Persian food recipes: 10 classic dishes to learn first

Persian food recipes are easiest to learn in a set order: plain steamed rice, a herb salad, a one-pot chicken, then kebab and the slow stews. The ten dishes below cover the core of home Persian cooking, and each one lists what the pantry needs so shopping stays simple.

What are the best Persian recipes for beginners?

The best Persian recipes for beginners are shirazi salad, kuku sabzi, saffron chicken and plain rice, because they need basic skills and a short ingredient list. They teach the main flavors before the slower stews.

Start with a dish that gives a result in under an hour. Then add dishes that need a long simmer or a grill. The order in the table below is a sensible path.

Which 10 Persian dishes should you cook first?

Cook these ten in roughly this order: shirazi salad, mast-o-khiar, kuku sabzi, saffron chicken, chelo (steamed rice), koobideh, joojeh kebab, ghormeh sabzi, fesenjan and tahdig.

How do you make saffron chicken?

Saffron chicken, or morgh-e zaferani, is made by browning onions, adding chicken pieces, turmeric and salt, then simmering with ground saffron and a little water until the meat is tender and the sauce reduces.

1. Slice two onions and cook in oil until golden.
2. Add chicken pieces and brown on both sides.
3. Stir in turmeric, salt and pepper.
4. Add a cup of water and simmer covered for 35 to 45 minutes.
5. Add bloomed saffron and a squeeze of lemon, then reduce uncovered for a few minutes.

Serve over plain rice. The dish is a gentle introduction because the technique is the same as a basic braise.

How do you make Persian rice (chelo)?

Chelo is made by rinsing long-grain rice, soaking it in salted water, parboiling for a few minutes, draining and steaming it in a covered pot with oil or butter.

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then soak for at least two hours.
2. Boil in plenty of salted water for 5 to 8 minutes until the grains are tender outside and firm inside.
3. Drain and rinse with warm water.
4. Heat oil in the pot, spread a layer of rice, pile the rest in a mound and poke a few steam holes.
5. Wrap the lid in a towel, cover and steam on low heat for 30 to 40 minutes.

The method is a skill worth repeating. A longer guide to the technique is on this site under the Persian rice topic.

What do you need for ghormeh sabzi and fesenjan?

Ghormeh sabzi needs lamb or beef, a large amount of parsley, cilantro and scallion, dried fenugreek, kidney beans and dried limes. Fesenjan needs ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, onion and chicken.

• Ghormeh sabzi: the herbs are sauteed until dark, then simmered with meat, beans and whole dried limes for about two hours.
• Fesenjan: the walnuts are toasted and ground, then simmered with pomegranate molasses until thick, sweet and sour.

Both stews improve when made a day ahead and gently reheated.

How do you make kuku sabzi?

Kuku sabzi is made by folding a large amount of chopped herbs, eggs, turmeric, a little flour and baking powder together and baking or pan-frying the mixture until set. It is served warm or cold in wedges.

1. Finely chop equal parts parsley, cilantro and dill, plus scallions and a little fenugreek.
2. Beat six eggs with a teaspoon of turmeric, salt, pepper, a spoonful of flour and half a teaspoon of baking powder.
3. Fold in the herbs and a handful of chopped walnuts and barberries if you have them.
4. Pour into an oiled pan and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or cook covered in a skillet.

The herbs should look like more than the eggs. The dish is traditional at Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and travels well for picnics.

What mistakes should beginners avoid?

Beginners most often rush the rice, under-brown the onions and over-salt the stews. Slowing down at those three points fixes most disappointing results.

• Skipping the soak: unsoaked rice breaks and cooks unevenly.
• Pale onions: golden onions give depth to every stew, so cook them longer than feels natural.
• Wet herbs: dry washed herbs well before chopping or sauteing.
• Lifting the lid on the rice: this lets steam escape and leaves hard grains.
• Too much saffron at once: a pinch, ground and bloomed, goes further than a pile of threads.

What spices and ingredients are used across these recipes?

These recipes share a small set of staples: turmeric, saffron, dried limes, dried mint, cinnamon, pepper, onion, walnuts and pomegranate molasses. Learning them once covers most of the cuisine.

A Middle Eastern or Persian grocery normally carries all of these under one roof.

What can you find at Arash International Market for these recipes?

Arash International Market in Aurora, Colorado, lists halal chicken, beef, lamb and goat at its meat counter, plus feta cheese, olives, dry beans, Persian spices and fresh produce. Those categories cover the meat, beans, spices and vegetables in most of the recipes above.

The store’s listings do not name individual products, so this guide makes no claim about saffron grades, dried limes or specific brands. No prices are published online. Phone the store at (303) 752-9272 to ask about an item before a trip. The menu page lists the categories recorded for the store and the hours and location page gives opening times.

This is an independent guide, not the store’s website.

Common questions

Planning a visit? Start with Arash International Market: address, opening hours, menu and directions in one place.

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Arash International Market itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.