Recipes Global Cuisines Middle Eastern Persian 8 Persian Rice Recipes That Marry Aromatic Flavor with Irresistible Texture By Sarra Sedghi Sarra Sedghi Sarra Sedghi has more than 10 years of experience as a food writer. She covers cooking, restaurants, and food culture, as well as travel, design, and lifestyle. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on March 13, 2025 Close Photo: Naz Deravian Persians are a people known for their rice—and that renown is well deserved. Pillowy soft grains of rice and a crunchy tahdig layer are the trademarks of Persian rice, the beloved rice dish that combines aromatic flavor and irresistible texture. Check out our collection of Persian rice recipes, including bright and herby sabzi polo, lubia polo, a textural delight, and, of course, crispy, buttery tahdig. 01 of 09 Persian Rice Kim's Cooking Now This recipe by Chef John breaks down the processes that yield Persian rice's signature qualities: fluffy grains, the tahdig layer, and some bonus potato tahdig nestled on top. It's not quite how my grandmother makes it, but it's definitely worth trying. View Recipe Save 02 of 09 Persian Sabzi Polo (Herb Rice with Fava Beans) cheesemite Packed with fresh herbs and lima beans, sabzi polo gets its name from its green hue. This dish is famously paired with fried fish (mahi sorkh shodeh) on Nowruz, the Persian new year, but it also works well with chicken or salmon. Don't pair this with a khoresht stew unless you want to break the Iranian dining code. View Recipe Save 03 of 09 Kalam Polo (Persian Cabbage and Rice) Sohelia Kalam polo, a rice dish made with beef, vegetables, and herbs, is a traditional and aromatic Persian dish. To make a vegetarian version, simply omit the beef. Pair it with shirazi salad to round it out as a meal. View Recipe Save 04 of 09 Lubia Polo (Green Bean Rice) Daniel Eg This one-pot rice dish is a weeknight staple in many Persian households. For a more authentic version of this dish, omit the jalapenos and replace the curry with saffron and turmeric. View Recipe Save 05 of 09 Reshteh Polo (Persian Noodle Rice) Naz Deravian "Reshteh polo is a fragrant rice and noodle dish often served at Nowruz (Iranian New Year) for lunch or dinner," says creator and Bottom of the Pot author Naz Deravian. "You can purchase the roasted noodles from Iranian markets or online. The noodles in this dish symbolize good wishes for the new year." View Recipe Save 06 of 09 Adas Polow (Persian Rice and Lentils) midnightsstarr "This is one of my husband's favorite foods! Good with some plain yogurt too," says community member Donnell Shariat. "The recipe takes practice but pays off since the procedure is a common one for Persian rice recipes." View Recipe Save 07 of 09 Bahgali Polo mona Bahgali polo, which translates to "beans and rice," sounds simple, but the dish goes far beyond those two ingredients. It's traditionally made with lamb and gets much of its robust taste from dried dill. This recipe is easily adaptable to suit a different type of meat or even no meat at all, but the one ingredient you can't omit is the yogurt. View Recipe Save 08 of 09 Sabzi Polo (Green Herb Rice) Naz Deravian Bottom of the Pot author Naz Deravian's sabzi polo recipe includes some clever damage control in the form of a lavash tahdig, which helps keep the rice's herbs from burning. For best results, use a long-grain basmati rice. View Recipe Save 09 of 09 More Inspiration Kim Pictured: Persian Saffron Chicken 14 Recipes for Nowruz, the Persian New Year 12 Best Persian Recipes to Add to Your Weeknight Rotation Our complete collection of Persian Recipes Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit