Makaroni is a Persian Spaghetti made using a bolognese style sauce, layered with pasta then cooked to create a crispy bottom called tahdig.

Makaroni also known as Persian Spaghetti has been one of my favourite dishes since childhood! It reminds me of my grandmother who would always make it for me.

Iranian makaroni is traditionally made with a meat sauce however I've put my spin on it making it with Vegan Bolognese sauce.

Once the pasta and sauce are cooked separately, they are then layered in a pot and cooked again together on a low heat. This brings a whole new flavour, without overcooking the pasta.

The pot is then flipped upside down on a serving platter and it will look like a beautiful spaghetti cake! Of course, I can't forget the best part, the crispy top which is called Tahdig.

I must admit, a lot of the pasta cooking process goes against all Italian rules. But it just works so well and every bite is so satisfying! My Italian fiancé adores Makaroni, even though it breaks all the rules.

I love serving Makaroni with a side of Shirazi Salad which gives a nice freshness.

Table of Contents

What is Tahdig?
What is Advieh made of?
Ingredients to make Makaroni
How to make Makaroni
Tips to make Persian Spaghetti Recipe
More Persian Recipes
Recipe
Comments

What is Tahdig?

If you’re familiar with Persian food or have seen my recipe for how to make Persian Rice with Tahdig, you will see that we often make Tahdig which translates to bottom of the pot.

It’s a golden crust that forms at the bottom of the pot during the cooking process and can be made with rice, bread, potatoes and pasta as used in this recipe.

What is Advieh made of?

Advieh is a Persian spice mix, which is typically made with a mixture of ground cumin, cinnamon, dried rose petals, nutmeg and cardamom.

Now you should know, this is how my mum makes it and you will find everyone has their own style of making Advieh. If you prefer to buy it, best to try your local Persian market.

Ingredients to make Makaroni

Pasta, I've used spaghetti, however, the thicker the pasta the better. Bucatini is also commonly used
Mushrooms are the main ingredient for the vegan bolognese. I’m using a mix of portobello and brown mushrooms which are more thicker in texture and act as a meat substitute
Carrots, celery and onion are all diced up into tiny cubes and create the soffritto which is the base to any bolognese sauce
Garlic because it’s always a must in any sauce of of course!
Turmeric powder is added for extra flavour. Always ensure to fry it down well to remove any bitterness
Tomato paste is concentrated so it brings a richness to the sauce. It does need to be cooked long enough or the flavours to cook down
Passata is crushed tomatoes. I like adding it to my vegan bolognese for another level of depth to the sauce
Lentils are added for protein. They also have a meaty resemblance. You can use canned or cooked lentils
Oregano is added for some earthy herbs
Advieh (Persian Spice) is added for the signature flavour. It’s a mix of several spices as mentioned above. An alternative is to add cinnamon and nutmeg.

How to make Makaroni

Make sauce. In a saucepan prepare your bolognese sauce, traditionally ground meat sauce with beef and or lamb is used however in this recipe I’ve made a vegan bolognese using mushrooms and lentils
Cook pasta. In a large pot with boiling water, cook pasta until cooked then drain into a colander and rinse pasta with water to remove any excess starch
Layer it up. Add olive oil to the bottom of the same pot used for the pasta with ground saffron powder (optional) stir into the oil which should be warm from the pot

Add a layer of cooked pasta (approximately ⅓ of the pasta), to the bottom of the pot and press down slightly so it’s an even layer

Spoon 2-3 ladles of the bolognese sauce over the pasta then top with another layer of cooked pasta. Continue the same steps until there is no more pasta left, your final layer should be the sauce
Cook and serve. Wrap the lid of the pot with a clean tea towel, and close the lid as usual. Allow pasta to cook on low heat for 45 minutes

Then increase the heat to medium to high at the end for an extra 5 minutes then gently flip the pot upside down on a large platter. This can be done by placing the platter on the top of the pot and flipping upside down.

Serve and enjoy!

Tips to make Persian Spaghetti Recipe

Vegan Bolognese Sauce

Make sure to cut all the vegetables into the same size pieces so that they cook evenly
Don’t add salt to the mushrooms until after they have browned as this will produce water and make them watery rather than being nicely sautéed
Always ensure to fry the turmeric for a few minutes with the vegetables. This brings out the flavour of the spice and reduces any bitterness
Always sauté the tomato paste down for a few minutes. This will cook down the flavour and will remove any raw tomato taste
As with any bolognese sauce, the longer the sauce is cooked on low heat the better the flavours will develop and taste, however you can do it in less time

Pasta

I know it sounds criminal to break the spaghetti in half, but this is done so that the pasta is easier to serve and eat with this style of dish
Rinse the cooked pasta under water to remove stickiness. If not, it will be hard and messy when layering the pot
Always make sure to use a non stick pot to avoid the pasta sticking and also to ensure your Tahdig won’t stick to the bottom

Layer and Cooking

Ensure you add enough oil to the bottom of the pot to ensure the Tahdig will crisp up and not burn or stick to the bottom
Make sure the bottom layer of the makaroni is a thick layer of spaghetti. This is the foundation of the dish. If the sauce is added too low to the bottom of the pot, it will become soggy at the bottom as it eventually drips down
Allow the makaroni to cook in the pot for 45 minutes on low heat. This allows it to steam and cook very slowly rather than becoming overcooked or mushy
Wrapping the lid of the pot with a tea towel is key to capturing the steam. If you don’t do this, the steam will drip back into the pot and can make your pasta mushy