Iranian/Persian Recipes

Welcome to the largest collection of Iranian/Persian recipes on the internet. Our collection contains 110 authentic recipes for tasty Iranian dishes. Iran offers a very rich variety of delicious cuisine that is not very well-known globally. Likewise, authentic cookbooks in English devoted to cuisine of Iran are difficult to find. We hope that our effort is a partial remedy for that situation.

About the authors: Farzin Mokhtarian was born in south-western Iran, and lived there as a child. He later moved to Tehran with his family. Roxana Zarghooni was born and raised in Esfahan, the old capital of Iran.

Note: The miniature painting on the right was scanned from:

The Ruba'iyat of Omar Khayyam (page 91)
Translated by Peter Avery & John Heath Stubbs
Penguin Books, England 1984
ISBN 0 14 00.5954 7

Dreaming when Dawn's Early Light was in the sky
I heard a Voice within the Tavern cry,
"Awake my little ones, and fill the Cup
Before Life's Liquor in its Cup be dry".

by Khayyam
(translated by Edward Fitzgerald; translation edited by Farzin)

Getting Started

Source: Rosa Montazemi's comprehensive cookbook: Honar-e Aashpazi or Art of Cooking (published over 30 times in Iran) was consulted in preparation of some of the recipes.

Conversions: The metric system has been used for weights. To convert, note that one pound equals 450 grams and 1 kg equals 2.2 pounds.

 

Soups

  1. Aash-e Aab Leemoo: a rich soup with rice, herbs, meat, sugar, and lime juice
  2. Aash-e Sholeh Ghalamkar: a very rich soup made with various herbs, rice, meat, .....
  3. Aash-e Gandom: a rich soup made with wheat, spinach, peas, beans and lentils
  4. Aash-e Aaloo: a rich soup made with various herbs, rice, meat and prunes
  5. Aash-e Anaar: a very rich soup made with rice, various herbs, meat and pomegranate paste
  6. Aash-e Gojeh Farangi: made with rice, herbs, meat and tomato paste
  7. Aash-e Shalgham: with turnip, rice, meat, split peas, mint, and turmeric
  8. Aash-e Reshteh: with reshteh (similar in shape to spaghetti), kashk (thick whey), herbs, ...

Light/Side Dishes

  1. Maast-o-Khiar: made with yogurt, cucumber, onions, mint, salt, and pepper
  2. Naan-o-Paneer-o-Sabzi: Iranian thin bread, feta cheese, and herbs
  3. Mirza Ghasemi: made with fried eggplants, eggs, tomatoes, and garlic
  4. Kashk-e Baadenjaan: made with eggplants, kashk (thick whey), mint, and onions
  5. Haleem Baadenjaan: with eggplants, kashk (thick whey), meat, mint, and onions
  6. Borani Esfanaaj: fried spinach with yogurt, onions, and garlic
  7. Nargesi Esfanaaj: fried spinach with eggs and onions
  8. KooKoo-yeh Sabzi: made with various herbs, eggs, and flour
  9. KooKoo-yeh Seeb-Zamini: made with potatoes, and eggs
  10. KooKoo-yeh Loobia-Sabz: made with string beans, eggs, and onions
  11. KooKoo-yeh Baadenjaan: with eggplants, eggs, onions, and saffron
  12. KooKoo-yeh Morgh: with chicken, eggs, onions, saffron, and lime juice
  13. KooKoo-yeh Gol-Kalam: with cauliflower, eggs, and saffron
  14. Salad-e Olivieh: made with chicken, eggs, peas, carrots, dill-pickles, potatoes, and lime juice
  15. Pooreh-yeh Esfanaaj: with spinach, milk and butter
  16. Pooreh-yeh Seeb-Zamini: with potatoes, milk and butter
  17. Naaz Khaatoon: with eggplants, tomatoes, pomegranate juice, sour grape juice, and marjoram
  18. Ghalieh Esfanaaj: with ground meat, split-peas, lentils, spinach, mint and kashk (thick whey)
  19. Kaleh Joosh: made with ground meat, walnuts, mint, turmeric, and kashk (thick whey)
  20. Khaviar: caviar with onion, lime juice, butter, and parsley

Main Dishes

  1. Kateh: white rice (simpler)
  2. Polow (or Chelow): white rice
  3. Kabab Koobideh: barbequed ground lamb or beef
  4. Kabab Barg: barbequed lamb or beef
  5. Kabab Hosseini: lamb or beef cooked on skewers with onions, tomatoes and green peppers
  6. Joojeh Kabab: barbequed chicken with olive oil, tomatoes and saffron
  7. Maahi Kabab: barbequed fish with lime juice, olive oil, saffron, and herbs
  8. Beryani: a dish from Esfahan made with specially prepared lamb and bread
  9. Dolmeh Felfel: peppers filled with ground meat, rice and herbs
  10. Dolmeh Baadenjaan: eggplants filled with ground meat, rice and herbs
  11. Dolmeh Barg Mow: vine leaves wrapped around a mix of ground meat, rice and herbs
  12. Dolmeh Gojeh Farangi: large tomatoes with a filling of ground meat, rice and herbs
  13. Dolmeh Seeb Zamini: potatoes with a filling of ground meat, rice and herbs
  14. Ghormeh Sabzi: exquisite dish made with various herbs, meat, black-eye beans and potatoes
  15. Koofteh Berenji: large balls of rice, ground meat, various herbs, onions and walnuts
  16. Koofteh Nokhod-chi: balls of ground meat, chickpea flour, sugar and saffron
  17. Kotlet: ground meat with eggs, potatoes, and bread crumbs
  18. Kotlet-e Morgh: ground chicken with ground almonds, bread crumbs, eggs, milk and butter
  19. Shaami: ground meat with eggs, bread crumbs, milk, and tomato juice
  20. Tah Cheen: delicious dish made with chicken, rice, eggs, yogurt and saffron
  21. Toss Kabab: with meat, potatoes, carrots, and onions
  22. Khoresht Baamieh: made with okras, potatoes and meat
  23. Khoresht Fesenjaan: made with chicken, walnuts, pomegranate juice and sugar
  24. Khoresht Anaar-Aveej: made with chicken, walnuts, pomegranate juice, herbs, sugar, and garlic
  25. Khoresht Baadenjaan: with meat, eggplants, onions, and lime juice
  26. Khoresht Ghaimeh: made with meat, split-peas, potatoes and limes
  27. Khoresht Karafs: made with meat, celery, herbs, sugar and lime juice
  28. Khoresht Reevaas: with rhubarb, meat, herbs, and sugar
  29. Khoresht Loobia Sabz: made with meat, string beans, potatoes and lime juice
  30. Khoresht Ghaarch: with chicken, mushrooms, and saffron
  31. Khoresht Aaloo: with chicken, pitted prunes, potatoes, and saffron
  32. Zereshk Polow: with rice, barberries, sugar, chicken and saffron
  33. Morasah Polow: rice, chicken, raisins, barberries, almonds, pistachios, orange peel, and saffron
  34. Shirin Polow: rice, chicken, sugar, almonds, pistachios, orange peel and saffron
  35. Kalam Polow: made with rice, ground lamb or beef, and cabbage
  36. Adas Polow: made with rice, meat, raisins, saffron, dates and lentils
  37. Eslaamboli Polow: with rice, ground lamb/beef and tomato paste
  38. Haveej Polow: with rice, chicken, carrots, sugar and saffron
  39. Loobia Polow: with rice, meat, green beans, and tomato paste
  40. Albaloo Polow: made with rice, black cherries, chicken, sugar, and saffron
  41. Sabzi Polow: made with rice, and herbs
  42. Maash Polow: with rice, moong, meat, and turmeric
  43. Meigo Polow: with shrimps, rice, eggs, and curry powder
  44. Zabaan: tongue with herbs
  45. Del: sheep hearts with mushrooms, herbs and cheese
  46. Maghz: fried brain with herbs
  47. Gholveh: fried kidneys with herbs and lime juice
  48. Donbalaan: fried sheep testicles with eggs, bread crumbs, and parsley
  49. Aab Goosht-e Lappeh: with meat, split peas, limes, onions, turmeric and potatoes
  50. Aab Goosht-e Baadenjaan: with meat, split peas, eggplants, turmeric and potatoes

Desserts/Pastry

  1. Baagh-Lava: with almonds, sugar, cardamom, egg yolks, milk, flour, and rose-water
  2. Yakh Dar Behesht: made with rice-flour, starch, sugar, rosewater, milk and pistachios
  3. Shir Berenj: made with rice, sugar, rosewater, milk and cream
  4. Halva: made with fried wheat flour, sugar, saffron, rosewater, pistachios and almonds
  5. Ranginak: with fried wheat flour, sugar, dates, walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon and cardamom
  6. Zoolbia: with starch, yogurt, sugar, and rosewater
  7. Baamieh: with flour, eggs, sugar, and rosewater
  8. Fereni: made with milk, rice-flour, sugar and rosewater
  9. Sekanjebin: made with vinegar, sugar, mint and lettuce
  10. Sharbat-e Limoo: made with fresh lime juice, sugar, and grated lime peel
  11. Sharbat-e Portaghal: made with fresh orange juice, sugar, and grated orange peel
  12. Sholeh-Zard: with rice, sugar, saffron, rosewater, pistachios, almond and cinnamon
  13. Naan-Berenji: made with rice-flour, sugar, eggs and rosewater
  14. Naan-Gerdooee: made with egg yolks, vanilla, sugar and walnuts
  15. Naan-Nokhodchi: with chick-pea flour, sugar and oil
  16. Ghors-e khorsheed: made with rice flour, sugar, rose-water, egg and saffron
  17. Sohaan-e Asali: with almonds, sugar, honey, saffron and pistachios
  18. Ghotaab: made with eggs, yogurt, flour, almonds, sugar and cardamom powder
  19. Samanoo: made with wheat and wheat flour
  20. Bastani Akbar-Mashti: vanilla ice-cream with thick cream and rosewater

Miscellaneous

  1. Salad-e Shirazi: salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and mint
  2. Piaaz Torshi: pickled onions with garlic and mint
  3. Torshi Gol-Kalam: pickled cauliflower with garlic and mint
  4. Torshi Haveej: pickled carrots with garlic and mint
  5. Torshi Liteh: pickled eggplants with herbs
  6. Torshi Makhloot: mixed pickles with herbs
  7. Maast: yogurt - make it at home
  8. Doogh: yogurt-drink
  9. Morabaa-yeh Aalbaloo: black cherry jam with vanilla essence
  10. Morabaa-yeh Haveej: carrot jam with rose-water and lime juice
  11. Morabaa-yeh Beh: quince jam with lime juice and cardamom
  12. Morabaa-yeh Seeb: apple jam with rose-water and lime juice
F.Mokhtarian
Jan 2004