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    Home / Dessert / Sholeh Zard

    Sholeh Zard

    A fragrant Persian rice pudding perfumed with saffron and rosewater, topped with cinnamon and pistachios, golden, silky, and gently sweet.

    ⏱ 10 minPrep time
    🔥 1 hr 30 minCook time
    🍽 8Servings
    🏷 DessertCategory
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    Sholeh zard is the saffron rice pudding of Persian celebrations, served at Nowruz and religious gatherings, often decorated in beautiful patterns with cinnamon and nuts. Rice simmers slowly in water and sugar until it breaks down into a silky golden pudding, scented with saffron, rosewater, and cardamom. It is the dessert grandmothers make in big pots, stirring for hours. Traditionally it is cooked in enormous pots and shared with neighbors and the mosque, a gesture of generosity that is part of the dish’s character.

    Golden, floral, and softly set

    The texture is soft and soothing, almost like a thick custard, with the floral perfume of saffron and rosewater in every spoonful. The cinnamon and pistachio topping adds color and a gentle crunch. Serve it chilled or warm, scattered generously with nuts — a little bowl goes a long, happy way. It keeps for several days in the fridge, and the flavor only improves as the saffron and rosewater settle in.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Combine the rice and water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes until the rice is very soft and beginning to break apart.
    2. Dissolve the saffron in 3 tablespoons of hot water.
    3. Add the sugar, saffron water, rosewater, cardamom, and almonds to the pot.
    4. Cook over low heat, stirring often, for 40 to 45 minutes more until the mixture is thick and pudding-like.
    5. Pour into a serving dish or small bowls and let cool until set.
    6. Decorate with cinnamon lines and chopped pistachios before serving.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Stir often, especially near the end, so the pudding does not scorch on the bottom. If you like, press a pattern of cinnamon lines and pistachios into the surface while it is still warm.

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    Recipe details

    Prep10 min
    Cook1 hr 30 min
    Servings8
    CategoryDessert
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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