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Persian Recipes

35 recipes

Persian cooking is built on balance: sour against sweet, rich against fresh, and every pot seasoned with patience. Rice is the center of the meal, steamed until each grain separates and topped with a golden crust called tahdig. Beside it come khoresh, slow stews that pair meat with herbs, fruit, nuts or vegetables, such as ghormeh sabzi, fesenjan and gheymeh. Saffron, dried limes, pomegranate molasses, barberries, turmeric and cinnamon supply the flavor, while a plate of fresh herbs, radishes, walnuts and bread sits on the table at most meals. Kebabs are grilled over charcoal and served with rice, grilled tomatoes and sumac. Yogurt turns up as dips, drinks and cold soups, and eggplant is cooked a dozen ways. Sweets are scented with rose water, cardamom and saffron. Nowruz, the Persian New Year, brings herb rice with fish, and Yalda night calls for pomegranates and watermelon. Gilan in the north leans on garlic and herbs, while the southern coast cooks hot, tamarind-sour fish dishes.

Staple ingredients

Breakfast

Appetizers

Soups

Salads

Main Dishes

Side Dishes

Breads

Desserts

Drinks

Pickles and Preserves

Common questions

What is Persian food known for?

Fluffy saffron rice with crispy tahdig, slow-cooked herb and fruit stews called khoresh, charcoal-grilled kebabs and sweets scented with rose water. Fresh herbs, yogurt and pomegranate appear in almost every meal.

What is the national dish of Iran?

There is no official one. Chelo kabab, grilled kebab with steamed rice, is the dish most visitors associate with Iran, while many Iranians would name ghormeh sabzi as their favorite home meal.

Is Persian food spicy?

Generally not. Persian cooking favors aromatic and sour flavors such as saffron, turmeric, dried limes and pomegranate, and chili is served on the side. The southern coast cooks the hottest food in the country.