Persian rice is made from fluffy Basmati rice and is known for its crispy tahdig crust. It is a staple in Persian cuisine. It pairs well with Persian stews called khoresh or kabob.
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Why You’ll Love Persian Rice
- Rice is a staple in Persian cuisine and is eaten nearly every day.
- Persian rice is a fluffy Basmati rice, which flipped upside down, has a delicious crispy crust (called tahdig).
- Tahdig is highly coveted at a Persian dining table and can be made with rice, potato, or even a flour tortilla!
- Persian rice is served with Persian stew called khoresh or with kabob.
Ingredients/Equipment Notes
To make this delicious Persian Rice, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements are in the recipe card below):
- long grain basmati rice
- salt
- cooking oil
- Brewed Saffron or turmeric
- Peeled, sliced Russet potato or a flour tortilla (optional)
You will also need the following equipment:
- Persian Rice Cooker is recommended or a non-stick pot with lid
How to Make the Best Persian Rice
- Wash rice. To wash the rice, place the rice in a large bowl and cover with water. Move the rice with your hand to clean. 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 salt, cover and bring to a boil.
- Add rice to boiling water, and cook on medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Drain the rice.
- Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil and 1 Tbsp Brewed Saffron (or dash of turmeric) to the bottom of rice cooker or non-stick pot.
- Low oil option – Add 1 Tbsp. water, 1 Tbsp. cooking oil to the bottom of the rice cooker or non-stick pot.
- If making potato or tortilla tadig, add to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the rice, make a hole with a spoon, drizzle another 1 Tbsp of oil (omit for low oil option), cover, and cook 45-50 minutes in the rice cooker. (If cooking in a non-stick pot, cook for 45-50 minutes on medium/low heat).
- Serve according to your preferred style below in the notes.
- Noosh-e-Jan (Enjoy)!
How to Serve Persian Rice
Serve Persian rice in 2 different styles:
- Style 1: Remove the lid, hold a serving platter tightly over the pot, and flip over to unfold the entire rice on the platter. (Pictured above)
- Style 2: Spoon the rice onto a platter and decorate with saffron rice. Detach the tadig at the bottom of the pot and arrange pieces around the rice or on a separate small plate. To garnish with saffron rice, take 1/2 cup cooked rice and mix with saffron water (1/4 tsp. ground saffron dissolved in 2 Tbsp. hot water).
Persian Rice is delicious on its own or serve with Persian stew called khoresh or with kabob. Serve this Persian rice with the following dishes from the blog:
- Vegan Khoresh Karafs with Tofu
- Vegan Khoresh Ghormeh Sabzi
- Vegan Khoresh Bamieh
- Vegan Khoresh Fesenjoon
- Vegan Khoresh Gheymeh Bademjan
Recipe Tips
– It is much easier and more convenient to make Persian rice in a Persian rice cooker. It makes a much better tahdig (the crispy, golden crust on the bottom of Persian rice), and you don’t have to worry about burning the tahdig. If you prefer not to invest in a Persian rice cooker, you can use a deep, non-stick pot with a tight lid.
Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag us on Instagram @plant_basedpersian or share it on Pinterest!
Print
Persian Rice (Polo 101)
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 5 People 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Long-grain Persian Basmati Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups of long grain basmati rice
- 3 Tbsp. salt
- cooking oil
- Brewed Saffron or turmeric
- Peeled, sliced Russet potato or a flour tortilla (optional)
Instructions
- Wash rice. To wash the rice, place the rice in a large bowl and cover with water. Move the rice with your hand to clean. 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 salt, cover and bring to a boil.
- Add rice to boiling water, and cook on medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Drain the rice.
- Add 2 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp Brewed Saffron (or dash turmeric) to the bottom of the rice cooker or non-stick pot.
- LOW OIL OPTION – Add 1 Tbsp. water and 1 Tbsp. cooking oil to bottom of rice cooker or non-stick pot.
- If making potato or tortilla tadig, add to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the rice, make a hole with a spoon, drizzle another 1 Tbsp oil (omit for low oil option), cover, and cook 45-50 minutes in the rice cooker. (If cooking in a non-stick pot, cook for 45-50 minutes on medium/low heat).
- Serve according to your preferred style below in the notes.
- Noosh-e-Jan (Enjoy)!
Notes
Persian rice can be served in 2 different styles:
Style 1: Remove the lid, hold a serving platter tightly over the pot, and flip over to unfold the entire rice on the platter. It should be shaped like a golden-crusted cake. (Pictured above)
Style 2: Spoon the rice onto a platter and decorate with saffron rice. Detach the tadig at the bottom of the pot and arrange pieces around the rice or on a separate small plate (see picture below). To garnish with saffron rice, take 1/2 cup cooked rice and mix with saffron water (1/4 tsp. ground saffron dissolved in 2 Tbsp. hot water).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Iranian/Persian