Kookoo Sabzi is our favourite healthy Persian dish to cook at home prepared with eggs, fresh herbs and spices.
The traditional spiced Persian Omelet is a vegetarian, gluten free and keto friendly recipe.
We love serving Kookoo Sabzi year round but especially during the holidays thanks to the dishes red and green colour, which is wonderfully festive.
The traditional omelet from Iran features flavourful ingredients like olive oil, parsley, cilantro, dill, scallions, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, eggs, walnuts, dried cranberries and creamy Greek yogurt.
Save this story to Pinterest!
What Is Kookoo Sabzi?
Kookoo Sabzi, also known as kuku sabzi and Persian Omelet, is a frittata-like dish of blended greens bound by just enough beaten egg to hold it all together.
The authentic Iranian egg dish is baked in the oven in a round cake pan until it rises into a fluffy bright green Persian Omelet. It can also be prepared in a deep nonstick skillet but we prefer using the oven as it’s an easier preparation method.
The dish can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s the perfect recipe to cook at home in the Spring or Summer when you can pluck fresh herbs from your garden.
Persian Omelet is often garnished with roasted walnuts, pomegranate seeds, dried berries and creamy Greek-style yogurt.
Travel to the Middle East by Making Kookoo Sabzi at Home
I love traveling to the Middle East and North Africa.
As a professional food and travel journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy amazing meals in the Middle East, from authentic markets to award winning restaurants.
For over a decade, I’ve been on the hunt for the best Persian Omelet recipe via adventures that had me zig-zagging through Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Dubai. You guessed it! Some of my fondest food memories while traveling in the Middle East include a thick slice of healthy Kookoo Sabzi.
I ate vegetarian Persian Omelet at a traditional Moroccan riad, as a light brunch dish in Istanbul and Bodrum, accompanied by mint tea on a Nile Cruise and in bustling market in Cairo, healthy snack in Amman, mid-afternoon bite at bustling markets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and at a massive Middle Eastern barbecue in the middle of the Dubai desert while belly dancers twirled under the night sky.
Where To Eat AuthenticKookoo Sabzi
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Middle Eastern or Persian restaurant that serves authentic Kookoo Sabzi.
Haven’t traveled to the Middle East or Iran before? It may be helpful to first sample Persian Omelet at a local restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You’ll get a better idea of what herbs to use, the desired fluffy consistency and what nuts or dried fruit to serve on the plate.
In Toronto, popular Middle Eastern restaurants that may serve a healthy vegetarian Persian Omelet recipe include Ali Baba’s, Parallel, Byblos, Tabule, Fat Pasha, Maha’s, Masrawy Kitchen, Paramount Fine Foods, Banu and Darvish.
Persian Omelet Health Benefits
Our homemade Kookoo Sabzi recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Eggs contain two vital nutrients that are not present in many foods: iodine and vitamin D. Eggs are also rich in tissue-building protein and vitamin B12, which helps your body manufacture blood cells.
Olive Oil is ranked as one of the healthiest fats and is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It contains vitamins E and K and plenty of beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants.
Onions are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
An excellent source of vitamin K, as well as vitamin C, folate, and iron, parsley helps keep your bones and blood healthy, and protects your skin from damage by free radicals.
Dill is packed with micronutrients such as Vitamin A and C, responsible for healthy vision, skin and immune function.
A good source of bone-strengthening vitamin K, cilantro is also rich in antioxidants that help protect the eyes from damage by free radicals.
Cardamom contains phytochemicals that have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Rich in energy-boosting manganese, cinnamon is also antibacterial and may protect your brain against Alzheimer’s disease.
A rich source of blood-building iron, cumin may also help balance your blood sugar levels and reduce bad cholesterol. It is also traditionally used as a digestive aid.
Walnuts offer heart-friendly fats, immune-boosting copper, and manganese, which helps keep your brain and nerves healthy.
Many people consider cranberries to be a superfood due to their high nutrient and antioxidant content. In fact, research has linked the nutrients in cranberries to a lower risk of urinary tract infection, the prevention of certain types of cancer, improved immune function, and decreased blood pressure.
Packed with calcium and friendly probiotic bacteria, sour cream and yogurt help keep your bones strong and your gut healthy. Yogurt may also help reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes and some types of cancer.
Kookoo Sabzi Recipe Tips
This healthy Persian Omelet is quick and easy to make at home.
- We suggest using a food processor to easily blend the parsley, cilantro, dill and green onions together.
- We suggest preparing this recipe in a round cake pan and baking it in the oven. Some recipes recommend using a deep skillet and flipping the Persian Omelet onto a plate once cooked through. We like using the oven as it’s less fussy.
- We serve Kookoo Sabzi with dried cranberries but you could substitute for pomegranate seeds, dried currants, or figs.
- We decorate our Persian Frittata with walnuts but you can substitute for pine nuts, pistachio or almonds.
- We’ve used scallions in this recipe but you could substitue for caramelized shallots or finely chopped red onions.
- This is one of our favourite last minute quick and easy brunch recipes to serve in the morning on a weekend for friends or family. You can also serve the dish at lunch or dinner accompanied with fresh salads, marinated olives and selection of Middle Eastern dips.
What To Serve with Persian Omelet
We know you’re family will love our homemade Kookoo Sabzi recipe!
Serving a Persian Omelet for a festive or celebratory brunch gathering? Offer a slice as a healthy vegetarian option alongside Vegan Buckwheat Gluten Free Porridge, Sourdough French Toast, Kardemummabullar Swedish Cardamom Buns, Breakfast Polenta Bowl, Blueberry Mango Crepes with Coconut Flour, Banana Oat Flour Pancakes, Chocolate Cherry Pancakes with Ricotta and Baileys French Toast.
Hosting a large Middle Eastern or Persian-themed dinner party? We suggest serving a Persian Omelet as part of a buffet alongside Marinated Persian Olives, Adas Bil Hamod, Roasted Vegetable Couscous, Shish Barak, Moghrabieh Lebanese Chickpea Chicken Couscous, Mutabbal Vegan Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip, Vegetarian Middle Eastern Spiced Pea Fritters, Chicken Shawarma, Chicken Musakhan, Mihlama Kuymak Turkish Melted Cheese and Cornmeal, Lebanese Toum Kebab Shop Garlic Sauce and Za’atar Butter Bean Dip.
After dinner why not dazzle your guests with one of our popular desserts such as Sweet Lebanese Sesame Tahini Rolls, Mahalabia Middle Eastern Rose Pistachio Milk Pudding, Oat Flour Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Dark Chocolate Lindt Lindor Cookies, Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe or Cinnamon Babka For Chocolate Lovers.
You May Also Enjoy Reading…
- Spicy Tikka Masala Turkey Barley Soup
- Piri Piri Carrot and Sweet Pepper Soup with Bulgar
- Kale, Leek, Bean, Orzo and Pumpkin Soup with Pecan Pesto
- Roasted Beetroot Salad with Grapefruit, Pistachio and Herbed Cream
- Mizeria Creamy Polish Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Goi Xoai Vietnamese Mango Salad Recipe
- Quick & Easy Indian Onion Salad Recipe
- Guasacaca Sauce: Venezuelan Guacamole Recipe
- Easy Creamy Warm Orzo Lemon Salad
- Easy Healthy Homemade Goi Ga Vietnamese Salad
- Easy Healthy Roasted Vegetable Couscous Recipe
- How To Make Healthy Sweet Potato Rice
- How To Make The Best Canadian Salad Recipe
- Healthy Garlic Lemon Chickpea Avocado Salad
- How To Make Easy Vegan Chinese Cucumber Salad
- Cajun Spicy Chorizo Corn Salad
- Cherry Pecan Kale Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette
- Carrot and Tahini Salad with Crispy Cumin Chickpeas and Pistachios
- Fennel, Apple, Celery and Roasted Hazelnut Salad
Best Kookoo Sabzi Persian Omelet Recipe
Kookoo Sabzi Persian Omelet
Equipment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Food processor
- Cake Pan
- mixing bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 cups Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley lightly packed
- 2 cups Fresh Cilantro leaves and stems
- 1 cup Fresh Dill chopped
- 6 Green Onions chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 3/4 tsp Ground Cardamom
- 3/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 6 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Walnuts toasted and chopped
- 1/3 cup Dried Cranberries chopped
- 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 F with a rack in the middle position. Trace the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan on parchment paper, then cut inside the line to create a piece to fit inside the pan. Coat the bottom and sides of the pan with 2 tablespoons of oil, turning the parchment to coat both sides.
- In a food processor, combine the parsley, cilantro, dill, scallions, and remaining oil. Process until finely ground. In a large bowl, whisk together baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and pepper. Add 2 eggs and whisk until blended. Add the remaining 4 eggs and whisk until just combined. Fold in the herb mixture and the walnuts and cranberries. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the centre is firm, 20-25 minutes.
- Let the Persian Omelet cool in the pan on the rack for 10 minutes. Run a pairing knife around the edges, then invert onto a plate and remove the parchment. Reinvert onto a cutting board or serving platter. Cut into wedges and serve warm with a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt.
Nutrition
Some of the links in this story use affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through our site, Dobbernationloves will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps us to produce comprehensive content.
Save this story to Pinterest!
