Borani Laboo – Beetroot Yoghurt Dip
Borani Laboo doesn’t only feed the eyes with its vibrant colour, it also tickles the tastebuds with the subtle sweetness of beetroot and the reviving freshness of mint. Serve it as a side or enjoy it with crackers, bread or on it’s own!
Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh - Saffron Rice With Caramelised Barberries And Saffron Chicken
Zereshk Polo ba Morgh is such a popular dish, especially among my European friends. I mean, tender chicken with a delicious sauce and aromatic saffron rice with sweet, slightly sour barberries? What’s not to love? So this is a great dish to cook for your friends and family.
Khoresh-e Fesenjan - Persian Pomegranate And Walnut Stew
Khoresh-e Fesenjaan is a delicious Persian pomegranate walnut stew! It’s a definite favourite among my friends! This rich sweet and sour stew makes the perfect comfort food for the colder months! It makes you feel all warm and cozy inside.
My Fesenjaan recipe is sweet and sour. Many people prefer it this way, while others like it sour only. I believe the sweet and sour taste is what makes it so appetising for western taste buds. So I suggest, if you haven’t tried Iranian food before and would like to give it a go, this is a great recipe to start exploring Persian cuisine.
Khoresh-e Karafs – Lamb Celery And Herb Stew
Khoresh-e Karafs is a hearty lamb and herb stew with celery. Fresh lemon juice allows you to add sourness to your liking. It’s one of those dishes, that I didn’t like as a kid and I cannot tell you how much I regret that! If you love Ghormeh Sabzi, you'll likely love Khoresh-e Karafs as well.
Salad Olvieh – The Best Potato Egg Salad
Salad Olvieh doesn’t have the typical Persian flavours and that’s because it originally comes from Russia. It has made its way into the Iranian kitchens a long time ago and I can honestly say, I never went to an Iranian party where they didn’t serve Salad Olvieh. It has become one of the most popular Persian party foods!
There are a few tricks you need to keep in mind to make the PERFECT Olvieh and you will learn them in this post.
Kabab Chenjeh – Grilled Rib-Eye Cubes
Ah, Kabab Chenjeh, one of the crown jewels of Persian barbecue! Imagine succulent chunks of beef ribeye, grilled over an open flame until they’re juicy and charred just right. This isn't just any kabab; this is Chenjeh, a kabab that holds a special place in my heart and on my plate.
Now, while some might opt for lamb, I have a particular fondness for beef ribeye. Why? Because ribeye is like the VIP of the beef world—fattier, more flavourful, and mouth-watering. That marbling of fat melts beautifully during grilling, creating a kabab that's tender, juicy, and packed with flavour. It's like a steakhouse experience but with that irresistible Persian twist.
Kabab Koobideh Recipe
Kabab Koobideh is made from ground lamb or beef or a mix of both. It simply translates to slammed kabab, because of how it was made traditionally in the past. The meat was placed on a large stone and got smashed with a wooden mallet. It is usually served with rice or bread. Both options are also served with grilled tomatoes and sumac on the table for garnishing. I personally love it with bread, fresh basil and sliced onions.
If you go to an Iranian restaurant, Kabab Koobideh is definitely one of the Kabab dishes on the menu. Being inexpensive but at the same time very juicy and tasty makes Kabab Koobideh one of the most ordered in any Persian restaurant or household.
Tahchin - Aromatic Saffron Rice Cake With Caramelised Barberries
Tahchin is such a versatile Persian classic! It’s a rice dish, that can be prepared with chicken, meat, veggies or plain as a side dish. Tahchin-e Morgh has a crispy golden rice crust on the outside and juicy chicken in the centre, surrounded by fragrant saffron rice and sweet and sour barberries on top. Served with the flavourful juices of the chicken or meat and some creamy yoghurt, this makes for a delicious meal, that’s also a feast for the eyes.
This time I made Tahchin-e Morgh (with chicken filling) but you can use this recipe to make any type of Tahchin you like. Simply replace the chicken with lamb or veggies, if you prefer. If you go for chicken, I recommend chicken legs, because they are more juicy than breasts.
Baghali Polo Ba Mahicheh - Persian Dill And Broad Bean Rice With Lamb Shanks
Baghali Polo ba Mahicheh is an aromatic Persian rice dish with fava beans aka broad beans and dill, served with flavourful, tender lamb shanks.
Vegan Koofteh Nokhodchi - Persian plant-based "meat"balls in a tasty sauce
Vegan Koofteh Nokhodchi are flavourful chickpea and lentil "meat" balls, served in a mouthwatering sauce with a refreshing hint of sourness, coming from dried limes and golden sour prunes. I'm only using whole foods in this recipe and no soy products, so you can enjoy homemade Koofteh from scratch and know exactly what you're eating.
Khoresh Gheymeh Bademjan – Lamb Aubergine Stew with Split Peas
Khoresh-e Gheymeh Bademjan is a delicious Persian lamb stew with aubergines/eggplants, yellow split peas, and tomatoes. This tasty red stew is very popular with European and American friends.
Ghormeh Sabzi – Persian Lamb Stew with Herbs
Ghormeh Sabzi is a Persian classic! This hearty lamb stew is packed with herbs, giving it a multifaceted flavour. When you ask Iranians about their favourite food most of them will say it’s Ghormeh Sabzi.
Khoresh-e Gheymeh - Persian lamb stew with yellow split peas and dried limes
Gheymeh Stew is one of the classic Persian dishes! This lamb stew with yellow split peas, topped up with crispy homemade potato fries is high up on most Iranians’ list of favourite foods. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend you do. I’m sure you’ll love it!
I’m certain that I’m not the only one who has memories of family dinners revolving around Khoreshe Gheymeh. Usually we would all storm the kitchen as soon as the enticing smell of homemade fries hitting the hot oil would reach our bedrooms. Needless to say, few of the fries lasted until it was time to serve. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Persian Saffron Chicken Kabab – Joojeh Kabab
Step into the vibrant world of Persian cuisine with Joojeh Kabab—a culinary gem that brings the rich, aromatic flavours of saffron to your grill. This beloved Persian dish features succulent pieces of chicken marinated in a tantalising blend of saffron, lemon, and aromatic herbs, then grilled to perfection. With each bite, you’ll experience a symphony of smoky, zesty, and mildly tangy notes, capturing the essence of Persian barbecue tradition.
Dolmeh Felfel – Persian Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed Peppers are popular in many countries around the world and each has its own version of them. Today I’d love to show you the Persian version of this juicy, delicious dish: Dolmeh-ye Felfel.
I spiced the recipe up with some optional hot peppers in there and a bit of smoked paprika powder. I encourage you to experiment with it and create your personal favourite version of stuffed peppers.
Khoresh Mast – Sweet Saffron Yogurt
Khoresh Mast is a tasty side dish from Esfahan which translates to yogurt stew, however it is actually a side dish. Sweet saffron yogurt is one way to describe it. It is cooked like stew or pudding actually, but this is not the traditional method of preparing it, I am told.
In order to achieve the creamy consistency, we need to bring the soft yogurt, like Greek style yogurt, to boil together with egg yolks and then keep it cool in the fridge for at least 12 hours. This allows it to firm into a rich, creamy yogurt.
Salad Shirazi – Shirazi Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad
Salad Shirazi, as the same suggests, comes from Shiraz and it’s the most popular salad in Iran. It consists of finely chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and red onions, dressed with verjuice (or lemon juice as as alternative) and seasoned with dried mint and salt.
Maman Jamileh’s Persian Omelette
I thought, I’d share a very special recipe with you today: My grandmother’s Persian Omelette recipe. It’s very dear to my heart, because I have so many beautiful memories of my nan Maman Jamileh cooking this for me. She still cooks it and it tastes as amazing as ever!
This dish can be a total lifesaver, because it doesn’t just make the perfect breakfast on a lazy Sunday, but also serves as a quick lunch or dinner. It tastes fantastic any time of the day!
Ab Doogh Khiar – Refreshing Yogurt Soup
Ab Doogh Khiar is a refreshing, cold yogurt soup with cucumbers, herbs, raisins and walnuts. We dunk pieces of bread in it, making the soup nice and filling without being too heavy. It’s the ideal lunch or dinner for hot summer days.
The basis of this cold yoghurt soup is a Persian yoghurt drink called Doogh, similar to Turkish Ayran. You can easily make it yourself! I recommend using strained yogurt, a sour tasting one would be ideal. You can find it in Turkish or Iranian supermarkets. But if you don’t have access to one, don’t worry. You can also use Greek or Greek style yogurt and your Ab Doogh Khiar will be just as refreshing.
Mirza Ghasemi - Persian Grilled Smoked Eggplant with Tomatoes and Eggs
Mirza Ghasemi is a flavourful Persian aubergines/eggplant dip from northern Iran. If you tried my previous Mirza Ghasemi recipe, I encourage you to give this one a go as well, whether you want to serve it with real or vegan eggs.
In this recipe the smoked aubergines are at the forefront of the dish, not being overpowered by the tomatoes, eggs or any other flavours. I promise you, it tastes like a piece of heaven.