10 Traditional Persian Recipes (2024)

Expand your culinary horizon and get to know the wonders that Persian recipes have to offer.

Persian cuisine is all about well-balanced flavors, textures, and temperatures.

In one meal, you’ll get a combo of sweet, salty, and sour, crunchy and tender, and hot and cold.

Somehow, the different components create one harmonious meal.

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Rice is a crucial part of Persian cuisine. No meal is complete without it.

Fresh herbs, spices, and dried fruit are also widely used.

In this collection of recipes, you’ll learn how Iranians incorporate these ingredients into their everyday cooking.

Treat your taste buds to the fantastic flavors of Persian cuisine! This list has you covered from appetizers to dessert.

1. Persian Saffron Rice

At the heart of every Persian meal is polo or rice, which is why it goes on the top of our list.

Aromatic basmati is seasoned with spices, cooked in yogurt, eggs, and oil, and layered with tart barberries.

Giving it a lovely golden hue is the sweet, earthy, and rather expensive saffron.

Now, understand that polo is not as good without the tahdig – a crisp crust formed at the bottom of the pot during cooking.

This recipe knows what tahdig is all about. Aside from its flavor and color, it’s that amazing crunchy crust that makes it stand out.

2. Fesenjan (Pomegranate Walnut Stew)

Fesenjan is a warming stew eaten in the winter.

This stew primarily features pomegranate molasses or juice and ground toasted walnuts.

Lentils give it heft, while turmeric and cinnamon add warmth.

It may seem strange, but the combination of sweet and tart pomegranates and nutty walnuts create a beautiful harmony.

The stew is already hearty as it is, but it can also be topped with jasmine rice for a heartier meal.

3. Kuku Sabzi

Kuku is Persian for frittata. It comes in many forms, but this variety is one of the most beloved.

Sabzi means herbs, and as you can probably tell, they’re the reason this frittata is wickedly green.

Parsley, cilantro, dill, scallions, the list goes on and on.

Besides the color, the medley of herbs also gives this frittata a refreshing flavor. Spices cardamom, cumin, and cinnamon add a nice kick, to boot.

Toasted walnuts and chopped cranberries add texture and color.

4. Persian Chicken Kebabs

Who can say no to perfectly grilled chicken skewers? I certainly can’t! This Persian masterpiece is a favorite in my household.

What makes these kebabs extra special is the marinade – a delicious blend of mayonnaise, lemon juice, onions, garlic, and spices.

Bathed in the mixture for 24 hours, the chicken absorbs all the lovely flavors, resulting in kebabs that are one-of-a-kind.

Apart from the chicken, large chunks of red onions and bell peppers are threaded onto the skewers to complete the ensemble.

5. Shirazi Salad

Shirazi salad is another staple of every Iranian meal. It’s like a Greek salad, only 10 times more flavorful.

Cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions, are tossed with a lime and olive oil dressing.

Shirazi salad is as simple as can be, but the flavor and texture are spot on.

What makes this salad a cut above the rest are the herbs and spices that go into the dressing.

Loaded with fresh parsley, cilantro, dill, and mint, the dressing is in a league of its own.

6. Mast o Khiar (Persian Yogurt Cucumber Dip)

Mast o Khiar is a light and refreshing dip made of yogurt and cucumber.

It’s so versatile, it can be served as an appetizer with chips and pita bread, or as a sauce to main dishes such as ghormeh sabzi (herb stew) and kabab koobideh (lamb or beef kebab).

The beauty of this delicious dip is that it only calls for two ingredients. As you may have guessed, they’re yogurt and cucumber.

Seasoned with salt and pepper, and maybe a bit of dried mint, your dip is ready to be dipped into.

7. Persian Yogurt Drink

Yogurt is a common ingredient in many Persian dishes, but it’s also widely used to make beverages.

Ayran is a refreshment made of salted yogurt.

The combination of salty and tangy takes a bit of getting used to, but once you do, you’re hooked for life.

This thick and luscious drink is the perfect thirst quencher for your Iranian meal. The best part is, it’s a cinch to make.

You’ll only need yogurt, salt, and water!

8. Persian Baklava with Walnuts and Rosewater

Now, off to my favorite part of the meal: dessert.

Baklava is probably the most popular dessert in Middle Eastern cuisine, and I 100% get it.

Layers of crispy and flaky pastry with chopped toasted nuts and syrup in between create the most phenomenal combination of flavors and textures.

The added rose water, cardamom, and brown butter make this baklava truly exceptional.

You’ll think it’s such a complicated recipe, but thanks to store-bought phyllo pastry, it’s surprisingly easy.

9. Persian Tea

Green tea may be the healthiest option, but it comes to relaxing and aromatic tea leaves, it’s team chai all the way.

Chai or black tea is the go-to morning, afternoon, and evening beverage for Persians.

Their choice of leaves includes Ceylon, Darjeeling, English Breakfast, and Earl Grey.

This recipe teaches not only how to brew a perfect pot of chai tea, but also lets you in on a cool technique on how to achieve a two-colored look.

10. Persian Rice Cookies

Cookies are a universal dessert. They’re as much loved in Iran as they are in the US. Give these rice cookies a try, and you’ll understand why.

These cookies are commonly served during Nowruz, or Persian New Year, and other special occasions.

Delicate and crumbly with just the right amount of sweetness, these treats are definitely holiday-worthy.

There are many variations to the cookies. For instance, some add butter to the dough for richness, while others prefer oil for moisture.

Rosewater or cardamom can also be added for flavor.

However they may vary, all recipes include rice flour, sugar, and eggs as the basic ingredients.

10 Traditional Persian Recipes (2)

10 Traditional Persian Foods (+ Recipe Collection)

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  • Prep a Persian dish in 30 minutes or less!
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10 Traditional Persian Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What were common foods in ancient Persia? ›

The foods of the courts of ancient Persia (as Iran was called until the 1930s) included perfumed stews flavored with cinnamon, mint, and pomegranates; elaborate stuffed fruits and vegetables; and tender roasted meats — dishes that have influenced the cooking of countries as far-flung as India and Morocco.

What is the most popular Persian dish for Iranians and tourists? ›

Chelo Kabab (Kebab served with rice) is undoubtedly the most famous Iranian dish. And many people know Iranian cooking with Chelo Kebab. All kinds of kebabs, especially Koobideh, are very popular among Iranians and tourists. Koobideh is ground meat seasoned with minced onion, salt, and pepper.

What is the king of Persian food? ›

The delicious Ghormeh Sabzi, or as some people might call it, the king of the stews, is on another level. Ghormeh Sabzi is the hallmark of Iranian food that dates back more than 2000 years. You would rarely find someone who does not love Ghormeh Sabzi. Ghormeh Sabzi is served in most restaurants as lunch or dinner.

What did Persians eat for breakfast? ›

Persian breakfast can be a combination of flatbread with feta cheese, jam, honey or butter, or can be a hot bowl of Halim, Adasi or Kaleh Pache. Persians also usually drink Persian tea with their breakfast.

What fruit is native to Persia? ›

A number of fruits have originated in Iran, including Persian walnuts, melons, and pomegranates, Apple, Apricot, Grape, Fig, Citron, and many more. The country benefits from a variety of favorable meteorological conditions suitable for fruit production.

What is one of the most important food items of the Persian Empire? ›

And more than that it is famous for the excessive use of rice. Almost every Persian food and dish accompany a rice dish. In many Safavid and Qajar travelogues, Polo (mixture of rice with other ingredients) is mentioned as the national and main food of Persians.

What did Persian soldiers eat? ›

The Persians, who, in their vast and multinational troops, served Greeks, Indians and Ethiopians, were supplied by their Theban allies. They also ate barley bread, along with some goat meat, dried dates and almonds.

What is the most eaten food in Iran? ›

Kebab is the most common food you can find all over Iran. It's usually served with rice or bread and basil.

What sweets do Iranians eat? ›

Table of Contents show
  • 1.Gaz of Isfahan (Persian Nougat)
  • 2.Saffron Gaz, today's Most Popular Gaz.
  • 3.Qom's Sohan.
  • 4.Sujuq.
  • 5.Latifah Sweets.
  • 6.Qazvin's Baklava (Baklava 3 Colors)
  • 7.Peshte Zik of Mazandaran.
  • 8.Pashmak of Yazd.
Sep 19, 2023

What vegetables do Persians eat? ›

Vegetables such as pumpkins, spinach, green beans, fava beans, courgette, varieties of squash, onion, garlic and carrot are commonly used in Iranian dishes. Tomatoes, cucumbers and scallion often accompany a meal.

What kind of meat do Persians eat? ›

Typical Iranian lunch and dinners will be a well-balanced mix of meat, beans, vegetables, herbs, dairy, nuts, and fruits served with rice or bread. The most common animal proteins are poultry, beef, lamb, and fish.

Why is Persian food so healthy? ›

Persian recipes often incorporate lean protein cuts and prioritize grilling or slow-cooking methods to reduce excess fat. Healthy fats, such as olive oil and nuts, are used sparingly to add depth and flavor to dishes and create high protein and low carb meals.

Is Persian and Turkish food the same? ›

I cook both cuisines (Balkan Turkish and Persian.) Turkish uses more olive oil, bulgur, red lentils, yogurt, tomatoes, red chili paste, dried red pepper, oregano, green peppers, and basically a larger variety of green vegetables cooked with tomatoes in olive oil.

What is the difference between Persian and Arab food? ›

For example, Iranian cuisine tends to use more nuts and dried fruits, while Arab cuisine often includes more seafood. Spices: Both cuisines make use of a wide range of spices, but they tend to use different combina.

Is Persian food the same as Middle Eastern food? ›

Persian food was developed in royal courts, resulting in dishes far more elaborate than other cuisines associated with the Middle East. Rice jewelled with fruit and studded with meat became a specialty during the Safavid empire at the end of the 16th century, positioning the grain as a staple in wealthy homes.

Is kebab Persian or Turkish? ›

Kebab derives from a Persian term for the dish that passed into both Arabic (as kabāb) and Turkish (as kebap). Kebabs are thought to have originated among transhumant peoples in Central Asia, whose meat-heavy diet was transformed somewhat in an urban context where vegetables were more readily available.

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