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Adas Polo (Persian Lentil Rice)

Shadi Hasanzadenemati

5 from 7 votes

Apr 22, 2018, Updated Jan 13, 2026

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Adas polo is a traditional Persian dish made with rice and lentils. Layered with dates and raisins, this is a recipe that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or a gathering.

Growing up, Persian mixed rice dishes were my absolute favorite. There was nothing a plate of lubia polo (green bean mixed rice) with salad shirazi couldn’t fix. And if we were in the mood for something simpler, we would make a one-pot Persian tomato rice or this delicious adas polo, which I’m so excited to share with you today. I have so many great memories tied to this dish, my mom would always make it with extra dates and raisins because they’re my favorite, and it was just so delicious!

Similar to mujadara, adas polo also starts with a base of lentils and rice. However, the flavor profile is very different because adas polo is seasoned with saffron, cinnamon, and turmeric, and often includes raisins and dates for sweetness.

This classic Persian recipe can be made very simple, just lentils and rice for a quick meal, or it can be turned into a more filling dish with spiced ground beef and a beautifully golden tahdig. If you’re new to tahdig, it literally means “bottom of the pot” and refers to the crispy crust that forms as the rice steams. Depending on the rice dish, you can make a classic tahdig or potato tahdig which is what I have made here.

Ingredients

• Rice: It’s best to use long grain rice such as basmati for this recipe. Rinse the rice a few times so the water runs clear. This will ensure there won’t be excess starch and the rice will be fluffy and not sticky.
• Lentils: You can use brown or green lentils for this recipe. Make sure to check the lentils since sometimes, there are small pebbles you need to remove.
• Ground beef: I usually use lean ground beef to make adas polo. However, keep in mind that this is an addition and if you would like to make this dish vegetarian, you can easily leave the meat out.
• Spices: Use a combination of turmeric, cinnamon and saffron. If you’re new to Persian cuisine, use my guide of saffron and how to bloom it to make sure you’re getting the most out of it.
• Raisins: I love a lot of raisins in this lentil rice recipe and my favorite ones to use are California raisins or Thompson raisins.
• Dates: Whole medjool dates works best for this recipe, make sure to remove the pit before cooking them.
• Neutral oil: To cook the beef as well as the rice. I usually use vegetable or canola oil.
• Potatoes: Sliced potatoes are used to make tahdig.

How To Make Adas Polo (Persian Lentil Rice)

Prepare The Lentils

Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil Add in the lentils and cook for about 20 minutes. They should be partially cooked, but not mushy.

Drain the lentils using a colander and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Cook The Rice

Fill a large pot with water and place it over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium high and add a generous pinch of salt. Add in the rice and let it come to a simmer again. Let the rice cook for 6 minutes.

Add in the cooked lentils and simmer for 1 more minutes. Then drain the rice and lentil mixture and gently rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Assemble

Add some oil to the dry pot, and place the potato sliced at the bottom of the pot. mix 1 cup of the rice and lentil mixture with bloomed saffron and spread it at the bottom of the pot over the potato slices. Add in the remaining rice and lentil mixture.

Using the bottom of a wooden spoon, poke 5 holes in the rice and place bits of butter on the rice. Wrap the lid in a kitchen towel and place it on the pot. Place the pot over medium heat and let the rice and lentils steam for 45 minutes, undisturbed.

Final Steps

While the rice is cooking, heat some oil in a pan over medium high heat. Saute the onion until translucent. Add in the ground beef followed by the spices and brown the ground beef until fully cooked.

Saute the raisins in a little bit of butter over medium heat until glossy and plump. Remove them from the pan and set them aside. In the same pan, saute the dates with butter for a few minutes as well.

Serve

Once the rice is ready, turn the heat off and let the rice sit for 10 minutes. Then scoop out the lentil and rice onto a platter. Add the ground beef, raisins and dates to the platter as well. Yu can also add the spiced ground beef in layers if desired.

Serving Suggestions

Serve adas polo with Persian yogurt and cucumber (mast o khiar) or homemade pickles (torshi). I also love having some sabzi khordan on the side as well as a large pitcher of homemade ayran.

Leftovers

You can store the leftover Persian lentil and rice in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in a a saucepan over medium heat or use a microwave.

This dish also freezes well. Once it’s completely cooled, place it in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

5 from 7 votes

Adas Polo (Persian Lentil Rice)

By Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Adas polo is a traditional Persian recipe made with lentils and rice. It's easy and perfect for a weeknight dinner. You can also jazz it up by adding spiced ground beef, raisins and dates!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground saffron
• ▢ 3 ice cubes
• ▢ 1 cup green lentils
• ▢ 2 ½ cups basmati rice
• ▢ 4 tablespoons neutral oil
• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 russet potato, peeled and sliced into 1/3 inch thick pieces
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tsp Kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 1 cup raisins
• ▢ 1 cup pitted dates

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Instructions 

• Sprinkle the saffron over the ice cubes placed in a small bowl and let it melt at room temperature. This will be your bloomed saffron.
• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the lentils and cook for 20 minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
• Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt and the rice. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the grains are tender on the outside but firm inside. Add the cooked lentils, stir gently, then drain using a colander and rinse briefly with cold water to stop the cooking process.
• Add the neutral oil to the same pot. Arrange the potatoes to cover the bottom of the pot. Mix 1 cups of the rice and lentil mixture with the bloomed saffron and spread it evenly on the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining rice and lentils on top, packing them down gently.
• Poke five holes through the rice using the handle of a spoon. Cut 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and scatter them over the rice. Wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel and place it tightly on the pot. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and slightly golden. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste.
• In a separate pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the raisins and sauté until plump and glossy, about 5 minutes. Remove the raisins, then melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan and add the dates. Sear them for 5 to 7 minutes, until slightly softened.
• Once the rice is ready, let it rest for 10 minutes. Scoop out the rice onto a serving platter and arrange the potato tahdig on the side.

  Top with the ground beef mixture, raisins, and dates. Alternatively, spoon the rice onto a platter, layering it with the ground beef mixture, raisins, and dates, and serve the tahdig on a separate plate.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 668kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 893mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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