Kuku Sabzi (Persian Herb Frittata)
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- 1pound cilantro (about 3 large bunches)
- 1pound Italian parsley (about 3 large bunches)
- 1large bunch fresh dill
- 4crisp leaves from a romaine heart
- 2large leeks, roots and top 1 inch trimmed
- 3tablespoons plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1tablespoon dried fenugreek
- 2teaspoons dried dill
- ¼cup barberries, rinsed and dried
- 1teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½teaspoon baking powder
- 6 to 7large eggs
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- Radishes, for serving (optional)
- Persian liteh pickles or cornichons, for serving (optional)
- Feta, for serving (optional)
- Warmed flatbread, such as sangak, pita or lavash, for serving (optional)
- Mast-o Khiar, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
302 calories; 24 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 385 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Trim woody ends from cilantro, parsley and dill so that only leaves and tender stems remain. Wash herbs and romaine leaves, then use a salad spinner to dry very well. Set aside.
- Step 2
Finely dice both the green and white parts of the leeks. Wash well and drain.
- Step 3
Set a 10-inch cast-iron or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 3 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add leeks. Season with a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened but not browned, about 20 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary.
- Step 4
In the meantime, very finely chop the cilantro, parsley, dill and romaine by hand — the smaller the pieces, the more deeply green your kuku will be. To chop such a large volume of herbs, take a large handful or two at a time and roll into a tight ball. Run a large, sharp knife through the ball to initially chop the herbs roughly, then continue to rock the knife back and forth through the pile of herbs until very finely chopped. Repeat with remaining herbs until finished. Combine the chopped herbs and romaine with the dried fenugreek and dried dill in a very large bowl.
- Step 5
When leeks are cooked, add herb mixture and another generous pinch of salt to the pan and cook, stirring often, until it dries out and the color changes to a very dark green, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture back into the very large bowl; spread it out, then allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Step 6
When the herb mixture has cooled, add barberries, turmeric, baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Taste the mixture: It should be a little on the salty side. If it’s not, add a little more salt. One at a time, add eggs to the herb mixture, stirring well after each addition. Use as few eggs as needed to barely bind the mixture; this will ensure a brilliant-green kuku. The mixture should be the consistency of a loose porridge.
- Step 7
Wipe out the pan and melt the butter over medium-high heat. When the butter melts, add remaining ¼ cup oil. Add a tiny spoonful of the kuku mixture to the pan. When it sizzles, add the rest of the mixture and use a rubber spatula to spread it out evenly. The oil should bubble up the sides of the kuku. Run the spatula around the edge and jiggle the pan from time to time to check that the mixture isn’t sticking. Cook, rotating pan a quarter turn every 3 to 4 minutes, until the kuku is set, the bottom is a very dark brown, and the edges are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t be afraid of getting your crust really dark — it will appear almost burned, but it will taste heavenly sweet.
- Step 8
Use a rubber spatula to ensure that the kuku is not stuck to the pan, then carefully tip as much of the oil as possible into a medium bowl and set aside. Cover the pan with a large, flat platter or pizza pan and flip the kuku onto it and set aside. Return the oil to the pan and carefully slide the flipped kuku back into the pan to cook the second side. Cook over medium-high until the second side is dark brown and the kuku is cooked through, about 5 more minutes.
- Step 9
While the kuku finishes cooking, wipe off the platter and line with a double layer of paper towels. Flip the finished kuku onto the prepared platter and use another paper towel to dab excess oil from the surface. To serve, flip once more onto a serving platter and peel away paper towels.
- Step 10
Serve warm, cold or at room temperature, with your choice of radishes, pickles, feta, warmed flatbread and mast-o khiar.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Laurie N
I love this! I have made this four times using different barberries and substitutes. Amazon cheapest dried barberries some too bitter and dirty - results: poor Amazon Superedibles organic dried barberries - results: excellent Trader Joe’s dried cranberries soaked in lemon juice - results: sweetness and strong cranberry flavor was incompatible with savory herbs Dried currents soaked overnight in lemon juice: results: very good, as good or almost as good as Superedibles barberries
Laurie
Make Kuku Sabzi often, but wanted to try this version. Made last night. Flavors wonderful but recipe WAY more complicated than technique I learned from Persian grandma. Won’t do again. If make in future: 1. Chop all ingredients in batches by pulsing in food processor. 2. Don’t precook leeks or herbs, just mix with eggs while raw. 3. Bake in well-oiled cast-iron frying pan (or 10x10 baking dish, but crust won’t be as nice) at 350 for 35-45 min or until set. 4. Up barberries to 1/3 cup. So good!
Sahar
To save some time with chopping herbs, I like to use a food processor for all those greens in small batches so I can get a nice, even chop.
Ann Pearson
Is there anything that can substitute for barberries, which I can't get?
Lori B
Where does one get barberries? Is there a good substitute?
CC
I recently tasted barberries, and they were tiny and super tart. A quick Google search found this: "You can also substitute chopped dried sour cherries (like the ones from Trader Joe's) or currants soaked in a bit of lemon juice, write Ottolenghi and Tamimi in Jerusalem: A Cookbook."
Tana
I do the same. It’s not as good as chopping by hand, but it allows me to make and eat kuku sabzi more often, so its worth the trade off.
Biswas
I believe it's generally the dried leaves. I typically find them in a Indian/South Asian store ("kasoori methi" in Hindi) or a Persian store ("shanbalileh" in Farsi).
mcmurp
This was a fun experiment but kind of a failure at first pass. 1. I'm pretty sure this recipe calls for fenugreek leaves and not seeds. 2. This was way, way too salty when I made it. Not sure what kind of salt she's using, but I used Whole Foods sea salt and it's inedibly salty. 3. Again depending on how strong your turmeric is, I would double it next time. 4. A few other people have suggested cranberries or cherries instead of barberries. I say find the real thing or skip them entirely.
Laurie
1. Barberries are worth seeking out or ordering online - they are delicious and not just in kuku sabzi. 2. Dried unsweetened cranberries ideal substitute, but harder to find than barberries and probably you’d need to dry at home. 3. Regular dried cranberries chopped and soaked in lemon juice will work (chopped because cranberries bigger than barberries and soaked in lemon juice to counteract/remove added sweeteners).
ayvee
The flipping sounds like a real challenge, especially if the top isn't set yet. Any chance it can be finished in the oven, or broiler?
SpringPeaches
I wonder what one might substitute for the cilantro in your interesting recipes? For those of us that can’t eat cilantro
Lucinda K.
I used chopped baby kale and arugula in place of romaine because that’s what I had; hopefully that doesn’t make it inauthentic. Also, put in some lemon juice because I don’t know where to get barberries. Did use cilantro but not as much as called for, but used more parsley and added some mint and lemon thyme to the herb mix. Flipping the frittata was a bit scary but not too difficult! All in all, a lot of prep work, but worth it!
Dona
Kalustyan's ( foodsofnations.com /// 123Lexington Ave, NYC)) sells barberries in 3 sizes the shop is open 7 days/week
judy greber
Amazon has dried organic barberries
Sepideh
This has been a staple in my family during road trips because it is more delicious served cold.My mom never uses barberries.She prefers a pinch of ground saffron. Dried fenugreek is a key ingredient, and can be purchased online. My mom uses spinach, not lettuce and a bunch of mint to the mix of greens.She cooks it in a deep frying pan.A hearty dollop of Persian cucumber yogurt creates the perfect bite.It makes a lovely sandwich with fresh tomatoes and basil.
boop
Just to add, kuku is a very flexible recipe. Recipes in my family include: the usual one in this recipe, zucchini and leek (with whatever other herbs you like), butternut squash, potato with herbs and/or leek, and a sweet carrot kuku. The possibilities are endless! If you decide to do potato, zucchini, carrot, etc. you must grate them. The technique is still the same.
starwitness
This was divine!!! Wholeheartedly agree, food processor is the way to go. Fenugreek sub: the internet said maple syrup! Used 1 Tbsp and it was magical. Barberries sub: dried currants. My picky Midwestern family was initially wary of something so green, but all ended up going back for seconds! Warning: if you’re a pokey cook, give yourself 2 hours for prep/cooking.
MrsChill
Do not make this when you are really hungry and wanting to eat soon, but DO make this. Preferably when you have time because the prep does take some work. I hand-chopped the herbs the first time I made it and used the food processor the second time and couldn’t tell the difference so save yourself some time. The thing I love about food like this is that it lends itself to alllllll the condiments: feta chunks, tomato chunks, litteh pickles, olives, don’t forget the mast o khiar it is so good.
Mammadabomma
DO NOT put 2 teaspoons salt in this. I put 1 1/2 and even as a salt lover, found it inedible, and had to throw it out.
Mary B
- Agree with many comments that this is way too salty as written. (And I love salt) - I subbed goji berries fir the barberries and they worked well. Not as ideal as barberriee, but better than cranberries wouid IMO - So much butter & oil! I used half the amount called for and had no issue with sticking - Next time will start in a cast iron pan and finish in the oven - Needs editing. Annoying that ingredients aren’t all listed in order of use
CB
This was delicious. I found the recipe very easy to follow, especially given I have never even tasted this dish before! I did use a food processor for the herbs. And I threw some chard in as I had some in the fridge and no plans for it. This recipe was a hit and also seems easily riffable. Yum!
Michael Y
This is a delicious kuku recipe but that flip at the end is a little tricky to pull off.
Sarra S
Use a food processor for herbs. Instead of flipping, I just broiled the top. I think Samin makes this recipe overly complicated, with too many confusing directions.
Liz
I think Samin uses kosher salt which isn’t very salty so adjust accordingly. I don’t think you need to be strict about quantities and types of greens&herbs (she says as much on her podcast) I didn’t use barberries and still loved it I made a lemon-garlic-yogurt dip. So good on the side
David
Have made this a few times, basically with whatever green leafy veggies I want to use up in the fridge. Last night I had leek, onion, kale, collards, cilantro, parsley, dill and tarragon. Worked great! Definitely had to cook the veggies for a while first. Takes a bit of time but it’s delicious.
HaterTot
I have made this recipe several times. This last time, I thought I could be clever and save some time by not cooking out the greens. I have done this with other recipes in which you bake the kuku in a pan like a frittata. Shortcut does not work for this cooking method (unsurprisingly). The excess water from the greens seeps out and mixes with the egg, inhibiting the kuku's ability to bind. This will work fine if the intention is to bake it, for which other comments have noted instructions for.
Neil Fazel
Barberries are optional and perhaps a regional variation. (Turkish maybe?) We never used barberries in our kurus in our Persian household in Tehran.
Shadi Mir
I'm Persian and love this recipe but the chopping of herbs is truly daunting, so just stick them in a food processor and pulse a few times on "chop". You'll get the same results in my opinion, just be sure to not over chop. The only things you can't chop in a food processor but must be done by hand is scallions.
Cate
Kuku is one of my favorite dishes. An Iranian friend used to make this for me. Now I can make it for myself:)
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