Zereshk Polo is a classic Persian rice dish that's easy enough to make on a weeknight. This fluffy rice is brimming with barberries, a wonderfully tart and tangy dried fruit.
By Candice Walker on September 27, 2023 (Last updated September 27, 2023) This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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Zereshk Polo is a classic Persian rice dish that’s easy enough to make on a weeknight. This fluffy rice is brimming with barberries, a wonderfully tart and tangy dried fruit.
🌟Why you’ll love this recipe
Brimming with tangy barberries: these little bursts of flavor make the rice taste amazing, and look amazing at the same time. There are even more amazing dishes with barberries, including Shirin Polo. My partner loves putting them in his oatmeal.
Balanced sweet and tart: We add sugar to balance out the barberries, making the flavor of the dish brilliantly balanced between the flavors.
Perfectly cooked rice: This rice is fluffy and separated, with just the right texture. We don’t stand for mushy rice in this kitchen. You’ll also love Adas Polo and Baghali Polo.
Customizable: If you do prefer a sweeter Zereshk Polo, you have the option to add more sugar. You can also add saffron to this dish as I do, plus option toppings of nuts. Want to make it ba morg (with chicken)? Use this recipe for Albaloo Polo ba Morg as a guide.
Make it tahdig: want that irresistible layer of crispy rice at the bottom? You can totally do that with this recipe!
🧾Ingredients in this recipe
Basmati rice – This is the traditional rice in Persian dishes, as it is fluffy and well separated when cooked, not liquid or mushy.
Barberries – Prep these by washing them in warm water and drying them thoroughly. Pick through to remove stems and stones, a common problem.
Sugar – White sugar or brown sugar both work well. The sugar balances out the tart/sour flavor of the barberries.
Salt – I use sea salt, but use whatever you have on hand.
Flavorless oil – canola, vegetable, or sunflower are all great options.
Saffron– This is an optional addition. Here is the saffron I buy.
Water – To wash barberries, the rice, and to cook your rice.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍚 Pro Tip 🍚
Washing your rice thoroughly is a key step as it removes the excess starch that makes rice mushy.
👩🍳How to Make This Recipe
If using saffron, grind the saffron and top it with two ice cubes in a small bowl. Set it aside until step 7.
Take a large bowl and wash the basmati rice 5 times with lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Then let the rice soak in the water until step 4.
Soak the barberries in warm water for 10 minutes, then strain. In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat with the washed barberries added in for 2-3 minutes until they are plump. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar (up to 2 tablespoons depending on your preference) to balance the sourness of the barberries. Stir constantly. Be careful not to burn them.
While the barberries are soaking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat and add the onion. Cook beyond the point where it is translucent. Let it brown. You want it to be caramelized. This takes about 20 minutes. Keep your eye on it and stir every couple of minutes. When done, remove from the pan and set aside.
Bring about 2/3 of a pot of water to boil, then reduce the heat. Add 3 tablespoons of salt to the water.
Add your washed rice to the water and gently stir. Bring the water back up to a boil, then remove the lid to keep the water bubbles from overflowing.
When the rice is al dente, strain it. Take care not to overcook it! If the rice tastes salty, rinse it with cold water to remove excess salt from the boiling water. If you do this, shake the colander to remove as much water as possible after the wash.
Next, add 3 tablespoons of flavorless oil to a pot. Then gently add half of the drained rice and the barberries. Then, top with the rest of the drained rice.
Using the back side of a kitchen utensil (like a spatula), poke 6 deep holes in the rice.
Top the rice with (optional) ground, steeped saffron, then put the lid back on. Cook the rice on medium heat, watching it carefully.
When the lid gets foggy (this takes 3-5 minutes), 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 the rice dish for 30-45 min from the minute the extra oil is poured on top.
♨️ Pro Tip ♨️
When steaming rice, I tie a kitchen towel around the lid to help absorb the excess moisture. This can be unsafe if you don’t have experience because the towel can come undone and catch fire. Please only use the kitchen towel method if you will be keeping a close eye on the pot.
When it’s ready, fluff the entire rice mixture with a fork to mix it all together and serve. You can garnish the rice with slivered almonds and/or pistachios if you like!
If you want to spice things up by making this dish with tahdig, follow my tahdig step-by-step. For more info on saffron and traditional Persian ingredients, read my guide to Persian pantry staples.
⭐️ Tips for Perfect Rice
After boiling the rice in salted water, it can retain some of that flavor. Make sure to taste it at this stage and wash it with water to remove any excess salt.
You must also thoroughly wash your rice at the beginning to remove all excess starch. You know it has been properly washed when the water runs clear.
😋 Hungry for more Persian rice dishes?
I’ve got the Persian recipes to satisfy your cravings! Start with one of these favorite Persian rice dishes:
Zereshk Polo is a classic Persian rice dish that's easy enough to make on a weeknight. This fluffy rice is brimming with barberries, a wonderfully tart and tangy dried fruit.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Persian
Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 6
Calories: 383kcal
Ingredients
2cupsbasmati ricecan use as little as 1.5 cups, but not if making tahdig
1/2cupdried barberrieswashed in warm water
1smallonionsliced in very thin half-moons
2tspsugarcan use less and up to 2 tbsp**
3tbspsea salt
9tbspflavorless oilcanola, sunflower seed, vegetable, etc.
1pinchsaffronoptional, ground and bloomed in 3 tablespoons of hot water*
water
Instructions
Wash the rice 5 times with cold to lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Let it soak until step 6.
Soak the barberries in warm water for 10 minutes, then strain.
In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat and add the onion. Cook beyond the point where it is translucent. Let it brown. You want it to be caramelized. This takes about 20 minutes. Keep your eye on it and stir every couple minutes. When done, remove from the pan and set aside.
Add another 2 tablespoons of oil and the washed barberries. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they are plump. Add the sugar** to balance the sourness of the barberries. Stir constantly. Be careful not to burn them.
Bring about 2/3 a pot water of water to boil. Add 3 tablespoons of salt.
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.
Add 3 tablespoons of oil in a pot. Then gently add half of the drained rice and top with the onion and barberry mixture. Top with the rest of the rice.
Using the back side of a kitchen utensil, make 6 deep holes in the rice, top with the steeped saffron, then put the lid back on. Cook on medium heat, watching it carefully.
When the lid gets foggy (this takes 3-5 minutes), 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 for 30-45 min from when the oil is poured on top.
Fluff the entire rice mixture with a fork to mix it all together and serve. You can garnish with slivered almonds and/or pistachios.
Notes
You want the rice to still have a little bite after boiling. Persian rice is never served mushy.If your pot does not have a glass lid, check for condensation on the top of the lid.If turning this recipe into tahdig, use this recipe for how to make tahdig and prepare/add the barberries per this recipe.* You can bloom the saffron with ice overnight if you have the time to keep the aroma even more pungent.** If you prefer a sweeter zereshk polo, add more sugar. I like the sour taste, and use a very light sprinkling.*** When steaming rice, we tie a kitchen towel around the lid to help absorb the excess moisture. This can be unsafe if you don’t have experience because the towel can come undone and catch fire. Please only use the kitchen towel method if you will be keeping an eye on the pot.
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.
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4 Comments
Can’t wait to make it again. A definite crowd pleaser.
I have a gigantic barberry bush in my front yard that I have been trying to kill. Do you know if it is the same as the dried barberries? If I can’t kill that darned thorny thing, I may as well eat the berroes!
Hi Alice, great question! Japanese barberry bushes are invasive AND edible, though I haven’t tried foraging for them myself. Definitely verify if this is what is in your yard before using them. Good luck!
Can’t wait to make it again. A definite crowd pleaser.
I have a gigantic barberry bush in my front yard that I have been trying to kill. Do you know if it is the same as the dried barberries? If I can’t kill that darned thorny thing, I may as well eat the berroes!
Hi Alice, great question! Japanese barberry bushes are invasive AND edible, though I haven’t tried foraging for them myself. Definitely verify if this is what is in your yard before using them. Good luck!