Borani Esfenaj Recipe (Persian Spinach Dip)

Borani esfenaj is a cold Persian side dish of cooked spinach folded into thick yogurt with garlic — served as a dip with bread or alongside rice and kabob. It takes ten minutes and has exactly one way to go wrong. Here is the recipe, and how to avoid the watery version most people end up with.

Ingredients

1 lb fresh spinach (or a can of ready-steamed spinach)
2 cups thick, strained yogurt — Greek-style, or regular yogurt drained
2–3 cloves garlic, finely grated or crushed
1 small onion, finely diced (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
Salt and pepper
Optional garnish: a drizzle of oil, a pinch of dried mint, or walnuts

How to Make Borani Esfenaj

Cook the spinach. Wilt fresh spinach in a dry or lightly oiled pan until fully collapsed, a few minutes. If using canned steamed spinach, it is already done — go to step 2.
Squeeze it dry. Let it cool enough to handle, then squeeze out the water — hard, in your hands or pressed in a sieve. This is the step that decides the dish.
Chop and season. Chop the squeezed spinach. If using onion, soften it in the oil first until golden, then add the spinach and cook a minute more. Let it cool completely.
Fold into the yogurt. Stir the garlic into the thick yogurt, then fold in the cooled spinach. Season with salt and pepper.
Chill. Refrigerate at least an hour before serving. Borani improves as it sits — the garlic mellows and the flavours settle.

The One Thing That Ruins Borani

Water. Spinach is roughly 90% water by weight, and cooking releases it. Fold un-squeezed spinach into yogurt and it keeps leaking as the dish sits — you get a thin, greyish, separated dip within the hour, and there is no way back. No amount of extra yogurt fixes it; you are just diluting further.

Squeeze harder than feels reasonable. A pound of cooked spinach should compress into a surprisingly small, dense ball, and you should be surprised how much liquid comes out. The same applies to canned steamed spinach — drain and press it, do not tip it straight from the tin.

The second half of the same problem is the yogurt. Thin, runny yogurt has no structure to hold the spinach. If yours is loose, strain it through cheesecloth or a fine sieve for a few hours first — you want it thick enough to hold a spoon-mark.

Short on Time? Use Ready-Steamed Spinach

Washing, wilting and squeezing a pound of fresh spinach is most of the work here. Steamed Spinach (Borani) canned removes that entirely — drain it, press out the liquid, and fold it straight into the yogurt with the garlic. It is the same dish in about three minutes.

Serving

Borani is served cold, as part of a spread rather than as a course. Put it out with flatbread, alongside rice and kabob, or as one of several small dishes with mast-o-musir and torshi. A drizzle of oil and a pinch of dried mint on top is traditional and takes seconds.

Troubleshooting

Watery or separated — spinach not squeezed dry enough, or yogurt too thin. Not recoverable once it has separated; strain the yogurt and squeeze harder next time.
Greyish colour — usually the same cause: excess water dulling the green, sometimes with overcooked spinach.
Garlic too sharp — raw garlic intensifies in the first hour, then mellows. Use less than you think, and let it rest; if it is still harsh, soften the next batch’s garlic briefly in the oil.
Bland — under-salted. Yogurt mutes salt considerably, so borani needs more than it seems.
Better the next day — normal. It is a make-ahead dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is borani esfenaj?

A cold Persian side dish of cooked spinach folded into thick yogurt with garlic. It is served as a dip with bread or as one of several small dishes alongside rice and kabob.

Why is my borani watery?

The spinach was not squeezed dry enough, or the yogurt was too thin. Spinach is around 90% water and keeps releasing it into the yogurt as the dish sits. Squeeze the cooked spinach hard before folding it in, and strain loose yogurt until it is thick enough to hold a spoon-mark.

Can I use canned spinach for borani?

Yes — ready-steamed canned spinach removes the longest part of the work. Drain and press out the liquid first, exactly as you would with fresh; do not tip it straight from the tin.

What is the difference between borani and mast-o-musir?

Both are cold Persian yogurt dishes. Borani esfenaj is built on cooked spinach with garlic; mast-o-musir uses rehydrated Persian shallot, which gives a sharper, more pungent flavour.

How long does borani keep?

Two to three days refrigerated, and the flavour improves after the first few hours as the garlic mellows. If it has separated, that is the water problem rather than spoilage.

Serving a bigger spread? See our Persian stew guide, or browse ready-to-use canned vegetables and meals.