43 saffron recipes

Traditional saffron cake with whole wheat flour, currants, candied peel, and nutmeg. A Cornish-style yeasted fruit bread infused with overnight saffron water for golden color and floral depth.

Saffron-infused rice topped with slow-cooked black beans and a fresh tomato-cumin garnish. A vibrant, naturally vegan bowl built from three simple components.

Handmade ravioli stuffed with shrimp, halibut, and clams on a slow-simmered Spanish tomato sauce infused with saffron, orange zest, and shrimp shell stock. A true showstopper.

Vegetarian saffron rice timbales stuffed with spicy black beans and topped with fresh avocado-tomato salsa. A stunning three-component plant-based main dish.

Bhopali roti from central India: a flavored whole-wheat-and-rice-flour flatbread enriched with cashews, cumin, cilantro, green chiles, and saffron-infused milk. The royal cousin of everyday roti.

It was so flavorful, instead of broth, we used canned tomato. Served the stew with homemade whole wheat bread, yum.

Green pepper and tomato soup with a mortar-pounded garlic-herb paste, saffron, and rice stirred in at the end. A Provencal-style vegetable soup with Parmesan garnish.

This Indian dish is made with several kinds of spices, mustard greens, cauliflower and chickpeas; it's baked with basmati rice, topped with golden raisins and cashews. You can serve it as a side dish or a tasty main dish.

Moroccan lamb tagine slow-simmered with saffron, honey, cinnamon, dates, and toasted almonds. A fragrant North African braise with sweet-savory depth in every bite.

Pasta with grilled turkey or chicken sausages, fresh tomatoes, roasted peppers, and saffron vinegar. A light, Mediterranean-style pasta toss ready in 30 minutes.

Persian-style mandarine rice with saffron, julienned carrots, slivered almonds, and sultanas in a citrus syrup. Soaked rice baked under a jeweled mandarin and saffron glaze.

Halwa Shebakia: traditional Moroccan fried flower-shaped cookies soaked in honey and coated in toasted sesame seeds. A Ramadan dessert served with harira soup.

Maryetta's Italian sausage bread wraps sweet Italian sausages in a saffron-and-fennel-scented yeasted dough, then bakes them in a clay pot until the loaf thumps hollow. Rustic regional Italian with an unforgettable golden crumb.

Moroccan beef tagine slow-simmered with saffron, ginger, cumin, and sweet pitted prunes, finished with toasted sesame seeds. Serve over couscous with chickpeas for a fragrant North African feast.

Pumpkin risotto with roasted pumpkin puree, saffron, white wine, shallots, and fresh sage stirred into creamy arborio rice. A stunning fall side dish.

Eggplant gratin layers pan-fried eggplant, fresh tomato sauce, basil and Gruyere under a saffron-tinted ricotta and Parmesan custard. A Provencal-inspired baked vegetable centerpiece worth the effort.