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Iranian

Kuku sabzi

Contains egg (no meat or fish)

کوکو سبزی · kuku sabzi

A thick Persian omelette that is more herbs than egg — parsley, coriander, dill and spring onion bound with eggs and turmeric, studded with walnuts and pan-fried until crisp-edged. Traditional at Nowruz.

Kuku sabzi is an Iranian egg dish, ready in about 55 minutes and made with parsley, coriander leaves and egg. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
25 min
Cook
25 min
Rest
5 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
215

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Wash the herbs and spring onions (opens in a new tab) and dry them very well, then chop as finely as possible.

    • 20 min
    An onion being chopped on a board
    How it looks · Photo: Christina & Peter on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Whisk (opens in a new tab) the eggs (opens in a new tab) with turmeric (opens in a new tab), baking powder (opens in a new tab), salt, pepper (opens in a new tab) and fenugreek (opens in a new tab), then fold in the herbs and walnuts (opens in a new tab). The mixture should look mostly green.

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oil in a 24 cm non-stick frying pan over medium heat, pour in the mixture and level it. Cover and cook on low until the bottom is browned and the top is almost set.

  4. Step 4

    Cut into quarters and flip each piece (or slide onto a plate and invert back into the pan). Cook the second side uncovered until set and crisp. If you'd rather not flip, finish the top under a hot grill or in a 180 °C oven for 8–10 minutes.

    • 8 min
    • medium-low heat

    Food safety: Cook until the egg is fully set in the centre.

    Food cooking over a grill
    How it looks · Photo: Malte Luk on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Rest for a few minutes, then cut into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature with yogurt (opens in a new tab).

    • 5 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Iran · Well documentedMore food from Iran
Dish
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner · Egg dishes · Appetizers & starters
Cooking method
Pan-fried
Taste
herby, fresh, savoury, earthy
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb
Without the optional extras: Ovo-vegetarian, Paleo-style, Dairy-free, No nut ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Make-ahead · Portable / lunchbox
Cook more with
Parsley · Coriander leaves · Egg · Dill · Spring onion · Turmeric
Techniques
Broiling · Pan-frying

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom yogurt
  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
  • Contains, can be adapted: Tree nutsfrom walnuts
  • May contain: Wheatfrom baking powder
  • May contain: Glutenfrom baking powder

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

215 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 137 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 20%
  • Carbohydrate 8%
  • Fat 73%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy215 kcal156 kcal
Protein10.7 g7.8 g
Carbohydrate4.2 g3 g
Net carbohydrate2.6 g1.9 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.6 g1.1 g
Fat17.5 g12.8 g
Saturated fat3.8 g2.7 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol279 mg203 mg
Sodium624 mg454 mg
Salt equivalent1.6 g1.1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
361 mg
Calcium
132 mg
Iron
3.5 mg
Magnesium
28 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
262 µg
Vitamin C
33 mg
Vitamin D
1.5 µg
Vitamin B12
0.7 µg
Folate (DFE)
87 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: fenugreek, walnuts, yogurt.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Dry herbs thoroughly — wet herbs make a soggy kuku that will not set.

Common mistakes

  • Cooking over high heat — the bottom burns before the thick centre sets.

Serve with

  • With flatbread, yogurt, radishes and fresh herbs; it is also eaten cold in sandwiches.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days in the fridge.

Reheating

  • Good at room temperature; or warm briefly in a pan.

Variations

  • Baked kuku: Bake in an oiled dish at 180 °C for about 30 minutes instead of flipping.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 5

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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