Goosh-e Fil Recipe (Persian Elephant Ear Pastries)
Make goosh-e fil: thin Persian fried pastries shaped like elephant ears, dusted with powdered sugar and pistachio. Light, crisp and shattering, never greasy.
Saffron rice with a golden tahdig, slow walnut and herb stews, juicy kebabs and rosewater sweets: Persian home cooking written for ordinary kitchens. Every recipe has clear timings, a visual doneness gauge and fixes for the mistakes cooks make most often.
Recipes developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan
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Saffron rice dishesStews and soupsFrom the grill and the panDips, salads and breakfastDesserts and Nowruz treats
Rice and polo
Saffron rice dishes
- 9TahdigThe crispy rice crust
- 9Zereshk PoloBarberry rice and chicken
- 9TahchinBaked saffron rice cake
- 9Baghali Polo ba MahichehDill rice with lamb shank
- 9Lubia PoloGreen bean and beef rice
- 9Albaloo PoloSour cherry party rice
Khoresh and ash
Stews and soups
Ghormeh SabziThe national herb stew- 9FesenjanPomegranate walnut chicken
- 9GheimehSplit pea and dried lime
- 9Khoresh BademjanEggplant and lamb
- 9Ash ReshtehHerb and noodle soup
- 9AbgooshtLamb and chickpea dizi
Kebabs and meat
From the grill and the pan
- 9Kabab KoobidehJuicy minced kebab
- 9Jujeh KababSaffron lemon chicken
- 9Kufteh TabriziGiant stuffed meatballs
- 9KotletMeat and potato patties
- 9BeryaniIsfahan lamb on bread
- 9DolmehStuffed grape leaves
Starters and sides
Dips, salads and breakfast
- 9Kashke BademjanEggplant and kashk dip
- Mirza GhasemiSmoky eggplant dip
- 9Salad Shirazi10-minute cucumber salad
- 9Kuku SabziHerb frittata
- 9Salad OliviehChicken potato salad
- 9HalimWheat and lamb breakfast
Sweets
Desserts and Nowruz treats
- 9Sholeh ZardSaffron rice pudding
- 9Bastani SonnatiSaffron rose ice cream
- 9Faloodeh ShiraziFrozen rose noodles
- 9QottabAlmond pastries
- 9ZoolbiaSyrup fritters
- 9Goosh-e FilElephant ear pastries
Learn the technique
Guides behind these recipes
Quick answers
Persian Recipes FAQ
What is the national dish of Iran?
Chelow kabab, saffron rice with koobideh kebab, and ghormeh sabzi are both considered national dishes.
What is tahdig?
The crispy golden crust at the bottom of a pot of Persian rice.
What spices are used in Persian cooking?
Saffron, turmeric, cinnamon, dried lime, advieh, dried mint and rosewater.
Is Persian food spicy?
No, it is fragrant and sour rather than hot.
What is the difference between khoresh and ash?
Khoresh is a stew served with rice; ash is a thick soup eaten on its own.
Every recipe
All Persian recipes
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Qottab Recipe (Persian Almond Filled Pastries)
Make qottab, the Yazd pastry: tender dough filled with ground almonds, sugar and cardamom, fried golden and rolled in powdered sugar. Tips so they never burst.
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Pashmak Recipe (Persian Cotton Candy Floss)
Make pashmak: Persian fine sugar floss pulled with toasted flour and butter into silky threads. Step by step method with the sugar stage and pulling tips.
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Faloodeh Shirazi Recipe (Persian Frozen Rose Noodle Dessert)
Make faloodeh shirazi: thin rice noodles frozen in rosewater syrup to icy slush, served with lime and sour cherry. A Persian summer dessert from Shiraz.
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Bastani Sonnati Recipe (Persian Saffron Rosewater Ice Cream)
Make bastani sonnati at home: no-churn saffron and rosewater ice cream with pistachios and frozen cream chips. Rich, golden and never icy, no machine needed.
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Zoolbia Recipe (Persian Saffron Syrup Fritters)
Make zoolbia: lacy Persian fritters piped into hot oil and soaked in saffron rose syrup. Crisp outside, chewy inside. A Ramadan favourite made at home.
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Sholeh Zard Recipe (Persian Saffron Rice Pudding)
Make sholeh zard: Persian saffron rice pudding with rosewater, cardamom and almonds, set and decorated with cinnamon patterns. Creamy and never gluey.
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Soup Jo Recipe (Persian Barley and Vermicelli Soup)
Make Persian vermicelli and barley soup: chicken, pearl barley, carrot and vermicelli in a lemony broth with tomato. A 30-minute comfort soup for cold days.
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Ab Doogh Khiar Recipe (Persian Cold Yoghurt Soup)
Make ab doogh khiar: cold Persian yoghurt soup with cucumber, herbs, walnuts, raisins and crumbled bread. A no-cook summer lunch ready in 15 minutes.
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Salad Olivieh Recipe (Persian Chicken Potato Salad)
Make salad olivieh: Persian potato, chicken, egg and pickle salad in a light mayonnaise. Picnic and sandwich favourite with tips so it is creamy, not mushy.
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