kefir
1tspsalt
1tsphoney
2cupscarbonated water
Driedmintoptional
1sprigmintoptional
Instructions
Add 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water to a saucepan.
Heat until it hits 185F, but don’t let it boil.
Remove from heat and cool to 110F. Then add another cup of milk, yogurt or kefir, salt and sugar.
Pour it into a jar** (a quart or 1L size works great, no bigger than 1/2-gallon or 2L) and cover it.
Keep it in a dark, warm place for 2-3 days until tangy.
Run it through a non-metal sieve or squeeze it through a nut milk bag.
Transfer it to a quart-sized jar and refrigerate for up to 1 week, venting it every day. It is ready to use immediately.
Fill a glass with ice, and serve it 1:1 doogh to carbonated or still water.
If you like, add mint to taste just before serving.
Substitution with Kefir
Mix kefir 1:1 with carbonated or still water. Add optional mint to taste just before serving
Video
Notes
** If you have a jar lid with a vent, use it. If not, you will have to vent it a few times during the fermentation process so the glass isn’t at risk of exploding.This fermentation only requires an airtight container. No fancy equipment necessary, but I do recommend an instant-read thermometer.This recipe is most delicious with whole milk. Make sure to use pasteurized milk that has at least a 2% fat content.Shortcut: Simply mix together store-bought kefir in a 1:1 ratio with carbonated or still water. Kefir is already fermented, so it will produce a similar result to your this fermented doogh recipe.Nutrition facts do not take fermentation or mint into account.
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.
2 Comments
Bookmarked! This is such a great roundup of Persian dishes. Seems like everything I could possibly need. Will definitely be referring back to it frequently both for inspiration and tips.
Bookmarked! This is such a great roundup of Persian dishes. Seems like everything I could possibly need. Will definitely be referring back to it frequently both for inspiration and tips.