Persian Kuku Sabzi: Herb Frittata Squares That Pack Cold for School Lunches

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups (60 g) fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (45 g) fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup (30 g) fresh dill fronds, finely chopped
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup (40 g) walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried barberries or dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Plain yogurt and flatbread, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.
2. Wash the herbs well and dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner or between towels. Wet herbs will steam and make the kuku soggy rather than dense.
3. Chop the parsley, cilantro and dill as finely as you can manage. The mixture should look almost like coarse green confetti, not leafy salad.
4. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until uniform, then whisk in the flour, baking powder, turmeric and salt until no lumps remain.
5. Fold in the chopped herbs, scallions, walnuts and barberries. The batter will feel more like a dense herb mixture bound with egg than a pourable custard, which is correct.
6. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then scrape the mixture into the lined pan and smooth the top. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the surface.
7. Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, until the top is set, the edges pull slightly from the parchment and the center springs back when pressed lightly.
8. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out by the parchment and cut into 6 squares. Serve warm with yogurt, or cool completely for lunchboxes.
9. Wrapped squares keep 4 days in the refrigerator and taste noticeably better cold on day two, once the herbs have settled. Pack with a wedge of lemon and flatbread.
10. Kuku sabzi is the Persian New Year table's green centerpiece, eaten at Nowruz as a symbol of rebirth, but Iranian families make it year-round precisely because it travels so well. The ratio matters more than the technique: this is herbs bound by egg, not eggs flecked with herbs, and the sheer volume of parsley, cilantro and dill is what gives it that near-black green interior and grassy, almost savory-sweet flavor no ordinary frittata can reach.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 215 kcal
• Protein: 10g
• Fat: 16g
• Carbohydrates: 8g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 460mg