Kuku Sabzi
A thick, herb-packed Persian egg dish, bound by just enough egg to hold its shape.
- prep
- 20 min
- cook
- 25 min
- total
- 45 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- medium
Kuku sabzi is a Persian baked egg dish built mostly from fresh herbs, parsley, coriander, dill and chives bound together by just enough egg to hold its shape.
It's traditionally part of the Nowruz (Persian New Year) table, but it's eaten year-round as a side or light main, warm or at room temperature.
Part of our 20 best egg recipes list.
method
Wash and finely chop all the herbs; there should be at least as much herb volume as egg mixture, a defining feature of kuku sabzi.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with the flour, baking powder, turmeric, salt and pepper until smooth.
Fold in the chopped herbs, walnuts and barberries if using, until evenly distributed through the egg mixture.
Heat a generous amount of oil in a nonstick ovenproof pan over medium heat, and pour in the mixture, spreading it evenly.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the base sets and turns golden, then either flip carefully to finish on the stovetop, or transfer the pan to a 180°C (350°F) oven for 15 to 20 minutes until fully set and golden on top.
Let rest a few minutes, then cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
chef's tips
- The herbs are the dish, not a garnish; if the mixture looks more green than yellow before it goes in the pan, that's correct.
- Finishing in the oven is the easier route for home cooks, since it avoids the trickier stovetop flip needed to cook the dish through evenly.