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    Home » Persian Recipes

    Saffron Caramelized Onion Dip & A Yalda Spread

    Published: Dec 18, 2020 · Modified: Jan 12, 2022 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Saffron caramelized onion dip is a classic appetizer with a Persian twist! Flavored with bright saffron, this dip is perfect for Yalda night alongside a spread of fruit, herbs and cheese. 

    For Iranians, Yalda (a.k.a. winter solstice) is a night of celebration. We celebrate the fact that days are going to be longer and nights are going to be shorter. Today I'm going to share our Yalda spread with you and tell you more about how we celebrate this special night. 

    Yalda board with saffron caramelized onion dip

    This post is sponsored by Zaffrus. As always, all opinions are mine. 

    Table Of Contents:
    • Yalda and its significance
    • What do you eat at Yalda?
    • How to put together a board for Yalda
    • Saffron caramelized onion dip
    • How long does this dip keep?
    • Notes and tips to make Yalda a wonderful night
    • Step-by-Step Recipe

    Yalda and its significance

    Shabe-e-Yalda, also known as Shab-e-Chelleh, is an Iranian celebration of the longest and darkest night of the year. On this night, Iranians gather and eat, drink and stay up well after midnight. It's common to read poetry (including Hafez) during this night and enjoy spending time together with loved ones. This night is about celebrating the end of long and dark nights and the start of brighter days, something we need now more than ever! 

    Yalda board has fruit, dip and crackers.

    What do you eat at Yalda?

    Food plays an important role in these national celebrations. For Yalda, having fruit such as pomegranate and watermelon is very common as well as nuts and homemade sweets. Iranians believe that eating such food on this night keeps you healthy through the year. 

    How to put together a board for Yalda

    It's very simple to put together a nice board for Yalda. Here are the components you need:

    • Fruit including watermelon, pomegranate, and persimmon, which you can slice or serve whole. 
    • Nuts such as walnuts, peanuts, raisins, and almonds always make a nice addition.
    • Cheese and herbs such as basil, mint and green onions. 
    • Crackers and bread such as homemade barbari to serve with cheese and dips. 
    • Something sweet like Zaffrus saffron honey. 
    • And, special to this board, a delicious and unique saffron caramelized onion dip made with Zaffrus saffron.
    Yalda board also has pomegranates, crackers, cheese and nuts.

    Saffron caramelized onion dip

    When setting a Persian appetizer board, adding a delicious saffron concoction is a given. This saffron caramelized onion dip is something I've been wanting to share with you for a while. Made with Zaffrus premium saffron and their saffron vinegar, this dip has a nice saffron flavor in every bite and with that golden color, it's just perfect for your Yalda board. It's very simple to make this dip:

    Bloom saffron

    Grind Zaffrus saffron threads using a pestle and mortar. Then sprinkle it over a couple cubes of ice and wait for it to melt. This would be your saffron water. Check out my tutorial on how to bloom saffron for more information. 

    Bloom saffron over ice.

    Caramelize the onion

    Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add some olive oil and a little butter to melt. Start sautéing thinly sliced onion in the skillet and let it cook for about 30 minutes, until caramelized, soft and golden. Stir occasionally. Add in a little bit of salt. Add in Zaffrus saffron vinegar to the onion to deglaze and cook until almost evaporated. Let the onions cool for a few minutes. 

    Make saffron caramelized onion dip

    In a large bowl, mix sour cream, mayonnaise and yogurt until combined. Add in the saffron water and mix well. Stir in the caramelized onion and taste. Add more salt if needed. Serve with barbari or crackers. 

    serve saffron caramelized onion dip with crackers or bread

    How long does this dip keep?

    You can make this recipe ahead of time and keep it refrigerated for up to 4 days. Make sure you keep the dip in an airtight container, preferably glass. 

    Notes and tips to make Yalda a wonderful night

    • Keep things simple. If serving dinner, make sure it's a light one since you're going to serve fruit, nuts and sweet for the rest of the night. 
    • Slice the fruit for the board so it's easier to serve. 
    • Have at least two types of cheese on the board, we used both creamy feta and cheddar to provide a rich assortment of flavors. 
    • Make sure you caramelize the onions on medium to medium low heat to avoid burning them. This should take about 30 minutes. 
    This saffron caramelized onion dip is made with saffron vinegar.

    Looking for more Yalda recipes?

    • 4-ingredient Pomegranate parfaits
    • Walnut pomegranate cheese ball
    • Pomegranate guacamole

    Step-by-Step Recipe

    Saffron Caramelized Onion Dip

    Shadi HasanzadeNemati
    Saffron caramelized onion dip is a classic appetizer with a Persian twist! Flavored with bright saffron, this dip is perfect for Yalda night alongside a spread of fruit, herbs and cheese. 
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Appetizer
    Cuisine American, Persian
    Servings 4
    Calories 319 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ teaspoon Zaffrus ground saffron
    • 2 cubes ice
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • 2 large onions thinly sliced
    • 3 tablespoon Zaffrus saffron vinegar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
    • ½ cup plain yogurt

    Instructions
     

    • Sprinkle ground saffron over the ice cubes in a small bowl and let it melt. This will be your bloomed saffron.
    • Heat a skillet over medium heat. Pour on the olive oil and add the butter to melt.
    • Sauté the onion over medium heat and stir occasionally. You want the onion to become golden and soft. This would take about 30 minutes. Add in the saffron vinegar and deglaze until almost evaporated. Add the salt and let it cool for a few minutes.
    • In a large bowl mix yogurt, sour cream and mayonnaise. Add in the bloomed saffron and caramelized onion. Mix well to combine.
    • Serve cold with barbari and crackers.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 303mgPotassium: 238mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 563IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it was by leaving a comment and a 5-star review!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Molly

      January 12, 2022 at 5:41 am

      1/2 **cup** of powdered saffron...is that right? 8 whole tablespoons?

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        January 12, 2022 at 9:32 am

        oops, just corrected that, it's 1/2 teaspoon!

        Reply
    2. Patrick M Keenan

      December 21, 2020 at 2:37 am

      I wouldn't worry about how long it keeps. Always gets eaten that night. Very yummy!

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        January 06, 2021 at 4:01 am

        That's true!

        Reply

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    38 shares