14 Ways to Make Dishes Using Saffron

There’s no better way to make a dish more delicious than sprinkling new spices into the mix. The queen of spices – Saffron effortlessly bridges sweet and savory flavors, and it adds a stunning golden tint to whatever meal it graces. Several countries even used this spice for its therapeutic properties.

If you’re eager to try saffron, then look no further. Here are some of the best recipes with saffron that’ll keep you coming back for seconds!

Roasted Chicken with Saffron and Lemon

Chicken is adored pretty much all around the world, and this Spanish variant of roasted chicken is a dish you must try at least once. It’s fairly simple to prepare, so you don’t have to worry about messing it up. You will need a whole chicken, lemons, and of course, the star of the show, saffron. First, rub the chicken thoroughly with saffron and other seasonings. Before it’s time to stick it in the oven, fill it with lemons and fresh rosemary.

Nowadays, there are many saffron brands that sell excellent quality saffron; of course, it may be expensive, but it’s totally worth the extra bucks if you want to add the subtle aroma and colour to your roasted chicken.

Saffron Risotto

Saffron risotto, better known as Risotto Alla Milanese, is a complex yet sophisticated dish you can serve when you have guests over. If you’re a fan of Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” you must be excited to try this out. Follow the regular recipe for preparing risotto, then add in some saffron as a seasoning to give the overall dish a beautiful aroma and color. Pop some lobster meat in if you’re feeling extra fancy!

Moussaka

If you’re into Greek cuisine, then you’ll enjoy this. It’s a dish containing a large combination of flavors brought about by red wine, cinnamon, turmeric, and, you guessed it, saffron. When you put all this together with turkey, eggplants, and some cheesy yogurt, it creates a beautiful synergy between the ingredients.

Saffron with Fried Rice and Chicken

If you’re trying to find a way to make your regular comfort food a little bougier, then why not have some chicken fried rice with saffron? It adds a beautiful fragrance to the rice, adding to a relaxing mealtime experience. To add more elements to the dish, mix in some cashew nuts and raisins.

Paella

Paella is a Valencian dish served with white rice, chicken, an assortment of vegetables, and saffron. Of course, you can play around with different proteins; for example, if you’re not quite feeling chicken, you can always try making a shellfish paella.

Pork Chops with Saffron and Mascarpone Sauce

Your favorite pork chops will feel heavenly in your mouth with this recipe!  The saffron and the creamy mascarpone sauce definitely work together to enhance the dish, making it more than just a quick meal. Unlike some of the dishes mentioned above, this one is one of the simpler ones.

Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse is a delicious fish stew that is made with saffron. It’s very rich, spicy and is usually made with different types of fish. For those wanting to create a luxurious and flavorful dish for their next dinner party, this is the way to go.

Saffron Pasta

Have you ever considered adding saffron to your pasta? Try making some saffron pasta with chicken, eggplant and bell peppers. It’s healthy and it’s delicious. What more could you ask for?

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Get ready to eat chicken that melts in your mouth. A tagine is a dutch oven, and cooking chicken in one makes it really tender. The meat is first marinated in some herbs and spices (of course, saffron is in the mix) before being allowed to cook with olives and preserved lemons.

Shrikhand

Since we’ve already looked at so many spicy and savory dishes, I felt it would only be right to include some desserts into this list. Shrikhand is nothing but sweet yogurt served with sugar, saffron, and pistachios. It’s thick, creamy, and very aromatic due to the added saffron.

Saffron Pudding

Are you struggling to get that perfect, caramelized top on your pudding? Saffron is here to save the day! If preparing caramel isn’t enough to produce that vibrant dark red color at the base of your pudding, then why not add some saffron to your caramel? Not only does it help with the color, it also enhances the flavor of your regular egg pudding.

Orange and Saffron Cakes

Orange and saffron cakes come in bite sizes, and it packs just the right amount of acidity and flavor. The combination of saffron and orange is great and will most likely become your family and friends’ favorite dessert.

Saffron Cocktail

Believe it or not, you can actually add saffron to your drinks. Whether you’re a bartender looking to add more drinks to your menu or you simply love experimenting with new drink mixtures at home, this is the cocktail you need to try. Mixing apple cider and saffron with your Pisco cocktail results in a warm and earthy flavor.

Kunafa/Knafeh

Last but not the least, we have kunafa, or knafeh. Kunafa is an Arabian dessert.  It’s basically layers of kataifi or phyllo dough. In between these layers, you add cream cheese or goat cheese, whichever of the two you have in hand. After you have your initial layers prepared, the top layer is usually coated with crispy semolina. Then, the entire dish is soaked in a sugary syrup that contains rose water and saffron.

Good luck, and have fun experimenting!