8 persian recipes

Ash reshteh, the classic Persian noodle soup thick with kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, spinach, fresh herbs, and beets, finished with a tangy whey or vinegar swirl. Pure comfort.

Tender chicken simmers with cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice in this classic Persian celery stew. Bright parsley and buttery sauteed celery make this Iranian khoresh-e karafs a fragrant weeknight dinner served over fluffy rice.

Pearl barley simmers in chicken stock with carrots, turmeric, and lime juice, then gets finished with sour cream in this Persian-inspired soup that's both hearty and surprisingly bright.

Persian-style pilaf with basmati rice, red lentils and sour cherries perfumed with turmeric and cumin, finished with a buttery golden crust. A sweet-tart, aromatic side or vegetarian main with real character.

Persian-style mandarine rice with saffron, julienned carrots, slivered almonds, and sultanas in a citrus syrup. Soaked rice baked under a jeweled mandarin and saffron glaze.

Polo havidge loobia is a Persian layered rice pilau with sweet carrots, kidney beans, cinnamon, and a crisp potato tahdig crust. Aromatic, vegetarian, and deeply comforting.

Khoresht-e Fesenjan: chicken or lamb simmered in a rich, dark walnut and pomegranate sauce with saffron, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A beloved Persian stew served with rice.

A showstopping Persian jeweled rice (javaher polow) layered with saffron-glazed carrots, barberries, currants, pistachios, almonds, orange peel, and rose water. Topped with a golden tah dig crust.