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Vegan Persian Fesenjān
This dish brings back so many memories from when I was little. It’s called fesenjān, or fesenjoon, and it’s an Iranian dish my mom would make all the time. I’ll be honest, though, as a kid, I wasn’t the biggest fan. The flavors felt too bold and complicated for me to fully enjoy. But now it’s one of the dishes I genuinely look forward to most when I visit home. The sauce is rich and comforting, made with walnuts and pomegranate molasses, and it has this sweet and tangy balance that’s just so unique. Traditionally it’s made with chicken or duck, but in this plant-based version we’re using seitan instead. Its meaty texture holds up beautifully in the velvety sauce.Servings
Total
55 minPrep
20 minCook
35 minContains
tree nut
gluten
Free from
soy
peanut
sesame
Ingredients
Fesenjan
-
10saffron threads
-
1¾ cups (155g)raw walnuts
-
1 Tbsp (15ml)vegetable oil
-
1medium onion, chopped
-
¼ cup (65g)tomato paste
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½ tspground turmeric
-
1 pinchground cinnamon
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1 pinchfine sea salt
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1 pinchground black pepper
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2 cups (480ml)vegetable broth
-
Rice
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1⅓ cups (265g)basmati rice
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1⅔ cups (400ml)water
Optional garnishes
-
fresh cilantro
-
pomegranate seeds
Make your own
Directions
- Bloom the saffron by sprinkling it over an ice cube set in a small bowl and letting it melt completely.
- In a food processor, grind the walnuts until finely ground.
- In a medium sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes, or until lightly golden.
- Add the ground walnuts and toast, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the spices to toast and become fragrant.
- Pour in the saffron and its liquid, along with the vegetable broth, seitan, and pomegranate molasses.
- Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes to let the flavors develop.
- Meanwhile, combine the rice and water in a medium saucepan. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Let sit, covered, for a few minutes before fluffing with a fork*.
- Serve the fesenjān alongside warm rice. If desired, garnish with cilantro and pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
- * Optionally, to tint part of the rice yellow, grind a small pinch of saffron threads and steep in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. When the rice is cooked, mix the saffron liquid with a small portion of the rice to color it yellow. Use it as a garnish or mix it back into the rest of the rice.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
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Let us know what you think
Plate method
The Plate Method is a visual tool that helps us ensure our dietary needs are on track. Touch the image below to see how this recipe measures up.
Grains & Starches 50%
• basmati rice
Proteins 38%
• raw walnuts
• seitan
Fruits & Veggies 12%
• medium onion
• tomato paste
Calcium
No significant sources of calciumFat
• raw walnuts
• vegetable oil
Nutrition info
Focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. For specific nutrition needs due to a medical condition, consult a dietitian or physician. While we strive to provide accurate nutritional information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. See our disclaimer for details.
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I'm looking forward to try this!
I was wondering... What's with the new recipes? There should be a new one every day, right? This one is the "newest one" in my feed and it was posted several days ago. 🥺
New favorite recipe! I had trouble getting ahold of pomegranate molasses but was able to easily make it by combining 1 cup of pomegranate juice, 2 Tbsp of Lemon juice, 2 Tbsp of white sugar, and simmering it for about 40 min.
Made this with vegan sausage instead of seitan. It was quite easy to make, I think I would add some chili flakes next time
Another variation of fesenjan is with butternut squash, which I highly recommend!
Also anyone liking this recipe should try Shishandaaz which is very similar and accidentally vegan ;)
Hi Sadia! I would love to try this recipe, but I'm not the biggest fan of meat-based textures. Can you suggest an alternative for seitan/mock chicken pieces? Could lentils/tofu work instead? Thanks so much for your reply :)
This was incredibly flavourful. I will definitely be making this again. And, it was my first time cooking with saffron! I love the PUL recipes because I get to try so many new things when cooking.