When people think of Iran, they often think of kebab from the charcoal grill. Yet vegetarian Persian food is remarkably rich: aubergines, lentils, beans, yoghurt, eggs and above all mountains of fresh herbs play the leading role in many family recipes. Many of these dishes were never meant as a "meat substitute" – they are simply classics in their own right. In this article we introduce the best-known meat-free dishes from Iran, explain where they come from and show how they are eaten.
Vegetarian Persian food: herbs, pulses and yoghurt#
Persian cuisine thrives on contrasts: sour and sweet, warm and cool, soft and crispy. That balance does not necessarily need meat. Three groups of ingredients carry vegetarian Persian food: fresh herbs such as parsley, coriander, dill and fenugreek, pulses such as lentils, chickpeas and broad beans, and dairy such as yoghurt and kashk, a fermented, slightly salty whey paste.
Add to that spices that perfume rather than burn: turmeric, saffron, dried mint and dried limes. Persian food is rarely hot – and that applies to the meat-free dishes too. For an overview of the basics, see our article Persian Food: 8 Classic Dishes.
Kuku sabzi: the green herb omelette#
Kuku is a thick, baked egg dish, somewhere between an omelette and a frittata. The most famous version is kuku sabzi: it consists almost entirely of finely chopped herbs held together by just a few eggs. Walnuts and barberries are often added for bite and a tangy note. The result is deep green, moist and intensely fragrant.
Kuku sabzi has a firm place at Nowruz, the Persian New Year celebrated at the start of spring – the fresh green stands for new beginnings. It is eaten warm or cold, cut into pieces, with flatbread, yoghurt and fresh herbs. Besides kuku sabzi there is also kuku sibzamini, made with potatoes.
Aubergine classics: mirza ghasemi and kashk-e bademjan#
The aubergine is one of the most popular vegetables in Iran. Two dishes show how versatile it is.
Mirza ghasemi from Gilan#
Mirza ghasemi comes from Gilan, the green province on the Caspian Sea. The aubergines are grilled over an open flame until smoky, then peeled and slowly cooked with plenty of garlic, tomatoes and egg. It is eaten with bread or rice and shows that the cooking of the north has its own accents: more garlic, more herbs, less sweetness.
Kashk-e bademjan#
Kashk-e bademjan is a creamy aubergine dip with fried onions, garlic and dried mint, topped with kashk. Walnuts and a few drops of saffron water often go on top. It is served as a starter with warm flatbread – perfect for sharing.
Ash reshteh and other soups#
When it gets cold outside, "ash" comes to the table in Iran: thick soups that are closer to a stew. The best known is ash reshteh, a soup of herbs, beans, chickpeas, lentils and thin noodles (reshteh). It is served with kashk, fried onions and mint oil.
The noodles carry a lovely meaning: symbolically, they put the threads of life into your hands. That is why ash reshteh is traditionally cooked around Nowruz, when people wish for good fortune in the new year. If you like Persian stews, you will find more classics in our article on Persian stews.
Rice dishes without meat: adas polo and kateh#
Rice is the heart of every Persian meal, and many rice dishes need no meat at all. One example is adas polo: rice with lentils, topped with raisins or dates tossed in butter. Sweet, nutty and filling – in vegetarian households it is simply served without meat. You can find our recipe here: Adas Polo with Raisins.
In the north of the country, kateh is also common: a simple, compactly cooked rice with butter that forms a crispy crust. It pairs well with baghali ghatogh, a dish of broad beans, dill and egg that also comes from Gilan.
Borani and mast-o-khiar: cool yoghurt sides#
Yoghurt belongs to almost every meal. Borani is yoghurt with cooked vegetables, for example spinach (borani esfenaj) or beetroot (borani laboo). According to tradition, the name goes back to Poorandokht, a Sasanian queen said to have loved these yoghurt dishes. Simpler still is mast-o-khiar, yoghurt with cucumber, mint and sometimes raisins. Then there is sabzi khordan, a platter of fresh herbs eaten raw between bites – read more in our article on Persian food culture.
Tips: how to enjoy vegetarian Persian food#
- Share: order several small dishes for the middle of the table – that is how a Persian meal works anyway.
- Add bread and yoghurt: dips like kashk-e bademjan only really shine with warm bread.
- Ask: some dishes come with or without meat – adas polo or some kinds of ash, for example. It is always worth asking.
- Don't forget the herbs: a few leaves of mint or basil in between make every bite fresher.
For more background on the country's cuisine, see Wikipedia's article on Iranian cuisine.
Conclusion: discover vegetarian Persian food#
Vegetarian Persian food is not a stopgap but a colourful part of Iran's cooking tradition in its own right: green herb kuku, smoky aubergines, warming ash soups and cool yoghurt sides. Once you have tried it, you will understand why many Iranians love these dishes just as much as kebab.
You can enjoy Persian cuisine at SANTOOR, Florianigasse 20, 1080 Vienna – daily from 12:00 to 22:00, with a kitchen that is 100% halal. Why not reserve your table here.