• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Unicorns in the Kitchen

Easy family approved recipes from our Kitchen to yours. Persian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes made easy with fresh ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

  • Recipe Index
  • Mediterranean Recipes
  • E-cookbooks
  • About
    • Work with Us
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Mediterranean Recipes
  • E-cookbooks
  • About
    • Work with Us
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Mediterranean Recipes
  • E-cookbooks
  • About
    • Work with Us
    • Contact
  • ×

    Home » Persian Recipes

    How To Make Saffron Rice

    Published: Apr 10, 2019 · Modified: Jun 29, 2022 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

    751 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Learn how make delicious Persian saffron rice at home. This easy rice recipe with a rich flavor and gorgeous golden color is the perfect side dish for your table. 

    Persian saffron rice with crusty tahdig.

    We love our rice recipes and can't wait to share more with you. You can make it in so many different ways, from Persian one pot tomato rice and dill rice and peas to mujadara. Today, I'm going to show you how to make a Persian style rice with saffron at home. 

    Saffron is my absolute favorite spice because of its flavor and aroma. It's delicate yet strong and if used well, it can transform any dish from normal to extraordinary. Take the humble rice as an example: we've all had it, we all like it. But when mixed with saffron, this good old dish will turn into a masterpiece that with every spoonful you'd ask yourself: where has this been all my life? 

    What is saffron rice

    Saffron rice is a golden rice dish that's popular among Iranians and Indians. Made with long grain basmati rice and liquid saffron, this Persian delicacy is a staple in many households.

    This rice dish is so simple to make and is an absolute showstopper. What I love the most about this Persian rice and saffron is the tahdig! Crispy rice tahdig is something that you cannot have only one bite of. It's so good and savory, everyone will ask for seconds! 

    Tahdig on white and saffron rice on a red plate

    How to make saffron rice recipe

    First of all, prepare your ingredients. You need long grain basmati rice, bloomed saffron (please read the tutorial), yogurt and oil. I prefer to use vegetable or corn oil to make this rice because it doesn't have a strong aroma or flavor and won't over power the saffron. 

    To make rice and saffron you need bloomed saffron, rice, yogurt, oil and salt.

    Par cook the rice the same way as you do for Persian rice and tahdig. The par cooked grains should be soft on the outside with a hard center.

    Mix 1 ½ cup par cooked rice with yogurt and bloomed saffron. Pour this mixture at the bottom of the pot. This will be the saffron tahdig. Then add the rest of the par cooked rice to the pot.

    mix some rice with bloomed saffron and yogurt then pour into the pot and top with white rice.

    Add some water and wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel and place it on the pot. Let the rice cook for about 5-7 minutes; the steam will start escaping by then. Try one of the rice grains to see if they're getting softer. If needed, add more water. Let the rice steam for 30 minutes on medium low and then serve with your favorite main dish. 

    As saffron in an expensive spice and a little bit of it would go a long way, I suggest you use a good quality saffron (my favorite is Mehr Saffron). Make sure you read the tutorial and guide about how to bloom saffron on the blog. 

    What to serve with this golden rice

    This rice is great with so many dishes. It goes perfectly with some Persian dishes such as saffron chicken or joojeh kabab. It would also go well with red meat such as kofta kebab or braised lamb shanks. You can also top this rice with sauteed barberries which are one of the essential ingredients of a Persian pantry.

    Can I freeze saffron basmati rice?

    You can't freeze saffron basmati rice because saffron will lose its aroma and flavor once frozen. This rice recipe is best served fresh and warm. However, you can refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. 

    golden saffron crust for Persian rice.

    More Persian recipes

    • 65+ Best Persian Recipes To Try
    • Persian Yogurt Beet Dip (Borani Laboo)
    • Best Braised Lamb Shanks Recipe
    • Pomegranate Chicken, Persian Style (Morgh Nardooni)

    Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!

    How To Make Saffron Rice

    Shadi HasanzadeNemati
    Learn how to make the best saffron rice. This is an easy rice recipe with delicious tahdig that you can make at home. 
    4 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine Persian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 398 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups basmati rice
    • 2 ½ cup water
    • ½ teaspoon ground saffron
    • 2 cubes ice
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 5 tablespoon plain yogurt

    Instructions
     

    • Wash the rice 3-5 times to get rid of extra starch. Set aside. 
    • Bloom the saffron by sprinkling the ground saffron over the ice cubes in a small bowl. 
    • In a pot, bring 2 ½ cup water to a rolling boil and add 1 teaspoon salt to it. Add the rice and cook it for about 6 minutes. Try a grain, it should be a bit soft on the outside and hard on the inside. 
    • Pour the rice and water in a colander and run cold water through it to make it stop cooking. 
    • Place the pot back on the stove over medium high heat. 
    • In a bowl, mix 1 ½ cup par cooked rice with saffron and yogurt. 
    • Pour 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil into the pot and once it's shiny and shimmering, pour the rice and yogurt mixture into the pot and spread it at the bottom of the pot. 
    • Add the rest of the rice to the pot. Cover the lid in a clean kitchen towel. Place the lid on the pot and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes on medium high. 
    • After this time, lower the heat to medium low check a rice grain to make sure it's cooked. Let the rice steam for another 30 minutes. 
    • Mix ½ cup white rice with some bloomed saffron and them serve the white rice, saffron and tahdig on the same plate. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 398kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 7gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 607mgPotassium: 145mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 25IUCalcium: 61mgIron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it was by leaving a comment and a 5-star review!
    « Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread (with secret ingredients!)
    Cheesy Rosemary Garlic Monkey Bread »
    751 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Suzy

      September 09, 2019 at 12:13 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for this recipe! I love eating saffron rice in the restaurants but now I can make it at home! Love it!

      Reply
    2. Kim

      September 09, 2019 at 12:00 pm

      5 stars
      I think I saw this same type of recipe on the NetFlix Heat, Salt, Fat... and something else. Anywhoo.... she made this with her mom and it looked so good! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        September 23, 2019 at 3:08 pm

        Yes! Samin does a great job when it comes to tahdig! Hope you enjoy this tahdig recipe.

        Reply
    3. Justine

      September 09, 2019 at 11:30 am

      5 stars
      Ooooh, what an interesting dish!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest

    Welcome to Unicorns in the Kitchen, where we share delicious recipes from our kitchen to yours. You’re in for a delicious adventure and collection of unique and tasty recipes.

    Read more...

    Fall Dinner Ideas

    • Tomato Rice Persian Style (Dami Gojeh Farangi)
    • Easy Greek Pastitsio Recipe
    • Roasted Chicken and Vegetables Turkish Style
    • Mujadara - Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Crispy Onions

    Latest Recipes

    • Ful Medames Recipe (Egyptian Fava Beans)
    • Best Blackened Salmon Recipe
    • Burrata with Tomatoes and Peach
    • Best Healthy Lunch Ideas

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • About US

    All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images or recipes without prior permission. Read about privacy policy and copyright Here. Our site contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting.

    Copyright 2019, All rights reserved.
    Read about privacy policy and copyright Here.

    751 shares