25 Best Rated Dishes With Saffron

Chelow kebab consists of fragrant, saffron-spiced rice, grilled tomatoes, and kebab, which can be prepared with minced or sliced meat. It is believed that the dish originated among the Caucasian people, who passed down the recipe to the Iranians.

The serving of chelow kebab is a unique experience: rice and tomatoes are served first, followed by meat, while the final touch is a dollop of butter that is placed on the top of saffron rice. The dish is commonly enriched with sumac, a spice native to the Middle Eastern area, and is best paired with doogh—Persian sour yogurt.

In Iran, grilled chicken kebab is known as jujeh kabab. This simple dish is a staple of Iranian cuisine and has two popular variations, one which uses boneless chicken, while the other is prepared with meat left on the bone. Chicken is usually cut into larger chunks, marinated in various marinades and saffron, skewered, then grilled.

It is often enjoyed with grilled tomatoes, onions, lavash bread, or saffron rice served on the side.

The famous Iranian tahchin is a savory rice delicacy resembling a cake or a casserole. The dish is made with precooked rice which is spiced with saffron, layered in a pan, then baked. After it has been baked, this rice casserole is turned upside down and cut into pieces.

The dish is usually improved by the addition of meat or vegetables, which are layered between the rice. However, it can also be baked without any additional fillings. Numerous tahchin varieties can be found all over Iran in many traditional Iranian restaurants or at popular bazaars. 

Korma is a creamy meat stew (although it could also be made in a vegetarian version) with a mild flavor, made with saffron, yogurt, and various spices such as coriander, ginger, cumin seeds, chiles, and turmeric. It is believed that it originated in the royal kitchen of Akbar during the mid-1500s as a fusion of Persian and Indian cuisine.

The dish got its name after one of the tribes of the Rajputs, a warrior clan of western India. It is recommended to serve kormas with flatbreads such as chapati, paratha, or naan. There are three main bases of korma: North Indian korma with almonds, cashews and yogurt (there are two subgroups of this korma: Mughalai (with reduced milk) and Shahi (with cream)), korma Kashmir with almonds, cashews, yogurt, milk, and dried fruits, and South Indian korma with coconut, coconut milk, almonds, cayenne peppers, and fennel seeds.

Saffron risotto is a Ticino specialty, made with Swiss saffron that is grown in the canton of Valais. This hand-picked, dark red saffron is one of the best in the world, and it is often referred to as red gold. Apart from it, the dish consists of rice, butter, onions, garlic, tomatoes, meat stock, and meats such as veal and bacon.

It is often seasoned with thyme, salt, and pepper. The end result is a creamy risotto with a subtle, yet unmistakable aroma of the unique Swiss saffron.

Widely acclaimed as the most popular Spanish dish, paella is a one-pot specialty that is based on saffron-flavored rice, while the additional ingredients may include meat, seafood, or vegetables. Although paella originated in Valencia, where it was made with seasonal vegetables, poultry, rabbit, and snails, in modern-day Spain, the name is used for all rice dishes prepared in a paellera or paella - the traditional shallow pan that is used both for cooking and serving.

Paella has humble origins—it most likely originated around Albufera lagoon, an area known for its rice fields and wildlife, where it was made with locally-sourced ingredients. The exact ingredients used in paella have long been a matter of dispute, but everyone agrees that each paella should have a subtle saffron flavor. 

One of the simplest, yet most luxurious rice dishes, this creamy risotto gets its vivid color and flavor from saffron. According to legend, the dish was first created sometime in the 16th century, during the construction of Duomo. Apparently, it was invented by either the master glazier of Milan's cathedral, a Flemish painter named Valerio Diependale, or his apprentice, nicknamed Zafferano (lit. saffron), who regularly used this expensive spice to stain the glass windows yellow.

However, the first recipe under the name risotto alla Milanese was found in Giovanni Felice Luraschi's 1829 cookbook Nuovo Cuoco Milanese Economico, and over time, this saffron-flavored classic became a traditional accompaniment to ossobuco, another signature dish of Milan.

Saffron rice pudding known as sholeh zard is an ancient Iranian dessert that was once served only on special occasions. The rice is cooked in water and then enriched with saffron and sugar, while common additions include slivered nuts and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon.

Sholeh zard is typically served in individual-sized portions and comes garnished with ground cinnamon, slivered almonds, or pistachios.

Tanjia is a unique Moroccan specialty made by cooking lamb meat in a clay urn along with flavorings such as saffron, cumin, garlic, lemons, and olive oil. The dish is especially popular in Marrakech, where the urns are filled with all of the ingredients, then placed in the coals of a public bath (hammam) to slowly cook overnight until the meat is so tender that it falls off the bone.

Originally, tanjia was created and cooked by men who would go on outdoor picnics.