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Yalda Night falls on Monday 21 December 2026. The longest night of the year is a long evening at the table, and Iranian families plan the Yalda Night food for days. Red is the colour of the night, for the glow of dawn. Pomegranates and watermelon are essential, and the rest of the menu follows their lead.
Most families set out fruit and ajil, the festive nut mix, for the whole evening. Dinner comes first, often a rice dish or a pot of ash. Sweets carry the night on past midnight. Here is our Yalda Night food, from the main course to the last cookie.
Yalda Night food for dinner
Anar polo Shirazi
Rice layered with pomegranate seeds and coriander, topped with tiny meatballs.
Anar polo ba morgh
The Qazvin version, with chicken, saffron, pistachios and almonds.
Fesenjoon
The walnut and pomegranate stew, as dark and rich as the night itself.
Ash reshteh
A big pot of noodle, bean and herb soup that feeds a houseful of relatives.
Zeytoon parvardeh
Olives in a walnut and pomegranate marinade, for the side table.
Sweets for after midnight
Yalda cheesecakes
Three no-bake cheesecakes, in pomegranate, watermelon and pumpkin.
Watermelon cookies
Red and green cookies, made in a frying pan, in the oven or with icing.
Halva-ye umaj
The Tabriz saffron halva, with a grainy, nutty texture.
For the morning after
Haleem
The Iranian winter breakfast of wheat and meat, ready in an afternoon with bulgur.
The fruit and nuts
Buy pomegranates and watermelon a few days early, because prices rise sharply in the last week. A pomegranate deseeder saves a lot of red-stained fingers. Our Persian pantry guide covers the saffron, barberries and dried fruit, and our best Persian cookbooks have many more dishes to try.
The evening
Our Yalda Night guide covers the customs, from reading Hafez to what to bring if you are invited.
The winter solstice arrives at 00:20 Iran time on Tuesday 22 December 2026.
