BEST Persian Foods: Iranian Dishes – Traditional Iranian Cuisine

There is a beautiful quotation from the animation movie, Over the Hedge, in which RJ says: “They always got food with them. We eat to live; these guys live to eat”. You’re right he is talking about human beings. Foods are not only vital elements of human life, but they’re also hobbies these days. Personally, I would first google the famous dishes of a country, then visit there. Foods are sometimes so lovely that they’re not just made to be eaten; they are cooked for you to fall in love with! In this passage, we are going to talk about the most popular Iranian Dishes and best Iranian foods. Ready to know about the best traditional Persian foods?

Iranian Dishes

When it comes to this country, all Iranian dishes are lovely. I don’t say so as an Iranian; I insist on it as an extremist eater. Iranian dishes are so diverse that they can meet all different tastes, needs, and interests. You like it sour, there are options for you; you like it spicy the southern style is yours; you like it sweet, there are options for you; you like it bitter, there are dishes for you (LOL)! Iranian foods are not only delicious, but they’re also healthy.

Persian food ingredients are so rich in terms of healthy nutrients and necessary elements such as Vitamins, Proteins, Fibers, Carbohydrates, and so on. Persian foods are mixtures of useful and delicious ingredients that are cohabited together and made an artistic harmony as if they are pieces of a legendary puzzle!

Top Dishes in Iran

In a class full of top students, it’s so rough for the teacher to find the top 10. Likewise, it is so hard to say which Persian dishes are the best foods in Iran. Each Iranian food is perfect for a person and each Persian food is a good option for a particular objective. In Iranian dishes, you can find options for vegetarians, meat lovers, fast-food eaters, and even cannibals (LOL)!

Among the top dishes in Iran, Dizi, Zereshk-polo, Qormeh-Sabzi, Qeymeh, Fesenjan, different Kebabs, different Ashes, Southern Iranian Sea Foods, and localized Iranian Fast-Foods are the most popular.

Iranian Dishes, Dizi

Dizi, an Iranian Food Picture

A mixture of potatoes, chickpeas, veal, and meat in a hot liquid (including tomato paste, spices, and other ingredients) that tastes like heaven, is called Dizi. Dizi is usually available in traditional Iranian restaurants. To eat Dizi, you need to separate the solid parts from the liquid. The solid delicious parts of this traditional Persian food are going to be mashed and mixed to form a God-given gift that you can’t stop eating with Iranian traditional bread (usually Sangak bread that is baked in a hot stone oven). The liquid part will act like a swimming pool for torn-apart bread pieces that drown in it and get sunken, soft, and delicious. It’s kind of hard to move after eating Dizi. After eating this lovely Persian food, you feel like a pregnant lady. Well, the solution is a Soda pop!

Best Iranian Dishes, Zereshk-Polo

barberry-rice-with-chicken-zereshk-polo

Unbelievable rice dishes decorated with spices, saffron, barberries, and nut slices, are called Zereshk-Polo, a traditional Iranian food. Polos are Iranian decorated rice dishes, the most popular among which is Zereshk-Polo. There are other types of Iranian Polos such as Baghali-Polo (rice decorated with beagles and vegetables) and Sabzi-Polo (rice decorated with vegetables and spices). Zereshk-Polo and other Polos are usually served with chicken. When you eat these Iranian dishes, it feels as if you are biting a piece of Eden’s apple. If you are a vegetarian, you can serve the Iranian Polos solo, or eat them with french fries. There are also some Iranian Polos that are just great choices for Vegans such as Adas-Polo (a lovely Polo and lentils Persian food) and Morassa-Polo (A Polo with lots of nuts, spices, saffron, and other ingredients).

Qormeh-Sabzi Stew One of the Best Iranian Dishes

Ghormeh sabzi, a traditional Persian food

A famous Iranian stew that is cooked out of red beans, special vegetables, and meat, is called Qormeh-Sabzi Stew. Iranian stews are delicious mixtures of different ingredients (Usually cereal and vegetables). Qormeh-Sabzi, one of my own favorite Persian dishes is the lead in stews. Keep in mind that you can’t eat Qormeh without a snow-white rice plate. You can find this lovely Persian food in most of Iranian restaurants, eat it, love it, and digest it!

Qeymeh Stew (Gheymeh Stew), Iranian Dishes

Famous Persian Dishes, Qeymeh Stew

Qeymeh is one of the best foods in Iran that functions as an Iranian stew. The same as other Iranian stews, it is served with rice. The ingredients of this lovely Persian food are the same as Dizi, although you can see split peas instead of chickpeas in it; and you don’t separate the liquid and solid parts this time. You can pour Qeymeh on your lovely Iranian rice and make love to it.

Fesenjan One of the Best Dishes in Iran

Fesenjan, a traditional Iranian food

What happens when pomegranate, chicken, spices, sugar, and lovely ingredients unite? A Fesenjan super-stew is born! This traditional Iranian food is so delicious and it is one of the nostalgic Persian dishes in Iran. Iranian people eat this lovely Iranian food at their parties and family meetings. Due to this fact, Iranians consider Fesenjan as a favorable dish that carries lots of memories with itself.

Kebabs

Iranian Kebabs

Kebabs are chicken or meat pieces grilled and stuffed on charcoal heat. They can be eaten solo, with bread, or with rice. Kebab-Koobideh and Joojeh-Kebab are the most popular Kebab Iranian Dishes. Kebab-Koobideh is ground meat sorted in a beautiful rectangle shape and stuffed on charcoal heat. Joojeh-Kebab as well is one of the best foods in Iran that is cooked out of charcoal-stuffed chicken pieces which are spiced up with lemon, onion, and saffron. Don’t forget tomatoes. Joojeh-Kebab and Kebab-Koobideh without Tomato Kebab are like guns without bullets! There are also some other famous delicious Kebabs such as Lari, Barg, and so on.

Ash

Ash Reshteh, a traditional Persian food

Iranian Ash is so close to soup, yet in Iran, you can say the main difference between soups and Ashes is their color. Ashes are mostly green but Soups are usually orange! Iranian Ashes are mixtures of noodles, cereal, veggies, fruits, dairy, and many other ingredients according to the recipe of the special Ash. There are many Ashes in Iran such as Ash Sabzi (Veggies Ash), Ash Kashk, Ash Mast (Yogurt Ash), and so on. The most popular Iranian Ash is called “Ash Reshteh”. This delicious Persian food is a finger-licking mixture of noodles, fresh vegetables, cereal, spices, and dairy. Of course, if you’re a vegan, the dairies can be omitted. Professional cooks also add fried onion on top of Ash Reshteh to add more fun.

Southern Iranian Sea Foods, Southern Iranian Dishes

Ghalieh Mahi, an Iranian food

Southern Iranian cities such as Bushehr, Ahvaz, and the Persian Gulf Islands cook the best Persian sea foods. Ghalieh Mahi, one of the most popular Iranian dishes and southern sea foods, is a great example. This delicious Persian food is a great stew cooked out of special fresh vegetables, boiled potatoes, tamarind fish, and spicy ingredients. Ghalieh, as well as other Iranian stews, is usually eaten with rice, and also in some southern cities such as Bushehr, people eat Ghalieh with Gemneh (also called Lalak). Gemneh (Lalak) is a kind of wheat semolina that functions the same as rice, and it is way better for the human digestive system. That’s also interesting to know that southern Iranian sea foods are a great choice for those who like it spicy!

Iranian Fast-Foods

Iranian Fast-Foods

Though it is hard to believe, Iranian fast foods are so unique in the whole galaxy. You can find a vast range of different Italian, Lebanese, and other world-famous fast food in Iranian fast-food restaurants. These fast foods have been localized and renovated. If you eat hotdogs in Iran, you’ll never ever eat hotdogs back home I bet. Iranian hotdogs are so terrific that you can’t find a rival for them anywhere. Iranian hotdogs include 0.5-meter breads, holding big long sausages, potato chips, mushrooms, cheese, and different tasteful sauces. In Iran, you can also find varieties of Pizza, Sha Verma (a lovely Lebanese chicken or meat sandwich), Burgers, and many other post-modern food miracles.

Frequently Asked Questions

• In a guided tour of Iran, how much money should I allow for daily lunch and dinner plus bottled water and other bottled drinks?

The price of food and beverages depends on the quality of the food, and how luxurious is the restaurant. Anyway, an average meal in Iran with beverages and desserts can cost from 7 to 9 dollars for each person.

• Is food cheap in Iran?

Depending on the quality, the class of the restaurant, and the type of food it can be so cheap or very expensive. All in all, I can say in comparison with many other countries, food is cheap in Iran. That is because the Iranian currency is low.

• What can I buy with 10 USD in Iran?

10 USD can get you a somehow luxury meal in Iran.  10 US dollars is equal to about 420000 Iranian tomans in January, 2023.  This can get a somehow luxury meal for one person or a cheap meal for two.