There are many kinds of traditional and everyday breads in Persian cuisine. The followings are the most popular types of bread that Iranians prefer to use:

  • Barbari, made with wheat flour and is like the base of a thin pizza and about 40 to 60 cm long. It is considered one of the thickest flat breads in the world. Barbari is commonly known as Persian flatbread in the United States and Canada.
  • Sangak is another type of Persian flatbread. It is the most popular type of bread among Persians and it is made with whole wheat flour. The word Sangak means little stone in Persian and it is baked on a bed of small river stones in an oven. Sangak was the official bread of the Persian army since the 11th century. It is said that every soldier had to carry a small quantity of pebbles which at the camp were brought together to create the Sangak oven to bake bread for the entire army. Sangak is usually served with lamb kebab.
  • Lavash is a thin famous flatbread with a very fine texture. It is served folded on a plate like a napkin.
  • Taftun is a leavened flour bread from Persian cuisine. This bread is made with milk, yoghurt and eggs. It is baked in a clay oven. It is often flavored with saffron and a small amount of cardamom powder.