Recipe Roundup

31 Persian Recipes for Nowruz and Beyond

Recipes for the Persian New Year (and any day of the year). 
Photo of Sumac Baked Fish with Saffron Quinoa a Persian recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

Yasmin Khan, the author of The Saffron Tales, tells me that at Nowruz, the Persian New Year, "Iranians eat lots of fresh herbs and greens, which symbolize the renewal and rebirth of spring." There's often a mixed-herb frittata, called kuku sabzi, and a platter of fish, plus a pilaf with many more herbs. Whether you're celebrating the arrival of spring or just looking for some delicious Persian recipes (or Persian-inspired recipes), here's a collection of our favorites, fragrant with citrus, rose water, and all the green herbs.

  • Photo by Bobbi Lin
    3/31

    Kuku Sabzi

    Kuku sabzi tends to have fewer eggs than the typical omelet. You really can use whatever hearty greens and herbs you like. It’s the ideal clean-out-the-fridge recipe that's often a part of the Persian New Year feast.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    4/31

    Sumac Baked Fish With Saffron Quinoa

    Quinoa pairs well with the tangy and earthy taste of sumac, lime juice, and garlic in this Persian-inspired dinner.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    7/31

    Crunchy Baked Saffron Rice With Barberries

    This fantastically crispy baked Persian rice is often layered with meat, dried fruit, spices, and presented in a rectangular shape. We omitted the meat to keep things simple and went with a round shape to change things up.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    8/31

    Persian Celery Stew With Mushrooms (Khoresh-e Karafs)

    This khoresh (braise) is traditionally made with lamb, which is replaced here with cremini mushrooms to create a vegetarian version. Cremini mushrooms have an earthy taste and keep their shape when cooked, but you can use any other kind of mushroom. We learned about this recipe from acclaimed cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij, who shared a collection of her favorite weeknight Persian recipes.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    13/31

    Potato Tahdig

    People usually know tahdig as the layer of crispy rice at the bottom of the pot; however, potato tahdig may get you even more fans.

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  • Photo by Bobbi Lin
    14/31

    Yogurt with Raisins, Cucumber, and Walnuts

    Mast, which translates to yogurt in Farsi, is a staple side dish on most Persian tables. The yogurt can be mixed with shallots, grated cooked beets, cooked spinach, or, most commonly, with Persian cucumbers, mint, and dried rose.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne & Jason Schreiber
    17/31

    Iranian Rice Cookies

    The textured end of a meat mallet is gently pressed into the dough of these cardamom- and rose water–scented cookies to form a grid pattern.

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  • Jennifer Martiné
    18/31

    Persian New Year's Soup with Beans, Noodles, and Herbs (Ash-e-reshteh)

    This soup is often served in late March for the Persian New Year. With beans, vegetables, noodles, and yogurt, it is a meal in itself. If you can't find fava beans, you can use limas. Start this recipe the night before to soak the chickpeas, kidneys beans, and fava beans.

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  • Photo by Matt Russell
    19/31

    Eggplant and Mushroom Tahcheen

    This saffron-infused, vegetarian version of the traditional savory Iranian rice cake is made with earthy portobello mushrooms and meaty eggplants.

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  • Photo by Sara Remington
    20/31

    Gondi

    Gondi—the word is a bawdy Persian expression for a certain part of the male anatomy—is a favorite food in many Iranian Jewish homes. These light, cardamom-scented dumplings look like matzo balls, but instead of matzo meal, they're made from ground chicken or turkey and chickpea flour.

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  • Photo by Kristin Teig
    23/31

    Persian-Style Carrots and Black-Eyed Peas

    We use lots of carrots in this recipe, so that it’s more about the carrots than anything else. For the best flavor, serve it cold the day after you make it. You can substitute chickpeas for the black-eyed peas, if you prefer.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    24/31

    Saffron Quinoa with Dried Cherries and Almonds

    Saffron rice is an indispensable accompaniment in Persian cuisine. But the dish is also delicious made with a fluffy quinoa. Crushing and steeping the saffron in hot water brings out its full flavor and color.

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  • Photo by Gentl & Hyers
    25/31

    Cardamom Sharbat

    References to Persian sharbats—sweet boiled fruit syrups—date back some ten thousand years. This one is infused with bright, floral, citrusy cardamom that complements lemon perfectly.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    26/31

    Flourless Almond Cookies With Cardamom, Orange Zest, and Pistachios

    Both cardamom and pistachios are essential ingredients in Persian dessert recipes. These cookies can be sprinkled with pistachios or drizzled with melted chocolate.

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  • Photo by Marcus Nilsson
    31/31

    Buttery Bejeweled Rice

    You can fold all the toppings into the rice and it’ll still be delicious—but you’ll get maximum wow factor if you create a pattern with them on top.

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