If you are a vegetarian…

Iran is always a great choice for all types of travelers, even if you are a vegetarian! Nowadays, it is not a hard work to find a vegetarian-based restaurant in major cities of Iran such as Tehran, Rasht, Isfahan and Shiraz. Vegetarian dishes in Iran vary a lot to satisfy all different tastes. There are different restaurants and street food stations to find vegetarian foods such as Falafel and Sambuse.

Rasht is the food heaven of Iran in Gilan Province and if you would be lucky you can taste traditional foods in a local home. Then, you can tell your friends that you tried one of the best cuisines in the world. It is interesting to know that this city is designated as UNESCO creative city.

 

POPULAR VEGETARIAN DISHES

Falafel

Falafel is mainly from Levantine cuisine, made of broad beans or chickpeas or a mixture of the two. These deep-fried balls are can be eaten alone as a quick snack, or served in a pitta with salad and tahini-based sauces, they are a common sight at food stalls and restaurants from Aden to Istanbul, and from Baghdad to Benghazi. But if you ask where falafel actually comes from, you’ll never get the same answer twice. In Iran, it is a popular sandwich that you can find it everywhere. Also, it is a cheap food and is suitable for those travelers who want to be more economic.

 

Eggplant Based:

Eggplant is a popular vegetable in Persian cuisine and it can be used in different dishes. Some of the most famous vegetarian dishes in Iran which is made of eggplant are:

• Kashk-e Bademjan (eggplant with whey sauce dip)
• Boorani Bademjan (eggplant with yoghurt sauce dip)
• Yatimcheh (eggplant with tomato sauce)

• Naz Khatoon (eggplant and herbs dip with slightly sour taste)

 

Egg Based:

Eggs are commonly used in Persian cuisine and it is a necessary element while you cook vegetarian dishes in Iran. Look at the list below:

• Kookoo is a category of food similar to Spanish Tortilla or Omelette, that is cooked with different vegetables.
• Kookoo Sibzamini (with potato)
• Kookoo Sabzi (with mixed herbs, walnut and barberry)
• Kookoo Kadoo sabz (with zucchini)
• kookoo loobia (with green beans)
• Omelette in Iran is only one kind: a tomato omelette which has more tomatoes than eggs
• Khagineh (with yoghurt, could be made sweet or savoury)
• Nargesi (with spinach and onions)

 

 

Rice Based:

Rice is a very popular in a Persian table. Most of Iranians eat rice every day and some of them can’t be feed without rice.

• Dampokhte baghala and Baghali polo (rice with broad beans and dill)
• Dampokhte Gojeh (rice with tomato and sometimes potato)
• Estanboli (dampokhte gojeh with green beans or in some regions with potatoes)
• Dampokhte Mash (rice with mung beans)
• Adas polo (rice with lentils and raisins)
• Havij polo (rice with carrots and walnut)
• Loobia polo (in different parts of the country loobia polo can refer to dampokht with pinto beans or estanboli with green beans)

 

 

Khorak:

Khorak is something like soup and it is common to be eaten with bread. The list below is some popular vegetarian dishes in Iran which is called as Khorak

• Do Piazeh Aloo (potatos and onions and tomato paste)
• Eshkeneh (potato and egg soup-like dish with herbs)
• Kale Joosh (whey sauce, walnut and herbs)
• Khorak Loobia (Pinto beans and tomato sauce thick soup)
• Adasi (lentils)
• Daal adas (Daal in tomato sauce along with onions and potato)

 

 

 

Ash:

Ash is a category of old dishes in Iran which are more like thick soups. There are many varieties of Ash in Iran and each region has a special Ash. This kind of food was the main food in ancient times in Iran. The word “Cook” in Farsi means “Ashpaz” which it points to the one who cooks Ash. It can show the importance of this type of food in Persian table.

• Ash Reshteh (legumes, herbs, noodles, served with whey sauce)
• Ash Gandom (legumes and wheat with herbs)
• Ash Jo (legumes and barley)
• Ash Doogh (Yogurt based Ash)
• Ash Anar (rice, lentils and Pomegranate sauce)

 

 

 

Cold Dishes:

Cold dishes are mainly for hot days of summer and usually made of yoghurt due of its cool nature.

• Ab Doogh Khiar (Yogurt, cucumber, walnut and dried mint)
• Boorani Esfenaj (Spinach and yoghurt)
• Mast o Khiar (Yogurt and cucumber)

 

 

 VEGETARIAN GILANI DISHES THAT YOU HAVE TO TRY!

Rash was registered as an innovative city in UNESCO list and it is due to its amazing cuisine. If you travel to Rasht, you will have a great chance to taste some of these fantastic dishes which most of them are categorized as vegetarian dishes in Iran.

• Mirza Ghasemi (eggplant with tomato, garlic and eggs) you probably find it in other parts of the country as well.
• Baghala Ghatogh (Rashti fava beans, eggs and dill)
• Torshi Tareh (Herbs stew with eggs and sour taste)
• Paneer boroshteh (cheese, eggs and dill)
• Kaal Kabab (Eggplant and pomegranate jouice)
• Sir Vavij or Sir Ghelieh (green garlic and eggs)
• Shish Andaz (Eggplant, walnut and pomegranate paste)
• Bagnala Khoshkabij (Broad beans with eggs)
• Kooyee khoresh (butternut squash with lentils and walnuts)

 

 

 

At the end, you can experience a peaceful journey to Iran if you are a vegetarian. For more information, you can contact our travel experts at Persia Top Tours.