In Persian culture, breakfast holds a special place and offers a variety of flavors and nutritional benefits. Persian breakfasts are typically divided into two main categories: cold and hot dishes.
Cold Persian breakfasts include items like cheese, butter, cream, milk, jam, and walnuts, traditionally served with fresh pieces of bread such as Barbari and Sangak.
On the other hand, hot breakfast items, including Adasi (lentil stew), Kale Pache (lamb head and feet stew), Nimroo (fried eggs), and omelets are popular options that provide warmth and energy, especially in colder months. No Persian breakfast is complete without a cup of hot Iranian tea.
Breakfast in Iran is generally enjoyed between 6 am and 10 am, offering options suitable for a variety of dietary preferences, from high-protein meals for athletes to plant-based options for vegans. This article explores the unique and flavorful Persian breakfast options that cater to all tastes, showcasing the richness of Iranian cuisine.
Interesting ideas for Iranian breakfast
To have great ideas for an airy Iranian breakfast, first get to know the types of Persian breakfasts completely.
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, Iran’s breakfast has hot and cold models.
I will first explain to you the cold breakfast ideas that most people like, and then I will look for other ideas for hot breakfast.
Cold Iranian Breakfast Foods
Cold Persian breakfast foods are one of the simplest yet most nutritious meals. These meals include various dairy products, such as cheese and butter, served with Iranian jams, honey, and walnuts.
Stay with me as I explain these meals to you in detail. In addition, I will explain the benefits of these breakfasts, which are very useful for a healthier diet.
Types of Iranian Bread for Breakfast
Bread is one of the most essential ingredients in Iranian tables. Iranian people believe that bread on the table is a blessing from God for her servants.
Traditional Iranian bread is prepared with wheat flour, yeast, and water. Iranian bread has different models: Sangak Bread, Barbari Bread, Lavash Bread, and Taftoon.
In the old days, these breads were baked at home and in the oven, but nowadays, people buy these bread from bakeries and Bread shops, which are easy to prepare.
It is customary among Iranian people to eat breakfast with fresh bread. The aroma of fresh bread on the first morning doubles the taste and pleasure of the Iranian breakfast table.
Iranian Drink for Breakfast
The most important and main drink for Iranians to have breakfast is Iranian tea. A hot cup of tea makes your stomach ready to eat great food for breakfast.
Also, at the end of breakfast, a cup of tea helps to digest food faster. In Iranian tables, a glass of hot or cold milk and a glass of natural juice, such as orange juice, are also used for variety.
1. Nan o Paneer (Bread and cheese)
Bread and cheese are two of the oldest and typical Iranian breakfasts. Iranian white cheese, which I have already told you how to make at home, is one of the most delicious and fresh dairy products for breakfast.
White cheese has different models: Tabriz cheese, Liqvan cheese, cream cheese, and normal white cheese. This very nutritious dairy product is prepared with Iranian breads such as Lavash, Sangak, Barbari, and Tafton.
Cheese and bread are called a Loghmeh(bite) or a Balleh. In addition to cheese, for better taste and more variety, ingredients such as walnuts, vegetables, jam, tomatoes cucumbers, grapes, or watermelon pieces are also used.
Along with bread and cheese, Iranian tea sweetened with sugar is used. The salty taste of cheese and sweet tea will provide you with a great experience while eating breakfast.
2. Kareh Morabba (Butter and jam)
Butter is also one of the main components of breakfast in Iran, and it belongs to the dairy family. The butter is almost yellow, and when it is spread on the hot Barbari bread, it has a special aroma that I crave to eat right now. Butter is eaten with jam, honey, cheese, and Halva Ardeh.
They spread butter like cheese in desired bites on bread, pour a little jam or other things mentioned on it, and eat the bite with Iranian tea. Iranian jams are very famous all over the world.
Due to Iran’s four seasons and the presence of most fruits there, it also has many different jams.
The most famous Iranian jams, which are very delicious when combined with butter, are Moraba Albaloo, Moraba Havij, strawberry jam, and Moraba Beh.
Some benefits of butter:
- Rich in Vitamin A, necessary for thyroid and adrenal health.
- Contains lauric acid, important in treating fungal infections and candida.
- Contains lecithin, essential for cholesterol metabolism.
- Contains anti-oxidants that protect against free radical damage.
- Has anti-oxidants that protect against weakening arteries.
Sourced: 360-md
3. Sarshir and Asal
Sarshir o Asal(honey) is one of the high-fat and calorie-rich Iranian cold breakfasts. Sarshir is a white substance similar to cream, which is prepared by heating milk for a long time.
It is a delicious and fatty substance that combines honey and bread to make a complete breakfast for you.
You should exercise after eating honey because it is very fatty and full of calories that must be burned quickly.
4. Ardeh Shireh (Date Syrup and Tahini)
Arde or tahini is a thick, fatty liquid made from roasted and ground sesame seeds and is very delicious for Persian breakfast foods.
Arde, along with date juice, which is prepared as concentrated syrup or concentrated date extract, is a nutritious and very delicious combination for breakfast.
Arde or tahini has the taste of sesame, and with date or grape juice, which is very sweet and delicious, it is a combination full of energy with bread for a complete and nutritious breakfast.
If you are looking for a breakfast full of energy for children, this composition is an energy bomb. Also, due to the effect of sesame on improving brain function, it is an excellent breakfast for exam time.
5. Khameh Asal (Cream and honey)
Cream and honey are a great combination, and children like them. Usually, if you are looking for delicious, tasty, and odorless dairy products, I suggest you use cream.
The combination of cream and honey provides a sweet and very nutritious concoction for a traditional Iranian breakfast. They usually eat this excellent breakfast with Berber bread or Sangak.
Cream can be consumed alone or with jam and chocolate cream for breakfast.
Hot Persian Breakfast Dishes
Traditional hot Iranian Breakfast Foods are used in all seasons of the year, but they usually reach the peak of people’s use and consumption in the winter season.
Very rich and complete breakfasts can be named from Nimroo and Omelette of a coffee house to Kale Pache and Ash Sholeh Ghalamkar and Adasi.
In the following, according to the priority and hot breakfasts, which are more popular and liked by the people and also the author of this article (Chef Haghighi), we will discuss.
1. Kaleh Pache
Kale Pache is one of the oldest and even strangest breakfasts and dishes in Iran and even in the world. The head, hands, and feet of sheep cooked with different spices are called Kale Pache.
One of the most authentic Iranian dishes that is used for breakfast because of its high calories and energy. A full meal that makes you feel so full, and you can’t even eat lunch.
Usually, the head, hands, and feet of the sheep, which have been cleaned and washed before, are cooked with cinnamon, onion, and turmeric the night before.
Cooking offal has important points. I have already posted a complete recipe for Kaleh Pacheh, which has an easy but long cooking method. Also, except for this case, we have put the other Persian breakfast recipes on the website.
Eating offal has two stages. First, they pour the juice of the giblets with a little sheep brain in a bowl and eat them with pieces of bread.
Then, they eat the main contents of the giblets (eyes, tongue, ears, and feet) with fresh sangak and a little fresh lime.
2. Ash Sholeh Ghalamkar
Ash Sholeh Ghalamkar is one of the few hot Iranian Breakfast foods, and it contains almost all nutritious and rich ingredients for the human body, such as meat, beans, and wheat.
This soup is decorated with curd, which is a dairy product full of calcium, and fried dried onion and mint, and in addition to its great taste, it doubles the properties of this food.
Preparing this soup at home takes some time, and it is usually served in restaurants and eateries. Shole Ghalamkar soup is a complete meal and fills a person alone, but it can also be served with Berber bread or Sangak.
3. Halim
Persian Halim is a hot and traditional Iranian Breakfast Food in Iran and even the Middle East, which is prepared with wheat and mutton. It is a delicious combination of a firm and elastic state.
It is usually served with cinnamon and sugar and, in some cases, with salt. Middle Eastern people also cook Haleem using their desired traditional methods and eat it for breakfast.
A traditional and hearty breakfast, which is very time-consuming and difficult to prepare but can be easily found in most restaurants and Halim shops in Iran.
If you are a guest of an Iranian during the winter season in Iran, they will prepare Halim for you for breakfast.
4. Persian starch pudding or Fereni
Fereni, or starch pudding, is an excellent breakfast for the winter season. In Iran, food stores usually prepare and offer porridge for breakfast in the winter season.
It is a great meal for babies and the elderly. The mixture of rice starch and milk is stirred for 5 to 10 minutes, and an excellent and nutritious Iranian padding is prepared.
It is usually sweetened with sugar, honey, or grape juice and eaten. In addition to breakfast, it is also an excellent concoction for sore throats and colds.
5. Nimroo
Nimroo is a simple and nutritious meal for breakfast. If you are in Iranian coffee houses and cafes in the morning, Nimro is usually one of the main dishes for breakfast.
Nimroo can be prepared at home in less than 5 to 10 minutes. Pour some oil or butter on the bottom of the pan and let it heat up completely, then break the desired number of eggs and pour them into the pan.
You wait until the eggs harden to the desired amount and are fried completely. Add a little salt and black pepper at the end and eat with Berber bread or fresh stone.
Studies show that consuming omega-3 enriched eggs is a very effective way to lower blood triglycerides. In one older study, eating just five omega-3 enriched eggs per week for three weeks reduced triglycerides by 16–18% (34Trusted Source).
Sourced: healthline
6. Boiled Eggs
Boiled eggs are a suitable and convenient choice, full of vitamins, for breakfast before going to school or work.
In this way, you put two or three eggs in a small pot, according to the family members, and pour water in such a way that water covers the pot up to the top of the boiled egg.
Turn on the gas and let the eggs cook for 10 to 15 minutes. You go to get ready, get dressed, and let the eggs cook.
After this time, when the eggs are cooked, fry them in a container of cold water to shock the eggshell.
This makes the skin of the egg easy to peel off, and you can eat the boiled egg with bread and a little salt and pepper.
7. Iranian omelette
Iranian Omelette is an attractive and delicious combination of tomato and egg. There are two ways to prepare an Iranian omelet. One is a combination of eggs with tomatoes, onions, and Iranian spices.
Another is the combination of eggs with fried tomato paste. Usually, in Iranian cafes, the omelet is cooked in the same way.
Iranian omelets are served with fresh Berber or Sangak bread, fresh lemons, and a little raw purple onion. They are very traditional and, of course, delicious. As usual, the end of this excellent breakfast is Iranian brewed tea.
8. Shir Berenj (Persian Rice pudding)
Shir Berenj is a hot Iranian breakfast that is prepared from a combination of milk, rice and rose water. These ingredients are completely cooked and softened together, and at the end, they are decorated with sugar, date juice, grape juice, and cinnamon and served.
The breakfast is nutritious and excellent for children as well. Of course, sometimes rice milk is also served cold.
9. Khagineh
Khagineh is an excellent and favorite dish that is prepared with eggs and flour. It is an authentic Iranian pancake. Eggs are mixed with flour and a little dried vegetables, salt, and pepper and then fried in hot oil. We fry in a pan.
A soft and very delicious combination that is served with Lavash or Tufton bread.10. Kaleh joosh(kal-joosh)
Kaleh Joosh is an authentic Isfahan dish that is also used for breakfast. An Iran breakfast full of energy and protein that uses Turkish curd with fried walnuts, onion, garlic, and aromatic dried vegetables. A complete meal with a very special taste that makes you feel full for a long time.
I have a personal experience and memories of Kalleh Joosh that I will share with you. My uncle and cousins are from Isfahan City and whenever I go to visit them, they spread a big table for breakfast and the first breakfast is Kaleh Joosh and eggs.
It is boiled. Because the people of Isfahan attach great importance to breakfast, they provide themselves with a variety of foods.
11. Adasi
Lentils are a very nutritious food that is more than 9000 years old. Adasi is also a nutritious and very delicious breakfast made from cooked lentils with hot onions and Iranian spices.
Adasi is an Iranian vegan breakfast full of iron and protein for athletes. After the gym, athletes usually use lentils for breakfast.
In Iran, in restaurants and cafes, Adasi is part of the Iranian breakfast menu. It is also an excellent breakfast for people who follow a vegan diet.
Conclusion
Thank you for exploring “Persian Breakfast: Traditional Iranian Morning Meals” with me. As we’ve seen, breakfast is not just a meal in Persian culture; it’s a cherished tradition that emphasizes health and nourishment.
Iranians value the quality and variety of their food, and breakfast reflects this dedication to wholesome eating.
Replace Persian breakfast from tomorrow!
If you’ve tried any of these Persian breakfast dishes, I’d love to hear about your experience!
Feel free to share your thoughts or photos of your breakfast tables on social media so we can connect and celebrate these delightful flavors together.
Also, you can find detailed recipes for each dish on our site to try at home and enjoy the authentic taste of a Persian breakfast.
FAQ
1. What does a traditional Iranian breakfast consist of?
Traditional Iranian breakfasts are diverse and include fresh bread, cheese, butter, jam, honey, cream, eggs (fried or as an omelet), HalIm, Adasi, and various types of Ash (Persian soups).
2. How can you prepare a nutritious Iranian breakfast?
To prepare a wholesome Iranian breakfast, you can combine whole-grain bread, cheese, walnuts, fresh vegetables, eggs, and a warm drink such as tea.
3. Are Iranian breakfasts suitable for dietary plans?
Yes, many Iranian breakfasts, such as bread with cheese and vegetables, vegetable omelets, and Adasi(lentil stew), are nutritious and have an appropriate calorie count, making them beneficial for dietary plans.
4. What beverages are commonly served with Iranian breakfast?
Black or green tea, warm milk, and doogh (a savory yogurt-based drink) are the most common beverages served alongside Iranian breakfasts.