Persian Spinach and Eggs - Nargesi

Persian Spinach and Eggs - Nargesi is an easy dish, very nutritious and made in one pan and in no time! This breakfast recipe is full of great flavors and spices.

If you're looking for new and exciting breakfast recipes, you should check our our recipes. We have so many recipes from Mediterranean breakfast hash to Italian baked eggs and sausage breakfast muffins, there are so many exciting ways to have breakfast everyday! This spinach eggs are one of our absolute favorites! 

I LOVE eggs in my food, anything that's cooked in a pan with a couple of eggs broken on top of it is right up my alley. And I also love spinach. In Iran, we use a lot of spinach in our cooking such as in stews or dips. This Persian spinach and eggs - Nargesi - is one of our family favorites. 

What is Nargesi and what is it made of?

Nargesi is an Iranian/Persian breakfast dish. It's mainly made with Spinach and eggs plus onions. Like many Persian dishes, the spices used in this one are salt, pepper and turmeric.

We sometimes add leek to it but originally it doesn't contain leek. Like many other Persian foods, this one is also made differently in each family. Some of my friends saute spinach and onion but they don't add eggs and serve it without egg. That's also as tasty. It's full of nutrients too, as spinach is a great source of iron.

How to cook spinach with eggs

Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute red onion and garlic until browned a bit and then add the spinach. Stir on medium low heat until spinach is wilted. Add in the egg and cover the pan with a lid. After a few minutes, remove the lid and check if the egg is cooked to your desire. Serve warm with fresh bread and some plain yogurt. 

You can also make nargesi in the form of scrambled eggs and spinach. After adding the egg, slowly scramble it into the wilted spinach until fully cooked. 

The only thing to note about this dish is to be careful not to burn the spinach as it cooks really fast. Therefore, it's always better to have all your ingredients at hand before you start cooking so there won't be any incidents of burnt spinach because the egg was not at hand.

Notes and tips to make Persian spinach and eggs

• Make sure the spinach is clean. If using larger spinach leaves, cut them into smaller chunks. 
• If you're worried about burning the spinach or the onions, you can saute spinach first with some olive oil, set it aside and then saute the onion and garlic until golden. Then add in the cooked spinach and stir for a few seconds, add the egg and cook. 
• Spinach is packed with nutrients and pairing it with eggs makes it into a healthy and nutritious meal that you can have any time of the day. Read more about spinach and its benefits on BBC Good Food. 
• You can easily make this recipe for a crowd. Use 1 ½ to 2 cups of spinach and one or two eggs per person. The more onions and garlic you use, the more flavorful nargesi will be. 

Looking for more recipes using spinach?

• Borani Esfenaj
• Mediterranean Spinach Omelette