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Thali

🇮🇷 The food of Iran

57 dishes from Iran, best known first, across 11 cities and regions.

Iranian cooking is shaped by a mix of rice, bread, herbs, fruits, and spices, often blending sweet and sour flavors. Dishes typically combine rice with meats, vegetables, and nuts, and use ingredients like saffron, dried lime, and pomegranate. The cuisine stands out for its use of fresh herbs, complex stews, and a tradition of pairing fruit with savory foods.

  • Saffron and dried lime are signature Iranian spices.
  • Fruits like pomegranate and quince are cooked with meat and rice.
  • Faloodeh, a frozen dessert, dates back to ancient Persia.
  • Tea is the first thing offered to guests in Iran.
  • Rice-based dishes use several distinct cooking methods.

The cooking of Iran

Iranian food brings together influences from many regions, reflecting centuries of trade and empire. Meals often feature rice or bread as a base, with meats, vegetables, and nuts layered in. Fresh and dried herbs—such as parsley, mint, and coriander—are used generously, giving dishes a bright, aromatic quality. Fruits like pomegranate, quince, and apricot are cooked with meats or added to rice, creating a balance of sweet and sour. Spices such as saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, and dried lime are common, lending depth and color. Stews (khoresh), kebabs, and thick soups (āsh) are central, and rice is prepared in several distinct ways. The cuisine values both flavor and presentation, with traditions shaped by royal courts and everyday households alike.

Staple foods in Iran

Rice is central, especially in the north and among wealthier families, while bread is widely eaten elsewhere. Wheat is the main grain for a range of flatbreads. Iran’s agriculture provides a wealth of fruits and vegetables, which are eaten fresh, dried, or cooked into dishes. Eggplant is a favorite, often called the 'potato of Iran.' Herbs, nuts, and legumes are also staples. Verjuice, a tart juice from unripe grapes, is used for sourness in many dishes.

Snacks and street food in Iran

Iran has a long tradition of snacks, with cookies tracing back to the 7th century. Today, many types of native and adopted snacks are enjoyed, including sweets and pastries. Fresh fruit and dried fruit are commonly served between meals. Street foods and quick bites are part of daily life, though the article does not detail specific examples.

Sweets and drinks in Iran

Desserts include faloodeh, a semi-frozen noodle sweet from Shiraz, and bastani e zaferani, a saffron ice cream. Rice, wheat, and dairy-based sweets are also typical. Tea is the most common drink, often served with sugar cubes or saffron-flavored rock candy. Coffee has a history in Iran, served strong and sweet, and coffeehouses were once centers for poetry and conversation. Wine, especially from Shiraz, was historically significant.

From region to region in Iran

Rice is more common in northern Iran, while bread dominates in other areas. Local varieties of rice are grown in different regions, such as Tarom and Lenjan. Southern Iran is known for its dates, especially the Bam variety. Some spices and herbs, like Persian hogweed, are specific to certain mountainous or humid regions. Regional diversity is reflected in the types of produce, breads, and methods of preparing rice.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Iranian cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of Iran

Gilan 2Tehran 2Yazd 2Ashtian 1Binab 1Caspian Sea 1Khorasan 1Laristan 1Mazandaran 1Shiraz 1Tabriz 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
Kebabكَبَاب‎ 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreGrilled or roasted meat, often on skewers, found across the Middle East and beyond Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Pilaf 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan and 5 moreRice cooked in stock with spices, meat or vegetables, with each grain kept separate Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Olivier saladсалат Оливье 🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreA Russian salad of diced vegetables, meat and mayonnaise, served at festive meals Salad or side, Dinner, Lunch AyranVegetarian 🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreChilled yogurt drink mixed with water and salt, popular in Turkey and beyond Drink, Breakfast, Lunch Kabab Bargکباب برگ 🇮🇷 IranPersian skewered meat marinated and grilled over open fire Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Khoresh bademjanخورش بادمجان 🇮🇷 IranPersian stew of eggplant, tomato, lamb, and tart fruit, served with rice Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner Kabab koobidehMeatکباب کوبیده 🇮🇷 IranIranian skewered kebab of ground lamb or beef mixed with onion and spices Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Zereshk poloMeatزرشک‌پلو 🇮🇷 Iran and 1 morePersian rice with tart barberries, often served with saffron chicken Main dish, Lunch, Dinner TzatzikiVegetarianτζατζίκι 🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreStrained yogurt mixed with cucumber, garlic and herbs, served cold as a dip or sauce Sauce, pickle or ferment, Lunch, Dinner Lentil soupVegan 🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreA hearty soup made from lentils, often with vegetables and spices Soup, Lunch, Dinner Kabsaكبسة 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia and 4 moreRice and meat cooked with aromatic spices, a staple of the Arabian Peninsula Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Laksaلقسا / 叻沙 🇲🇾 Malaysia and 3 moreSpicy Southeast Asian noodle soup with coconut or sour broth Soup, Breakfast, Lunch Ghormeh sabziMeatقرمه سبزی 🇮🇷 IranPersian stew of herbs, beans, dried lime and lamb, served with saffron rice Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Pirozhkiпирожки 🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreYeast-leavened buns filled with sweet or savory fillings, baked or fried Pie or savoury pastry, Lunch, Dinner Fesenjānفسنجان 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 morePersian stew of pomegranate, walnuts and poultry, served with rice Main dish, Dinner KeşkekMeat 🇹🇷 Turkey and 3 moreA ceremonial wheat and meat stew shared across Turkey, Armenia, and the region Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner Kabuli pulaoMeatقابلی پلو 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 5 moreAfghan rice pilaf with caramelized carrots, raisins, and meat Main dish, Lunch, Dinner HaleemMeat 🇮🇳 India and 7 moreA slow-cooked stew of wheat, lentils, meat and spices Stew or curry, Breakfast, Lunch PitiMeat 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan and 3 moreMutton and chickpea stew slow-cooked in a sealed crock Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner KukuVegetarianکوکو 🇮🇷 Iran and 1 morePersian-style omelette with herbs, vegetables or other fillings Main dish, Lunch, Dinner AbgooshtMeatآبگوشت 🇮🇷 Iran and 2 morePersian lamb and chickpea stew served in stoneware pots Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Tarhana 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreFermented grain and yoghurt dried and used to make a tangy soup Soup, Lunch, Dinner Rogan joshMeat 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreKashmiri lamb or goat curry with a deep red sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner SweetbreadMeat 🇫🇷 France and 4 moreTender thymus or pancreas from young animals, prized in French and Persian cooking Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Chelow kebabMeatچلوکباب 🇮🇷 IranSteamed rice served with skewered grilled meat and classic Iranian sides Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Khoreshخورش 🇮🇷 Iran and 4 moreSlow-cooked Persian stew, served hot with rice Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner Tandoor breadVegan 🇮🇶 Iraq and 5 moreFlatbread baked on the walls of a clay tandoor oven Bread, Breakfast, Lunch FaloodehVeganفالوده 🇮🇷 IranIcy Persian dessert of starch noodles in sweet rose water syrup Sweet or dessert, Lunch, Dinner SheermalVegetarianشیرمال‎ 🇮🇷 Iran and 2 moreA sweet, saffron-scented flatbread made with milk and cardamom Bread, Breakfast, Lunch Yakhni 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreA family of meat and vegetable stews from Iran, the Middle East and the Balkans Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner Tahchinته‌چین 🇮🇷 IranIranian rice baked with yogurt, saffron, egg and meat in a golden crust Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Mirza ghassemiVegetarianمیرزا قاسمی 🇮🇷 IranEggplant, tomato, and egg mash from northern Iran, served with bread or rice Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Ash Reshtehآش رشته 🇮🇷 IranThick Iranian soup with noodles, beans, herbs and a tangy dairy topping Soup, Lunch, Dinner Kashk bademjanVegetarianکشک بادمجان 🇮🇷 IranEggplant and kashk dip from Iran, often served with bread Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Shirin poloVegetarian 🇮🇷 IranPersian rice pilaf with saffron, nuts, and dried fruits for festive occasions Main dish, Dinner, Lunch

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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