The bunches upon bunches of green herbs that take over our kitchen table on a regular basis are mixed here with a few eggs and spices for a fragrant, fresh, and vibrant kookoo sabzi. Use this recipe as a guide for all the greens and spices that can be thrown in. This kookoo is prepared traditionally on the stovetop, which is the best way to brown the outside, but you can also place the pan in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes until set, and broil for a couple of minutes to brown the top. If you prep the greens ahead of time, like the night before, then you can whip up a batch quickly and without much fuss.
You can serve kookoo sabzi any which way you like. Serve warm or at room temperature for a light lunch or dinner alongside some plain rice and yogurt, or wrap in a piece of lavash or sangak bread with some sliced tomatoes, feta cheese, and a few nuts. Cut it in smaller bite-sized pieces for an appetizer spread, or serve with all the sides for brunch.
- Step 1: Working in batches, finely pulse the greens in a food processor, until finely chopped but not mushy. Alternatively, use a sharp knife and large cutting board. Set the greens in a large bowl. Finely chop the green onions. You can do this in the food processor, but take care (green onions quickly turn mushy). Add the green onions and the rest of the ingredients except for the eggs and the oil to the green herbs and give a stir to combine. Add the eggs and mix well to combine. The batter should have the consistency of thick yogurt or soft-serve ice cream.
- Step 2: In a large (10- or 12-inch) nonstick frying pan with a lid, heat 1⁄3 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the batter, and spread evenly. Cook the kookoo until the oil starts to bubble along the sides, about 3 minutes. Cover and cook until the kookoo starts to set, and the bottom is browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Cut the kookoo evenly into 4 large pieces, and using a wide spatula flip each piece over one at a time. You can also set a dish beside you, take one piece of kookoo out to make room, flip the other pieces, and place the piece back in. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil in between all the cuts, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, uncovered, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Cut the kookoo into desired pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.
- Step 3: Prepare up to 3 days in advance. Serve at room temperature or gently heat through in the oven.
Note: The greens (except for the green onion) can be prepped and chopped 1 day in advance. Kookoo sabzi can be frozen, wrapped tightly in foil, for up to 3 months. Heat through in the oven.
Yield: serves 6-8
- 1 bunch parsley, tough stems trimmed
- 1 bunch cilantro, tough stems trimmed
- 1 bunch dill, tough stems trimmed
- 1 bunch Swiss chard or spinach, stems removed
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1⁄3 cup barberries, picked through, soaked for 10 minutes and drained
- 1 tsp. dried fenugreek, or a few fresh leaves, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp. dried tarragon, or 1 sprig of fresh tarragon, leaves chopped (optional)
- 1 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1⁄2 tsp. ground turmeric
- 1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1⁄4 tsp. ground saffron (optional)
- 1⁄4 tsp. ground dried rose petals
- 1⁄4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 8 large eggs
- 1⁄3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
Naz Deravian is the author of Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories.
She is a Los Angeles-based writer and regular contributor to the The New York Times food section. She has also contributed to The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The Los Angeles Times, among other publications. In 2019 she was nominated for a James Beard Award and Bottom of the Pot was the recipient of The IACP Julia Child First Book Award. Bottom of the Pot was also a Taste Canada Gold Awards winner in 2019 in the Regional and Cultural Cookbooks category, as well as the 2018 Food52 Piglet Award winner. Naz was featured in Padma Lakshmi’s Hulu show, Taste the Nation. She was born in Iran, grew up in Canada and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.
Excerpted from Bottom of the Pot by Naz Deravian, copyright © 2018. Published by Flatiron Books, a division of Macmillan Books.
These featured authors and recipes are presented as part of a collaboration between the Museum and Taste Canada. A project meant to celebrate the vibrant culinary scene in Canada and introduce our upcoming exhibition eat make share: a taste of immigration. This national traveling exhibition will invite you to take a deeper dive into food and immigration. Opening in Halifax, Nova Scotia May 2025.
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