Norouz Twist on Kuku Sabzi (Persian Herb Quiche with Herbs, Chard and Kale)

Kuku Sabzi is a traditional egg dish filled with herbs for the Persian New Year (Noruz), the first day of spring. This version also includes heart healthy Swiss chard and kale.

In a blink of an eye, winter is almost over (well, for most of us) and Spring is around the corner. March 20th marks the first day spring and the first day of the Persian New Year (Norouz). I decided to grow my sabzeh this year for our haft sin, as my mother-in-law is still in Iran and she isn’t here to grow it for me. Yes, I’m spoiled!

I experimented last month and sprouted my lentils very easily. Why didn’t I grow my sabzeh before?

That’s when I decided that this Norouz would be one of change. It will be the first Norouz that my in-laws will not be here celebrating with us. We always gather at their condo to celebrate the new year. They will return at the end of the month, so this year the rest of the family is congregating at my house. I’m pretty excited as I always wanted to host, but I wanted to add my own twist to the traditional Norouz meal.

Persians use a lot of fresh herbs in our meals, especially for Norouz. We make this delicious herb quiche (kuku sabzi) which is crustless and very dense – more greens than egg.

A friend of mine has been growing amazing swiss chard and kale this winter and she gave me a giant bag for me to enjoy. What a treat!

They were delicious AND healthy in my kookoo sabzi. I still included fresh herbs, but these heart-healthy greens were definitely the star of the dish. Although this is a side dish to the Norouz meal, I like to enjoy it for breakfast with my morning tea. It’s a terrific way to start your day right.

The more traditional recipe for Kookoo Sabzi can be found here – although I did sneak spinach in this one!

Want to learn more about Norouz and the Persian New Year? I have put together an ebook that has all the history, traditions and recipes of Norouz, in a beautifully photographed ebook. And it’s only $1.99! Learn more here!

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Yield: serves 6

Persian Herb Quiche with Herbs, Chard and Kale (kuku sabzi)

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Kuku Sabzi is a traditional egg dish filled with herbs for the Persian New Year (Noruz), the first day of spring. This version also includes heart healthy Swiss chard and kale.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 strands of saffron, crushed
• 1 TBS hot water
• 3 oz finely chopped swiss chard
• 3 oz finely chopped kale
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• ⅛ cup finely chopped cilantro
• ⅛ cup finely chopped fresh dill
• ⅛ cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoon all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 5 large eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and adjust rack to upper-middle position.
2. In a small bowl combine saffron and hot water. Let it steep.
3. In a large bowl stir together vegetables, herbs, walnuts, oil, flour, fenugreek, salt, pepper and baking soda.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs with the saffron water.
5. Mix in eggs with the vegetable mix.
6. Pour mixture into an 8-inch cast iron skillet.
7. Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
8. Let it cool for 15 minutes prior to serving. Or cool completely and serve at room temperature.

Notes

Cooking Tips: If you like, add 2 tablespoons of dried barberries to the mix.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 111Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 337mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 7g

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