Saffron Recipe Library — From Everyday Rituals to Celebration Dishes

Saffron adds warmth, aroma, and luminous color to everything from weeknight soups to elegant desserts. This page gathers our most requested preparations, tuned for Herati, Grade A saffron.

How to Use Saffron (Master Basics)

Blooming (the golden rule).
Crush 12–15 threads (≈ 0.05 g) with a pinch of sugar or salt. Steep in 3 tbsp / 45 ml hot (not boiling) water, stock, or milk for 10–15 minutes until deep amber. Add the liquid and the threads to your dish near the end of cooking.

Quick conversions

•  1 generous pinch ≈ 0.1 g ≈ 30–35 threads
• 0.5 g ≈ 150–170 threads (serves 8–10 in rice/soup)
• 1 cup rice (uncooked) → 0.1–0.15 g saffron
• Avoid boiling saffron for long—heat gently and let the bloom do the work.

Flavor partners: citrus, cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, fennel, anise, honey, tomato, seafood, chicken, lamb, butter/ghee, pistachio, almond, rose, mint.

Rice & Paella

Herati Paella (Seafood or Mixed)

Serves 6 | Time 50–60 min

You’ll need

• Olive oil 3 tbsp
• Onion 1 medium (finely chopped)
• Garlic 3 cloves (minced)
• Sweet paprika 1 tsp, smoked paprika ½ tsp
• Saffron: 0.3 g (bloomed in 120 ml hot stock)
• Paella or medium-grain rice 2 cups (400 g)
• Fish/Chicken stock 4 cups (1 L), hot
• Tomato (grated) 1 cup (240 g) or passata
• Seafood (mussels + shrimp + calamari) ~900 g, or mixed chicken/thighs + chorizo
• Peas ¾ cup (100 g)
• Lemon wedges, parsley, salt

Method

1. In a wide pan, sauté onion in oil 6–8 min. Add garlic & paprikas, 30 sec.
2. Stir in rice to coat (1 min). Add tomato; cook until jammy.
3. Pour in hot stock + saffron bloom. Season. Do not stir after this point.
4. Simmer 15–18 min medium-low until rice is just tender and liquid mostly absorbed.
5. Nestle seafood (or browned chicken). Cover with foil 5–8 min to steam.
6. Rest 5 min, scatter peas & parsley, serve with lemon.

Persian-Style Saffron Rice with Tahdig (Stovetop)

Serves 6 | Time 60 minParboil 3 cups (600 g) basmati in salted water 5–6 min; drain. Mix 2 tbsp saffron bloom with 3 tbsp melted butter/ghee. Heat 3 tbsp oil in nonstick pot; swirl in 2 tbsp of the saffron butter. Mound rice into a cone, drizzle remaining saffron butter, poke steam holes. Cover with towel-lined lid; cook 10 min medium, then 35–40 min low. Invert to reveal golden tahdig.

Risotto

Risotto alla Milanese (Classic)

Serves 4 | Time 30–35 min

• Butter 3 tbsp (divided) + olive oil 1 tbsp
• Shallot 1 small, minced
• Arborio/Carnaroli rice 1½ cups (300 g)
• Dry white wine ½ cup (120 ml)
• Hot chicken/veg stock 5–6 cups (1.2–1.4 L)
• Saffron 0.2 g, bloomed in 90 ml hot stock
• Parmigiano ¾ cup (60 g), finely grated
• Salt & white pepper

Method: Sweat shallot in 1 tbsp butter + oil. Add rice; toast 2 min. Deglaze with wine. Add stock a ladle at a time, stirring. At 12–15 min, add saffron bloom. Finish at 17–19 min with remaining butter & Parm. The texture should softly pool.

Variation—Pear & Pistachio: Fold in diced ripe pear + chopped pistachios and a squeeze of lemon at the end.

Tea & Drinks

Classic Saffron Tea

Serves 2 | Time 10 min
Steep 0.1 g saffron with 2 green cardamom pods in 500 ml 85–90°C water for 6–8 min. Sweeten with 1–2 tsp honey and a slice of orange.

Saffron Honey Latte (Caffeine-optional)

Warm 240 ml milk (dairy or oat) with 1 tbsp saffron bloom + 1–2 tsp honey + a pinch of cinnamon. Froth and serve. For coffee, pull a single espresso into the cup first.

Saffron Lemon Spritz (NA)

Shake 1 tbsp saffron bloom, 20 ml lemon, 10 ml honey, ice. Top with 150 ml sparkling water; garnish mint.

Desserts & Delicacies

Saffron–Cardamom Panna Cotta

Serves 6 | Time 15 min + chill
Bloom 1½ tsp powdered gelatin in 3 tbsp cold water. Warm 500 ml cream + 120 ml milk with 0.15 g saffron (bloomed), 60 g sugar, ¼ tsp cardamom, pinch salt. Melt gelatin into warm base; strain. Chill 6 hours. Serve with crushed pistachio and orange zest.

Pistachio–Saffron Shortbread

Cream 170 g butter + 90 g powdered sugar + 1 tbsp saffron bloom + ½ tsp vanilla. Mix in 220 g flour, ¼ tsp salt, 50 g chopped pistachios. Chill 30 min. Slice-bake at 165°C / 330°F for 14–16 min.

Soups & Broths

Golden Chicken & Saffron Orzo

Serves 6 | Time 35–40 min
Sauté onion, celery, carrot (1 cup each) in olive oil. Add garlic, 0.25 g saffron (bloomed), bay leaf, and 8 cups (1.9 L) stock. Simmer 10 min. Stir in 1 cup (180 g) orzo + 2 cups shredded cooked chicken. Finish with lemon, dill, and black pepper.

Tomato–Fish Soup with Saffron

Sweat fennel + onion; add garlic, chili, 0.2 g saffron bloom, white wine, crushed tomato, fish stock. Simmer 15 min. Add firm white fish cubes; poach 4–6 min. Serve with aioli toasts.

Breakfast & Bakes (Quick Ideas)

• Saffron Overnight Oats: ½ cup oats + milk + 1 tsp saffron bloom + honey + pistachio.

• Orange–Saffron Scones: Add 1 tbsp saffron bloom and orange zest to your favorite scone dough.

• Saffron Yogurt Parfait: Greek yogurt + 1 tsp bloom, honey, granola, berries.

Sauces, Oils & Finishing Touches

• Saffron Aioli: Mash garlic + salt, whisk with mayo + lemon + 1 tsp bloom.
• Saffron Ghee/Butter: Melt 100 g butter; stir in 1 tsp bloom off heat; brush on roasts, vegetables, or naan.
• Saffron Syrup: 1:1 sugar:water + 0.1 g saffron; simmer 2 min; cool. Use for tea, mocktails, desserts.

Storage & Quality Tips

• Store threads airtight in the dark; best within 24 months.
• If color is dull or aroma flat, toast threads 10–15 sec in a dry pan before blooming.
• Always add saffron toward the end to preserve aroma.