12 Best Persian Recipes to Add to Your Weeknight Rotation

"Kuku sabzi is a traditional Persian dish that is a herb-heavy frittata," says Ali Ramee, the recipe submitter. "The egg is really just a binder to hold all of the herbs together, it is not the main component of this dish. Serve with flatbread, yogurt, pickled onions, feta, and pomegranate seeds. It is wonderful hot, or at room temp."

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Here's a one-pot Persian recipe featuring rice, ground beef, green beans, tomato sauce, and curry spices. "You will need a nonstick pan so you can invert the dish onto a serving platter and preserve its crisp rice crust — the tah digh," says Trina, who submitted the recipe.

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Ready in less than 40 minutes. This simple Persian-style fried fish gets its unique color and flavor from ground turmeric and a pinch of saffron threads. Enjoy it with wedges of fresh limes and Seville oranges. 

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This simple cheese platter of fresh green herbs and crumbled cheese with flat bread is a great way to kick off a Persian-inspired meal. 

Rice is an essential part of a Persian meal. Here's Chef John's take on the traditional Persian rice dish. "I've posted a few fool-proof methods for cooking perfect rice," says Chef John, "but this Persian version takes the grand prize, and it's not even close for second. The beauty of this method is that it doesn't rely on any specific measurements, or even exact times. This will make some of you very nervous, but just go with it."

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A refreshing cucumber and yogurt salad with toasted walnuts, plump golden raisins, and chopped fresh mint. "This is a Persian recipe and my favorite cucumber salad," says Afiyet_olson. "For best results refrigerate salad for about 1 hour."

Here's a Persian version of beans and rice. You'll simmer rice with fresh herbs (dill, parsley, and cilantro), spices, and fava beans. "This is a Persian dish which I often make for my husband," says GONDWANA. "It will taste much better if you use fresh herbs. It also goes very well with either fish or chicken. Hope you like it."

"This is a classic Persian chicken kabob that is very delicious and tasty," says Reza Michael. "Serve with roasted tomatoes, fresh onions, sliced lemons, and rice."

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This traditional Persian eggplant stew features spiced beef, tomatoes, and chelo, a delectable rice pilaf with a crispy golden crust.  "Disclaimer: I am not Persian," says Sarah Kelly, who submitted the recipe. "This recipe my mother learned from Fatima in Tehran when we lived there in 1973. I grew up eating this dish and learned it at my mother's elbow. It was also a company dish and many people claiming to hate eggplant enjoyed this dish."

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This simple salad features diced ripe tomatoes,  red onions, and cucumbers in a simple dressing of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and herbs. "Sumac is the red bitter spice usually served for sprinkling on kebab," says Autumn Leaves, who submitted the recipe. "It's available at most Middle Eastern stores, but if you can't find it just leave it out. I like to dice the veggies very small about 1/4-inch. Serve with fresh lemon wedges."

Toss whole fava bean pods with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic; char on a hot grill; and serve topped with more olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and mint.  "Here we're grilling whole pods until the skin is charred and the beans inside are just tender," says Chef John. Versatile fava beans shine in salads, pastas, and on pizzas.

Here's a vegan-inspired take on a traditional Persian chicken stew. It features chunks of seitan in place of poultry, along with thin slices of tart apples, onions, apple juice, and spices.