Iranian Food Names: 40+ Persian Dishes with Pronunciation and Meaning
The best-known Iranian food names are قورمه‌سبزی (ghorme sabzi), a herb stew; فسنجان (fesenjân), a walnut and pomegranate stew; ته‌دیگ (tahdig), the crispy rice from the bottom of the pot; and چلوکباب (chelo kabâb), rice with kebab. Most dish names are built from a few key words: پلو (polo) mixed rice, خورش (khoresh) stew, آش (âsh) thick soup, and کباب (kabâb).
Below you will find more than 40 Iranian dishes in Persian script with pronunciation and a plain description, the ingredient words that unlock any menu, and the phrases you need to order in a restaurant and to be a good guest at an Iranian table.
The words that unlock an Iranian menu
Learn these first. Once you know them, most dish names explain themselves: زرشک‌پلو is simply “barberry” + “rice,” and خورش بادمجان is “stew of eggplant.”
| Persian | Pronunciation | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| غذا | ghazâ | food, meal | the general word |
| برنج | berenj | rice (the grain) | |
| چلو | chelo | plain steamed rice | white rice served beside a stew or kebab |
| پلو | polo | mixed rice | rice cooked with other ingredients |
| خورش | khoresh | stew | also spelled khoresht; served over chelo |
| آش | âsh | thick soup | with herbs, beans, often noodles |
| سوپ | sup | soup (thinner) | |
| کباب | kabâb | kebab, grilled meat | |
| نان | nân | bread | spoken: nun |
| سبزی | sabzi | herbs, greens | Iranian cooking uses them by the handful |
| ترشی | torshi | pickles | from torsh, sour |
| دسر | deser | dessert |
If the ezâfe in names like khoresh-e bâdemjân is new to you, our short lesson on ezafe in Persian explains that little “-e.”
Khoresh: Iranian stews
A خورش is a slow-cooked stew served with white rice. Iranians usually eat it with a spoon and fork, with plain chelo and often a plate of fresh herbs on the side.
| Persian | Pronunciation | Common English spelling | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| قورمه‌سبزی | ghorme sabzi | ghormeh sabzi | Herb stew of parsley, cilantro, chives or leeks and fenugreek, with kidney beans, lamb or beef and dried limes. Often called the most Iranian of dishes. |
| فسنجان | fesenjân (spoken: fesenjun) | fesenjan, fesenjoon | Ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses cooked slowly with chicken or duck; sweet and sour, dark brown. |
| قیمه | gheyme | gheymeh | Yellow split peas, meat, tomato and dried lime, topped with thin fried potatoes. |
| خورش بادمجان | khoresh-e bâdemjân | khoresh bademjan | Eggplant stew with tomato and meat or chicken. |
| خورش کرفس | khoresh-e karafs | khoresh karafs | Celery stew with herbs and meat. |
| خورش آلو | khoresh-e âlu | khoresh aloo | Stew with dried plums, usually with chicken. |
| خورش بامیه | khoresh-e bâmiye | khoresh bamieh | Okra stew, common in the south. |
Listen: ghorme sabzi, fesenjân, gheyme.
Polo and rice dishes
Rice is the center of an Iranian meal. Steamed rice is cooked so that the grains stay separate, often finished with saffron on top. The prized part is ته‌دیگ (tahdig) , literally “bottom of the pot”: a golden, crispy layer of rice, or of bread or potato slices, that forms at the bottom. At a family meal, there is always a small competition for the tahdig.
| Persian | Pronunciation | Common English spelling | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| ته‌دیگ | tahdig | tahdig | Crispy rice from the bottom of the pot. |
| زرشک‌پلو با مرغ | zereshk polo bâ morgh | zereshk polo | Saffron rice with tart red barberries, served with chicken. A favorite at weddings and parties. |
| باقالی‌پلو | bâghâli polo | baghali polo | Rice with dill and fava (broad) beans, often with lamb shank, ماهیچه (mâhiche). |
| سبزی‌پلو با ماهی | sabzi polo bâ mâhi | sabzi polo mahi | Herb rice with fish, the traditional dish for Nowruz. |
| عدس‌پلو | adas polo | adas polo | Rice with lentils, often with raisins and dates. |
| لوبیاپلو | lubiyâ polo | loobia polo | Rice with green beans, tomato and ground meat. |
| آلبالوپلو | âlbâlu polo | albaloo polo | Rice with sour cherries. |
| ته‌چین | tahchin | tahchin | Baked saffron rice with yogurt and egg, often with chicken inside, turned out like a cake. |
Kebabs
In a restaurant, چلوکباب (chelo kabâb) means a plate of white rice with kebab, usually served with a grilled tomato, a pat of butter and سماق (somâgh), sumac, to sprinkle on top.
| Persian | Pronunciation | Common English spelling | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| کباب کوبیده | kabâb kubide | koobideh | Ground lamb or beef with onion, shaped on wide skewers. The most common kebab. |
| جوجه‌کباب | juje kabâb | joojeh kabab | Chicken pieces marinated with saffron, onion and lemon. |
| کباب برگ | kabâb barg | barg | Thin strips of lamb or beef fillet; barg means “leaf.” |
| سلطانی | soltâni | soltani | One skewer of barg plus one of kubide, the “royal” plate. |
| شیشلیک | shishlik | shishlik | Lamb chops on the skewer. |
Starters, sides and small dishes
| Persian | Pronunciation | Common English spelling | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| کشک بادمجان | kashk-e bâdemjân (spoken: kashk-e bâdemjun) | kashk-e bademjan | Fried eggplant mashed with kashk, topped with fried onion, mint and walnuts. |
| میرزاقاسمی | mirzâ ghâsemi | mirza ghasemi | Smoky grilled eggplant with garlic, tomato and egg, from the northern province of Gilan. |
| کوکوسبزی | kuku sabzi | kuku sabzi | A thick herb omelet packed with greens. |
| ماست‌وخیار | mâst-o khiyâr | mast-o khiar | Yogurt with cucumber and dried mint. |
| ماست‌وموسیر | mâst-o musir | mast-o musir | Yogurt with Persian shallot. |
| سالاد شیرازی | sâlâd shirâzi | shirazi salad | Diced cucumber, tomato and onion with lemon or lime juice and mint. |
| دلمه | dolme | dolmeh | Stuffed grape leaves or vegetables. |
| سبزی خوردن | sabzi khordan | sabzi khordan | A plate of fresh herbs, radishes and often feta-style cheese, eaten with bread alongside the meal. |
Soups and hearty dishes
| Persian | Pronunciation | Common English spelling | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| آش رشته | âsh reshte | ash reshteh | Thick soup of herbs, beans and noodles, topped with kashk, fried onion and fried mint. |
| آبگوشت | âbgusht | abgoosht | Lamb, chickpeas, white beans, potato and tomato. The broth is eaten first with torn bread, then the rest is mashed. |
| دیزی | dizi | dizi | Abgusht cooked and served in a stone pot of the same name. |
| حلیم | halim | haleem | Wheat and meat cooked to a smooth porridge, eaten for breakfast in winter with cinnamon and sugar. |
| کله‌پاچه | kalle pâche | kaleh pacheh | Sheep’s head and trotters, an early-morning dish for the brave. |
Listen: âsh reshte, âbgusht.
Bread, breakfast and drinks
A classic Iranian breakfast is نان و پنیر و گردو (nân-o panir-o gerdu): bread, white cheese and walnuts, with tea. The main breads are سنگک (sangak), a long whole-wheat flatbread baked on hot pebbles; بربری (barbari), thick and oval; and لواش (lavâsh), thin and soft.
- چای (chây): tea, drunk all day, often with قند (ghand), lump sugar. More on the word chây.
- دوغ (dugh) : a salty yogurt drink with mint, sometimes fizzy, the classic partner for kebab.
- شربت (sharbat): sweet chilled syrup drinks, for example with rose water or sour cherry.
For more drink words, see our list of drinks in Persian.
Sweets and desserts
| Persian | Pronunciation | Common English spelling | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| شله‌زرد | sholezard | sholeh zard | Saffron rice pudding with rose water, decorated with cinnamon and pistachio; often made as a nazri, food given away for a vow. |
| فالوده | fâlude | faloodeh | Frozen thin starch noodles in syrup with lime juice, famous in Shiraz. |
| بستنی سنتی | bastani sonnati | bastani | “Traditional ice cream” with saffron, rose water and pistachio. |
| زولبیا و بامیه | zulbiyâ va bâmiye | zoolbia bamieh | Fried dough soaked in syrup, popular in Ramadan. |
| سوهان | sohân | sohan | Saffron brittle with pistachios, the souvenir of Qom. |
| گز | gaz | gaz | Nougat with pistachios or almonds, the specialty of Isfahan. |
Key ingredients
| Persian | Pronunciation | English | Used in |
|---|---|---|---|
| زعفران | za’farân | saffron | rice, kebab, desserts |
| زرشک | zereshk | barberries | zereshk polo |
| لیمو عمانی | limu omâni | dried lime | ghorme sabzi, gheyme |
| کشک | kashk | fermented whey | âsh reshte, kashk-e bâdemjân |
| سماق | somâgh | sumac | sprinkled on kebab and rice |
| رب انار | robb-e anâr | pomegranate molasses | fesenjân |
| گردو | gerdu | walnut | fesenjân, kashk-e bâdemjân |
| بادمجان | bâdemjân | eggplant | many starters and stews |
| گلاب | golâb | rose water | sholezard, sweets |
For a longer list, see spices and herbs in Persian and meat in Persian.
Flashcards: tap to flip
herb stew
walnut and pomegranate stew
crispy rice from the pot
barberry rice
ground-meat kebab
noodle and herb soup
yogurt drink
saffron
How to order food in Persian
Restaurant staff will understand formal Persian, but what you hear around you will be spoken Persian. The table gives the spoken form you will actually use, with notes where the written form is different. For a full model dialogue, see Persian Conversation 8: Ordering Food at a Restaurant, and for more vocabulary, our restaurant words in Persian.
| Persian | Pronunciation | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| منو رو می‌شه بیارید؟ | meno ro mishe biyârid? | Could you bring the menu? | spoken, polite |
| چی پیشنهاد می‌کنید؟ | chi pishnahâd mikonid? | What do you recommend? | same in spoken and written |
| این چیه؟ | in chiye? | What is this? | spoken (written: این چیست؟ in chist?) |
| یه پرس کوبیده، لطفاً | ye pors kubide, lotfan | One serving of kubide, please | spoken; pors = portion |
| با دوغ | bâ dugh | with dugh | add to any order |
| گوشت نمی‌خورم | gusht nemikhoram | I don’t eat meat | spoken and written |
| گیاه‌خوارم | giyâhkhâram | I’m vegetarian | |
| لطفاً حساب کنید | lotfan hesâb konid | The bill, please | spoken; surat-hesâb is the written word for bill |
Vegetarians have good options: kuku sabzi, kashk-e bâdemjân, mirzâ ghâsemi, sabzi polo, and many âsh, though some âsh and stews contain meat stock, so it is worth asking.
Table phrases: being a guest at an Iranian home
Food and hospitality go together in Iran. These phrases come up at every meal; our post on taarof, Persian politeness explains the polite back-and-forth around them.
| Persian | Pronunciation | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| بفرمایید | befarmâyid | Please, go ahead / help yourself | the host offers food or invites you to the table |
| بفرمایید سر سفره | befarmâyid sar-e sofre | Please come to the table | sofre is the cloth spread for a meal |
| نوش جان | nush-e jân | Enjoy, bon appétit | said to someone eating, or as a reply to thanks for food |
| دستتون درد نکنه | dastetun dard nakone | Thank you (for the work you did) | spoken; to the cook after a meal (written: دستتان درد نکند) |
| خیلی خوشمزه بود | kheyli khoshmaze bud | It was delicious | compliment the food |
| سیر شدم | sir shodam | I’m full | to stop the host refilling your plate |
| مرسی، دیگه نمی‌تونم | mersi, dige nemitunam | Thanks, I can’t eat any more | spoken; you may need to say it twice |
Expect your host to offer more food several times. Saying no once is often taken as politeness, so if you really are full, say it warmly and more than once.
Try it: the meal is over
You have just eaten ghorme sabzi at a friend’s mother’s house. What do you say to her? Say it aloud, then check.
دستتون درد نکنه، خیلی خوشمزه بود (dastetun dard nakone, kheyli khoshmaze bud): “Thank you so much, it was delicious.” She will most likely answer نوش جان (nush-e jân).
Practice: choose the right word
The crispy rice from the bottom of the pot is called .ته‌دیگ (tahdig), “bottom of the pot.”
A stew served over rice is a .خورش (khoresh). آش is a thick soup.
The stew made with walnuts and pomegranate molasses is .فسنجان (fesenjân).
The red berries in زرشک‌پلو are .زرشک (zereshk), barberries.
In a restaurant you ask for one serving: یه کوبیده، لطفاً.پرس (pors) = a portion.
Your host puts food in front of you and says: .بفرمایید (befarmâyid): please, help yourself.
You thank the cook and she replies: .نوش جان (nush-e jân): enjoy, it was my pleasure to feed you.
You can’t eat another bite: .سیر شدم (sir shodam): I’m full. گرسنه‌ام means I’m hungry.
Quick quiz: Iranian food names
1. What is the difference between چلو (chelo) and پلو (polo)?
- chelo is fried, polo is boiled
- chelo is plain rice, polo is rice mixed with other ingredients
- chelo is bread, polo is rice
- there is no difference
Why
Chelo is plain steamed rice; polo is rice cooked with herbs, beans, fruit or meat.
2. Which herb gives قورمه‌سبزی its typical aroma, along with parsley and cilantro?
- fenugreek
- basil
- rosemary
- thyme
Why
Fenugreek leaves are a key herb in ghorme sabzi.
3. What does the word ته‌دیگ (tahdig) literally mean?
- golden rice
- saffron crust
- bottom of the pot
- burnt bread
Why
ته = bottom, دیگ = pot.
4. Which kebab is made from ground meat?
- juje kabâb
- kabâb barg
- shishlik
- kabâb kubide
Why
Kubide is ground lamb or beef on wide skewers.
5. Which dish is traditional for Nowruz?
- kalle pâche
- sabzi polo bâ mâhi
- halim
- gheyme
Why
Herb rice with fish is the classic Nowruz meal.
6. What is دوغ (dugh)?
- a salty yogurt drink
- a sweet syrup
- a kind of bread
- a pickle
Why
Dugh is yogurt mixed with water, salt and usually mint.
7. What do you say to the cook after a meal at someone’s home?
- نوش جان
- بفرمایید
- دستتون درد نکنه
- سیر شدم
Why
“Dastetun dard nakone” thanks someone for the work they did; the cook replies “nush-e jân.”
8. Which ingredient is sprinkled on chelo kabâb?
- cinnamon
- sugar
- rose water
- sumac
Why
سماق (somâgh), sumac, along with butter and grilled tomato.
Keep going with Persian Conversation 46: Food and Daily Meals and learn the verb khordan, to eat.
Common questions
What is the national dish of Iran?
There is no official one. Chelo kabâb, rice with kebab, is often named as the national dish, and ghorme sabzi, the herb stew, is the dish many Iranians say tastes most like home.
How do you pronounce tahdig?
Tah-DIG, with the stress on the second syllable: ته‌دیگ (tahdig). The “h” is lightly pronounced, and the “i” is a long “ee” sound.
Is Iranian food spicy?
Usually not. Iranian cooking is fragrant rather than hot, built on herbs, saffron, dried lime, sour fruits and slow cooking. Some southern dishes use more chili.
What is the difference between Persian food and Iranian food?
They are the same thing. “Persian” is the traditional name in English, and “Iranian” names the country; restaurants use both.
What does “nush-e jân” mean?
نوش جان (nush-e jân) means roughly “may it nourish your soul.” Iranians say it to someone who is eating, and the cook says it in reply when you thank them for the food.
What are popular Persian vegetarian dishes?
Kuku sabzi, kashk-e bâdemjân, mirzâ ghâsemi, sabzi polo, adas polo, mâst-o khiyâr and sâlâd shirâzi are all usually meat-free. Ask about stock in soups and stews.
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by: Learn Persian Online Team about (category: Blog)
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