Are you going vegan, but can't quit Persian flavors? We got you covered with this list of 6 vegan Persian recipes for you to try!
Spinach Tahchin Tahchin is Persian rice cake which is made with different ingredients. It consists of a thick layer of rice, saffron, yogurt and egg combination but interestingly we make the vegan version of it and even get a better flavor of this dish. Vegan yogurt or simply a mixture of plant milk and gram flour is substituted for the dairy yogurt and egg. Among different kinds of tahchin I adore this amazing one. Every single ingredient in this dish is so tasty and combination of all of them tastes divine. Just imagine the saffron flavor and barberries and dried fruits accompanied by soft texture of spinach and crunchy nuts! If you want to give it a try follow this recipe(for two) but do not forget to use a non-stick pot.
Our vegan Persian Kotlets are fried lentil and potato patties that are perfect as a snack or full meal. They’re crispy and delectable and super easy to throw together. You probably already have all the ingredients needed to whip them up in your house right now!
Learn more about Persian cuisine and get the recipe for one of its signature dishes – Vegan Persian Khoresh Gheymeh – in the new Food stories column.
(Vegan) Kateh kabab has always been one of my favorite dishes and my mom used to make a fantastic one, and When I knew we had it for lunch
A beautiful soup with lentils, chickpeas, red kidney beans, spinach and mint. Fresh and substantial at the same time. A soup you will want to make again and again.
Vegan Fesenjan is a delicious plant-based version of the famous Persian dish Fesenjan, also known as Fesenjoon. This hearty stew has a rich walnut-based gravy which has a very unique flavor.
Savory, sweet, a little sour, this vegan Persian Stew is a great entry-way recipe into Persian cooking. It's quick to make, warming and spicy, and wonderful for cool evening dinners.
A Vegan Persian Herb Stew.
Traditional Persian eggplant khoresh stew (Bademjan) made vegan with the use of plant based foods for a healthy comfort food meal.
Are you going vegan, but can't quit Persian flavors? We got you covered with this list of 6 vegan Persian recipes for you to try!
Khoresh Bademjan is a Persian eggplant stew that's simmered to perfection in a rich tomato sauce. This recipe is also vegan which is so hearty and flavourful
A savory Persian frittata made with herbs and Just Egg.
Kuku Sabzi – Persian Herb Frittata - Elegantly served as an appetizer or a main dish. Kuku or Kookoo Sabzi is one Persian recipe dish to try. A healthy Iranian food recipe casserole that's mixed with fresh green herbs, eggs, fruits, and nuts. A delicious Sabzi recipe, a Mediterranean dish that's a MUST have on your recipe repertoire.
Get the full recipe for Vegan Makloubeh by Waseem Hijazi of demeals here. It's a nutritious & comforting Palestinian national favorite!
Ash Reshteh is a thick Persian noodle soup packed with a cornucopia of herbs, lentils and beans. It’s nutritious, filling, and perfect for cold winter nights.
Our vegan Persian Kotlets are fried lentil and potato patties that are perfect as a snack or full meal. They’re crispy and delectable and super easy to throw together. You probably already have all the ingredients needed to whip them up in your house right now!
Easy, cozy, and delicious, this oil-free Persian Lentil Soup is brimming with feel-good veggies and aromatic spices.
Tasty light and warm meal for breakfast or dinner
A hearty, Persian wheat and mushroom porridge
Lentil Soup always brings back memories of hiking in the Tehran mountains, like "Darakeh", "Azghal Chal", and "Palang Chal". What I adore about Iran is the guarantee of finding a café or a little shop wherever you wander. It's hilarious how Iranians sometimes hike just
Learn more about Persian cuisine and get the recipe for one of its signature dishes – Vegan Persian Khoresh Gheymeh – in the new Food stories column.
A moist, fragrant, delicious rosewater, cardamom cake perfect for anniversaries and Valentine's Day.
Check out this overview of the history of Persian food and it rich flavors and discover how to eat vegan Persian food during your travels in Iran.
Before I get to this gorgeous salad, I have to tell you about a book signing I am doing Tuesday Night! If you are in the Seattle area, I would LOVE to see you, chit chat, feed you treats and talk about all things food related! I will be doing a Pure Delicious talk at …
Learn more about Nowruz (Persian New Year) and its signature dishes with this week's Culture Tuesday! Read the article and get 6 vegan Nowruz recipes here.
Our vegan Persian Kotlets are fried lentil and potato patties that are perfect as a snack or full meal. They’re crispy and delectable and super easy to throw together. You probably already have all the ingredients needed to whip them up in your house right now!
A moist, fragrant, delicious rosewater, cardamom cake perfect for anniversaries and Valentine's Day.
As always, a preview of the recipe to come later in this post: Persian New Year: Also known as "Aid eh Norooz" is celebrated on the first day of spring each year and lasts for 13 days. It is a celebration with various traditions, each with its own significance, and all of which make this holiday so special. This holiday is all about recognizing the good and the bad from the past year, and starting the new year in this time of growth and life (spring) with your best foot forward and a clean slate.........and we get new clothes. So, that's probably my personal favorite tradition, since I clearly don't go near a mall during the rest of the year.....clearly. Char Shanbeh Suri: This is the name of the last Tuesday before Norooz. It is a celebration that is usually held in the evening with family and close friends. The highlight of this event is that we set up little fires, usually 3, each spaced about 15 feet apart, and then jump over them in succession. I promise this isn't dangerous at all, unless you're me, in which case most things that require decent coordination are life-threatening events.......but most people aren't me, so we're good. Anyways, the fires are very low and small, and are really just symbolic. The fires are meant to be symbolic of the sun, and while jumping over them, persians sing a phrase that translates to "take my sickness, paleness, and problems and give me your redness, warmth, and energy". I don't know how many times you're supposed to jump over them (something tells ms 3), but I am pretty much that one person who stays outsides jumping over fires by themselves for the whole night after everyone else is done; yes, everyone is aware that I am the coolest person ever, but thanks for wondering. Our Soffreh Haft Seen (before we lit the candles of course). Soffreh Haft Seen: This is the name for the special spread that is set up in celebration of the new year. There are many elements to the spread all of which are symbolic. "Haft Seen" translates to the seven "s," specifically the "s" letter "seen" in farsi. The sofreh has 7 essential elements, each that start with "seen" in farsi and have a special significance, as well as other items that are symbolic but don't necessarily start with "seen." Honestly, don't worry about the whole letter thing, it still confuses me and I was born into this culture of nosy, loud people with quirky traditions; just rest assured that there is some rhyme & reason to what goes onto our table. Here are the items on our Haft Seen table: 1. Serkeh (vinegar): represents the value of age and patience 2. Somach (sumac): represents the color of the sunrise 3. Sib (apple): symbolizes beauty and health, as well as the element of earth 4. Senjed (dried fruit of lotus tree): symbolizes love 5. Samanoo (sweet wheat & almond pudding): symbolizes affluence 6. Sabzeh (sprouts): represents rebirth 7. Sir (garlic): represents medicine and healing There are also additional items that are symbolic but don't start with "seen" that are part of our table: - Tokhmeh morgh (chicken eggs): symbolize fertility - Sekkeh (coins): represents wealth and prosperity - Shirini (sweets): represent "spreading the sweetness of life" - Sonbol (hyacinths): a spring flower to represent spring - Mahi (live fish): symbolizes life - Sham (candles, one per member of your family): represents enlightenment and life, as well as the element of fire - Aynahmeh (mirror): symbolized the sky, and self reflection - Golab (rosewater): symbolizing the element of water Vegan Tahcheen (Savory Saffron Rice Cake) Recipe: The story behind this recipe is pretty simple. This is based on a traditional persian recipe for a delicious savory saffron rice cake with a crunchy rice shell. The traditional recipe uses yogurt and eggs, and also has chicken about half of the time. I have tried to veganize it a few times, and I finally came up with a recipe that works perfectly......success! Ingredients: - 2 1/2 cups dry white rice - 1 large white onion, finely diced. - 1 tsp turmeric - 2 1/2 tsp salt - 1 1/2 heaping teaspoon saffron threads - 1 1/4 cup water (divided into 3/4 cup and 1/2 cup) - 3 tsp the vegg powder (optional but recommended) - 2 cups plain soy yogurt (I strongly recommend WholesoyCo brand) - 1/2 tsp black pepper - 2 tbsp olive oil - 1 package of vegan chicken strips, chopped (I used Trader Joe's brand, but you can use any vegan chicken or firm tofu you like, or you can simply use seitan)**this is optional, many persians make this dish without chicken** Directions: This is what your onions should look like JUST before adding the spices and the chicken. 1. In a small pot simmer 3/4 cup water with the saffron until the threads have lost all of their color. This will take awhile, so you can put this on the back burner and let it go while you move on to the other steps, but check on it occasionally. 2. Parboil the rice. This means we will cook the rice halfway, since it will be cooked again later. Simply bring the rice to a boil and let it cook for about 4 minutes. It is done when you can bite through it but it is still definitely very al dente and not cooked in the middle. Drain the rice and rinse with water, set aside for later. 3. In a medium or large heavy bottomed, non-stick saute pan, saute the onion on medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. 4. Add the vegan chicken if you are choosing to use it, as well as 1/2 tsp of the salt, all of the turmeric, and a dash of olive oil. Continue to sauté and mix well until everything is evenly yellowed by the turmeric (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside. 5. In a blender or food processor, combine 3 tsp of the vegg with 1/2 cup water. 6. In a very large bowl, combine the yogurt, blended vegg, saffron water (which should now be about 1/2 cup after reducing down), 2 tsp salt, and pepper and mix until evenly colored. 7. Now pour in the rice and the sauteed onion mixture and mix well. 8. Heat up a very large, non-stick sauce pan with straight edges on medium-high heat, and add enough of the oil to make sure the bottom is well coated. 9. Slowly add the mixture, one spoon at a time, pressing each spoonful down to flatten it slightly. This is what I am trying to describe in step 11 10. After you have covered the entire bottom and sides of the pan in this manner, and the remaining mixture gently into the pan. Make sure it is spread out evenly. Turn down the heat to medium-low. 11. Outfit the pan's lid with a large towel or washcloth such that it is spread tightly over the entire bottom surface of the lid. Then place the lide tightly on the pan and let cook for 1.5 hours. (This is so that when you cover the rice, non of the excess moisture that would have collected on the lid drips back down and makes the rice mushy/soggy). 12. After 1.5 hours, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. 13. Remove the lid from the pan, and place a large, round, flat serving dish (by large I mean large enough to cover the entire top of the pan) over the top of the pan, and quickly invert the pan/dish so that the rice slides out of the pan and lands on the serving dish. This really has to be done in one, swift movement, I promise the rice will slide right out. 14. Cut yourself a delicious slice and enjoy! Pure Deliciousness
Our Vegan Persian Lubia Polo is a plant-based version of a popular Iranian pilaf. It is one of our favorite Persian dishes, and we’re sure once you try it, it’ll be one of yours.
Vegan Fesenjan is a delicious plant-based version of the famous Persian dish Fesenjan, also known as Fesenjoon. This hearty stew has a rich walnut-based gravy which has a very unique flavor.
Learn more about Nowruz (Persian New Year) and its signature dishes with this week's Culture Tuesday! Read the article and get 6 vegan Nowruz recipes here.
A plant-based Persian lentil, tofu, and rice dish
I finally made my Aunt’s Vegan Persian Ice Cream!!! Except when I asked her for the measurements, she laughed at me….
This recipe is featured in our Recipe of the Day Newsletter. Sign up for it here to have our test kitchen-approved recipes delivered to your inbox! Get ready to have every other type of rice ruined for you. If you’re a stranger to the magical world of crispy Persian rice, or tahdig, let me tell you it’s a game changer. Literally translating to bottom of the pot, tahdig infuses long-grain rice with fragrant saffron and tons of butter to create a luxurious dish begging to be cracked. Given the fact that Nowruz (Persian New Year) is right around the corner, there’s never a better time to give this recipe a try! When I met my husband, I was thrusted into the world of Persian cooking, discovering a new frontier of rich stews and vibrant rices. I became determined to master tahdig for him, so I started shadowing his mother and aunt in the kitchen to learn their ways. While I might not be trying to become an ASMR influencer, I’ve now dedicated a huge chunk of my Instagram to videos documenting the sounds of crunchy rice (give the people what they want!). To put it simply, you par cook rice, then mix some with yogurt, egg, saffron and butter to lay on the bottom of the pot before you add the rest of the rice. You then rely on sound and smell to tell when the bottom has become golden brown perfection. This variety (my husband’s favorite) adds sliced potato first for a crispy starch on starch masterpiece that you’ll be picking at long before it hits the table to serve with any Persian stew or kebab (maybe my recipe for Fesenjan, a Persian pomegranate and walnut stew?!). Here are some tips to help you find success on your first go: 1. Rinse your rice well before soaking in salt water. You want to get off any excess starch, as well as letting the rice start to absorb some of that salty water. 2. Use a cheap non-stick pot! It always works better for an even crust that never sticks. 3. Trust your other senses! This is a Bird Box moment, so you want to make sure you hear a slow and steady sizzle and then pull it when the rice smells toasted and fragrant (it will resemble fresh popcorn!). Give potato tahdig a go. There’s never a better time for starch madness.
Delicious vegan, dairy free, tahdig (Persian crispy rice)
