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Rice with Potato Tahdig is a traditional Persian recipe where fluffy grains of rice are encased in a crispy shell with fried potatoes. Wow your friends and family with this beautiful and delicious side dish.
Persian rice with Potato Tahdig is a showstopping way to serve rice for your family or guests, and it’s the perfect accompaniment for Fesenjan (Persian chicken and walnut stew) or grilled meat like Kofta Kebabs. Don’t worry this rice dish also goes well with vegetarian dinners. Try it with this gorgeous Whole Roasted Cauliflower.
For most Iranians, this is the best way to cook rice. It yields tender, fluffy grains with a crispy layer, called Tahdig, that can include potatoes as I do in this recipe, chicken, lettuce, or bread. You can also keep it really simple with just crispy rice.
Tahdig translated from Persian to English means ‘bottom of the pot’ and refers to the crispy layer formed as a result of the cooking process. The bottom layer of the rice dish is fried in a little oil, which creates a crunchy casing, while the rest of the rice steams. The sliced potatoes in this recipe become fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Tahdig is one of the most cherished elements of a Persian meal and there is never any leftover! It is out of this world delicious and I’m pretty sure once you have made and eaten this dish cooking rice this way will be a regular occurrence for you!
Most of the ingredients for this recipe, aside from saffron, are pretty easy to come by. You can find saffron in specialty spice stores, specialty grocery stores, and Middle Eastern markets.
Making Persian rice and Potato Tahdig can seem intimidating, but follow this easy recipe and you too can become a veteran at making this dish. A few tips before you get started: Use a non-stick pot with a lid to aid you in the cooking process and final presentation. Also, make sure you have a clean tea towel to wrap around the pot’s lid to absorb extra moisture.
Cooked rice will keep for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to allow the rice to cool before placing it in the fridge.
To Freeze: You can freeze the rice. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to freezer bags or containers. It will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
To reheat: I anticipate you will not have any tahdig left, but if you do it can be rejuvenated by crisping it up in a hot oven or an airfryer! Splash a little water over the rice and cook on low heat on the stove. You can also reheat in the microwave using the appropriate microwave dish.
Persian rice with Potato Tahdig is a beautiful centerpiece on the dining table. While this recipe is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, I especially like to serve Tahdig on a special occasion with other wow-worthy entrees that can hold their own. Fesenjan, Persian chicken and walnut stew, or grilled meat like Kofta Kebabs are all worthy of a place at the table alongside a crispy Persian rice tahdig. Or, try a showy vegetarian main like Whole Roasted Cauliflower.
Skip the butter! We love to finish this potato tahdig with a drizzle of our smooth, mild-intensity Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead.
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Mersedeh Prewer is a Persian-British recipe developer born, raised and currently living in the United Kingdom. She is passionate about all cuisines but her writing primarily focuses on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. She is a recipe contributor to both The Kitchn and Simply Recipes. Learn More
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I love this. I just followed the concept as I am pretty creative and have had the pleasure of seeing a friend book this for me many times. I didn’t have any saffron. used basmati rice. I had a wonderful time making this dish.
Really good comfort food that my family and guest enjoyed. Fairly easy to make, however, when I inverted the pot, the potatoes stayed in the bottom. How would you suggest I fix this for next time? Finally, I was wondering if I could add onions to the potato layer. Thoughts?
Hi, Paul. This is just something that happens every now and then with tahdig. When it does, just simply scrape the potatoes from the pan and place them nicely on top of the rest of the dish.
HI! I am new to Mediterranean food and am looking forward to trying this recipe? Is it possible to use Jasmine rice for this? And Is it possible to cook it in a rice cooker?
Hi, Kendra. Jasmine rice should work okay here in a pinch. I'm not sure about cooking it in a rice cooker, though, as that's something we've never tested. If you give it a go, though, please stop back and let us know how it turned out for you!
Hello Mersedeh Prewer, I am a new follower and am enjoying your recipes. I wanted you to be aware that when you want to copy one of your recipes and you click the box to 'Show Image', it does not work so you have to copy a second page showing the photo to see how the completed dish looks. I pay per copy so having to pay for the extra sheet every time I want to have one of your recipes does add up. It would be great if you could fix this. Thank you so much, Cherie Ross
Hi, Cherie. This is Kate, one of the team members here at The Mediterranean Dish. I am so sorry, but the picture printing function on our recipes just isn't working anymore. It's something we've tried to fix, with no luck. Hopefully you can still enjoy the recipes anyway!
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