Bastani sonnati (بستنی سنتی) literally means “traditional ice cream.” It is a famous and highly popular Iranian ice cream with a unique flavor, aroma, and texture. Bastani sonnati has a long history and is considered one of Iran’s national culinary specialties.
Bastani Sonnati: Traditional Iranian Ice Cream
Typical Iranian bastani sonnati is made from whole milk, cream, sugar, and rose water. Additional ingredients like saffron, cardamom, vanilla, or pistachios are often added.
A defining element of this ice cream is the use of a natural substance called salep (ثعلب), a powder obtained from the tubers of certain orchid species. Salep plays a key role, giving bastani sonnati its characteristic smooth, elastic, and slightly chewy texture.
Another important feature of bastani sonnati is the addition of thin slices of frozen cream, called “khameh” (خامه). The cream is first spread into a thin layer and frozen. It is then broken or cut into small pieces and mixed into the finished ice cream. This step creates an interesting contrast in textures, which has made bastani sonnati famous.
For me, the thin slices of frozen cream were completely unexpected (and I’ve eaten a lot of ice cream!). The contrast between the sweet ice cream and the unsweetened crunchy cream is very intriguing.
Popular Traditional Flavors of Bastani Sonnati
Saffron Bastani Sonnati (Bastani Zaferani)
The most well-known variant of Iranian bastani sonnati is saffron (بستنی زعفرانی). Saffron gives the ice cream a rich yellow color, strong aroma, and bold flavor. Saffron bastani sonnati is considered a quintessential Iranian dessert and is often served on special occasions.
Pistachio Bastani Sonnati (Bastani Peste’i)
Another traditional variant is pistachio ice cream (بستنی پستهای). Pistachios are a traditional Iranian ingredient and are often used in sweets and desserts.
Cardamom Bastani Sonnati (Bastani Hel)
Cardamom-flavored ice cream (بستنی هل) is also very popular. Cardamom holds an important place in Iranian cuisine and gives the ice cream a delicate yet distinctive spiced aroma.
Vanilla Bastani Sonnati (Bastani Vanili)
Although vanilla is not originally an Iranian ingredient, traditional vanilla-flavored bastani sonnati (بستنی وانیلی) has become a very popular variant. Vanilla bastani sonnati is often complemented with frozen cream and sometimes pistachios or rose water.
Iranian Bastani Sonnati vs. Turkish Dondurma
Iranian bastani sonnati is very similar to traditional Turkish dondurma. Both ice creams use salep powder, which gives them a similar elastic and slow-melting texture. Thanks to salep, both ice creams are denser than typical Western ice creams.
The differences between bastani sonnati and dondurma lie mainly in the additional ingredients. While Turkish dondurma is traditionally made with flavors like vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry, Iranian bastani sonnati emphasizes aromatic ingredients typical of Iranian cuisine (saffron, rose water, or cardamom). Another difference is the inclusion of thin slices of frozen cream (“khameh”), which is unique to the Iranian version.
Traditional Iranian ice cream is definitely one of the delicacies you should try while traveling in Iran. One portion of traditional saffron ice cream, as shown in the image above, cost me 270,000 IRR (0.30 EUR) at the historic Pol Ice Cream shop (see Where to Eat in Esfahan).
Bon appétit!
