Kookoo Sibzamini (Persian Fingerling Potato Quiche with Chives )

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The Persian kuku is similar to a quiche, but is a little more dense. This recipe for Persian Fingerling Potato Quiche with Chives (Kookoo Sibzamini) is a twist of the traditional Persian version and uses sliced potatoes instead of mashed.

Top view of a fingerling potato kookoo in a ceramic pie dish on a wood background with chive blossoms next to it

I do not pride myself of being a connoisseur of Persian foods. My mother cooked the stews we loved when we were growing up, but we didn’t branch out and try the other wonderful Persian dishes.

Typically, we’d try new things when we went to visit my mom’s side of the family in California or when my grandparents would visit us from Iran. Just like many other families, food and cooking is central in our lives.

My grandmother was an amazing cook. When I think of her, I remember her in the kitchen cooking and the smells emanating from her kitchen and down the hall outside as we approached her apartment.

Now that I have my own family to cook for, I find myself going back to my mom, aunt and uncle to learn to cook some of our family’s favorite meals. I also have added my mother-in-law to my consulting group, although her family is from a different part of Iran.

But, I still tend to cook like my Daii Parviz. I look at a recipe and make it my own.

Why you should try this recipe

This is what I did with this Kookoo. Persian Kookoo (or kuku) is similar to a quiche, but more dense and not as eggy. I have shared with you the recipe for potato kuku before, which typically with mashed potatoes.

There are many types of kukus with different ingredients made with eggs. For Persian New Year, Norouz, we serve Kuku Sabzi (Persian Herb Quiche). It is made with six different herbs and is extremely aromatic and delicious.

Overhead view of Persian Mashed Potato Quiche with herbs on a serving plate with a piece cut out (Kookooyeh Sib Zamini)

With traditional potato kookoo, you boil the potatoes first, peel them and then mash them. For this version, I used slices of fingerling potatoes instead of mashed potatoes.

I added chives from my garden as well as aromatic saffron, then baked it until it browned. The result was a fabulous. I shared this for lunch with my friend on a pool play date and paired it with a green salad.

So easy and delicious!

Ingredients you need

Ingredients labeled and needed to make fingerling potato kookoo

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Fingerling potatoes: Because you are baking the potatoes with the eggs, you want to use small potatoes and slice them thinly. You can use fingerling potatoes or small red or yellow potatoes. If you are using larger potatoes, cut the slices in half or quarter them.
Chives: You can also use green onions or another herb like fresh basil.
Saffron: Saffron threads are crushed into a powder using a mortar and pestle. Then hot water is added and the saffron is steeped. The longer it steeps the deeper the color. You want a nice orange-crimson mixture.
Kitchen staples: milk, eggs, salt and pepper.

A small pot with chopped vegetables in it and ingredients around it

Tools to Use

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Step-by-step directions

1. In a small bowl combine crushed saffron and hot water. Let it steep for 10 minutes before using.

Crushed saffron in a white mortar with a pestle next to it

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2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, chives, milk salt and pepper.

Egg and ingredients in a glass mixing bowl to make persian kuku

3. Scrub fingerling potatoes clean and cut in thin slices. Stir in saffron liquid into the egg mixture then mix in with the potatoes.

Fingerling potatoes sliced in a mixing bowl with egg mixture added to it

4. Spray 9-inch ceramic pie dish with cooking spray and pour in the egg-potato mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Fingerling potato kuku in a ceramic pie dish ready to bake

5. Let it cool for 15 minutes prior to serving. Or, cool completely and serve at room temperature.

CLoseup of a fingerling potato kookoo in a ceramic pie dish on a wood background

Recipe tips and FAQs

Here in the US, we associate egg dishes for breakfast. Of course you can serve this for breakfast, brunch or even as a light meal. I like to serve this potato kookoo with a green salad and some sabzi khordan (fresh herbs), but you can also serve it with shirazi salad or mast o khiar.

Do I bake Persian kookoo or pan fry it?

My grandmother always made her kookoo in a pan on her stove. My mother-in-law still makes her kookoo this way, too. You press the kuku sabzi mixture into a greased pan and cook until the bottom is browned and set. Then, like a quesadilla, you need to transfer the kookoo to a plate in order to flip it over and brown the other side. I’m a no fuss kinda cook and prefer baking my kookoo in a 9-inch pie dish in the oven. Whichever method you choose, you will create a wonderful dish!

Yield: serves 8