Easy Vegan Adas Polo (Persian Rice with Lentils)

The best recipe for vegetarian or vegan Adas Polo, a Persian lentil and rice dish. This is an easy recipe with flavors of cinnamon and saffron; you won’t miss the meat.

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Why You’ll Love Vegan Adas Polo

• Lentils are a legume and a nutritional powerhouse. They are an excellent source of iron and protein. Lentils were traditionally called the “poor man’s meat.” I like to consider it the “more mindful meat alternative.”
• This vegan Adas Polo recipe gives you options to use a plant-based meat alternative or simply enjoy the flavors of the saffron and cinnamon and add more lentils or raisins and dates.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious vegan Adas Polo, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements are in the recipe card below):

• Basmati rice
• brown lentils (soaked in warm water for 2-3 hrs)
• oil
• medium onion julienned
• garlic cloves minced
• turmeric
• cinnamon
• cumin
• salt
• brewed saffron
• 12 oz package plant-based ground beef (optional) – We like Trader Joe’s Beefless Ground Beef
• raisins/dates (optional)
• medium Russet potato washed, peeled and cut into 4-5 slices

You will also need the following equipment:

• Persian rice cooker or large non-stick pot with a tight-fitting lid. I like this Persian rice cooker on Amazon.

How to Make Vegan Adas Polo

Make Lentil Mixture:

• In a medium pot, add 3 cups of water and the lentils and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes until tender (do not over cook). Drain, and set it aside.
• Add 1.5 Tbsp. oil to a large pan on medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
• Add all the spices, salt, and brewed saffron and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
• Add the plant-based ground beef (if using) and sauté a few minutes until browned. Add the cooked lentils and raisins/dates (if using). Combine well, and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.

Make Basmati Rice: 

• Wash the rice. To wash the rice, place the rice in a large bowl and cover with water. Move the rice with your hand to loosen particles. Pour off the water. Repeat the process 3-4 times until the rice is clean.
• Fill a large pot with water (3/4 full), add 1 Tbsp. salt, cover and bring to a boil.
• Add rice to boiling water, and cook on medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Drain the rice.

Combine Basmati Rice and the Lentil Mixture:

• Add 1 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. water, and 1/4 tsp. turmeric to the bottom of a large Persian rice cooker or a non-stick pot (with a lid).
• Place potato slices at the bottom of the rice cooker or pot.
• Add a layer of Basmati rice to the bottom of the rice cooker or pot (cover the potatoes completely). Then add a layer of the Lentil Mixture. Repeat the layering until all the Basmati rice and the Lentil Mixture are used (make sure to end with Basmati rice as the top layer)
• Cover and cook for 50-60 minutes in the rice cooker. (If cooking in a non-stick pot, cook for 50-60 minutes on medium/low heat).
• Before serving, mix the Basmati rice and the Lentil Mixture in the pot until well blended.

Various Options to Serve Adas Polo without Meat

As shown in this recipe, you can just skip the meat in a traditional Adas Polo recipe to make it vegan or vegetarian by simply adding more lentils, raisins, and even dates to the dish. Alternatively, you can use a plant-based meat alternative as shown in this recipe.

Moreover, you could swap the meat for tofu, as we shared in our Adas Polo with Tofu recipe. We used seasoned and baked tofu crumbles. Instead of baking the tofu, you could also season and fry the tofu.

Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag us on Instagram @plant_basedpersian or share it on Pinterest!

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