Are you transitioning to veganism, but can’t quit Persian flavors? We got you covered with this list of 6 vegan Persian recipes for you to try! We’ve also linked some of our recipe videos for your reference.
Don’t fret, friends! You don’t have to give up your cultural foods if you’re going vegan or cutting down on your reliance on animal products. We get the apprehension, believe us. But we’ve been been working hard on veganizing our families’ recipes and preserving their traditions. And you know what? Along the way, we’ve learned that it isn’t the meat that makes our traditional dishes delicious; it’s the aromatics, seasonings, and LOVE.
So we hope you enjoy these Persian offerings โ vegan style. We’ll be updating this list periodically, so check back for more!
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1. VEGAN PERSIAN ZERESHK POLO BA MORGH
Try our Vegan Persian Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh (Persian barberry rice with chicken). It is healthy, hearty and full of tradition. This classic Persian dish was one of my favorite recipes growing up, so we were thrilled to come up with our own delicious vegan version of my momโs recipe!
Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh is essentially a rice pilaf. The dish is traditionally composed of dried barberries (zereshk), chicken (morgh), and basmati rice (polo). The chicken sits on top of a bed of saffron rice studded with the tiny dried barberries. Our recipe includes options to use vegan chicken or jackfruit as the protein substitute. See our recipe video below!
2. VEGAN SABZI POLO BA MAHI
Ask any Persian, and theyโll tell you that Nowruz (Persian New Year) tastes like Sabzi Polo ba Mahi.
Our Vegan Sabzi Polo ba Mahi ((Persian Herbed Rice with โFishโ) will fill your home with the aromas of a Persian kitchen as you buzz up a mountain of herbs! We use Gardien fishless filets in our recipe. See our recipe video below!
3. VEGAN ASH RESHTEH
Our Vegan Ash Reshteh is a thick Persian noodle soup packed with a cornucopia of herbs, lentils and beans. Itโs nutritious, filling, and perfect for cold winter nights.
Growing up, I could always tell when my mom was making ash. Iโd come home from school and the entire kitchen would be filled with the aromatic scent of minced herbs. While making this recipe recently, I found myself fondly reminiscing about chilly afternoons spent in the living room. Iโd be doing my homework and waiting for my mom to finish the Ash Reshteh so I could be the first to chow down on a bowl.
Ash (pronounced aash) is a variety of thick soup from Iran. While the word โashโ has become synonymous with the most popular varietyโAsh Reshtehโthere are more than 50 different types of ash in Iran. But more on that later. See our recipe video below!
4. VEGAN PERSIAN POLO
Persian Polo is an opulent preparation of long-grain basmati in which the rice is par-boiled, then steamed so that the individual grains donโt stick together, and the magical crunchy tahdig is formed at the bottom of the pot.
Is it technically challenging to master? Perhaps a little. Is it worth the effort to taste the fluffiest rice imaginable and take a bite out of the gloriously crispy tahdig? You better believe it!
5. VEGAN PERSIAN KOTLET
Our Vegan Persian Kotlet are fried lentil and potato patties that are perfect as a snack or full meal.
Theyโre crispy and delectable and super easy to throw together. You probably already have all the ingredients needed to whip them up in your house right now! See our recipe video below!
6. VEGAN KHORESH GHEYMEH
Our Vegan Khoresh Gheymeh is a meat-free take on an Iranian classic. Itโs an aromatic and tangy stew thatโs hella easy to make, with only a handful of ingredients. It comes together in under an hour. Also, did we mention itโs served with French fries?
Khoresh Gheymeh is a Persian stew traditionally made with lamb or beef, yellow split peas, onions, tomato paste, turmeric, cinnamon, fried potatoes and dried limes. Itโs served over basmati rice, which is a long-grain white rice. For our veganized version, we nixed the beef and upped the amount of split peas.
Love,
Mani
Did you make this recipe? We’d love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star๐ rating below. Share your dish with us on Instagram and tag us @plantbased.passport. We would love to seeing your delicious creations! Still hungry? Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest for more global vegan recipes and travel tips!๐ดโ๏ธ
All amazing recipes. Can’t wait to try.
Going to make some of these for my Iranian fiance. Thank you.