Kuku Piaz is ALL about the caramelized onions. This onion and egg fluffy frittata features caramelized onions that get so soft they practically melt in your mouth, but the outside is where the magic happens. It’s dark brown with crispy bits, almost like it’s burned—but trust me, that flavorful, browned contrast is what makes it so good.
The eggs in this frittata are really just there to hold everything together and let the sweet, savory onion flavors shine. A dash of baking soda gives you extra lift, creating a light, spongy-fluffy melt-in-your-mouth texture.
If you’re a fan of this dish, you’ll love my herby Kuku Sabzi.
🌟 How to Get the Perfect Results
The crucial step is to properly caramelize onions so they are soft and luxurious, not stringy in the frittata. Caramelization can take up to 20 full minutes, so don’t rush this process. During caramelization, the onions change from sharp and pungent to sweet and deeply flavorful. The process starts when heat from the pan breaks down the onions’ natural sugars and starches. As they cook, moisture evaporates, and the sugars undergo the Maillard reaction and caramelization, creating a rich, golden-brown color and amazing flavors. Most people’s downfall with this dish is being impatient with the onions, using too high a heat which makes them burn, or forgetting to stir them often.
Another issue is burning the frittata itself in the pan. While you do want to get the browning on the outside and need to cook it long enough to achieve that, you do not want to burn it. It’s easy to feel like you’re burning it, but have faith and patience. Browned and blackened are not the same! You want that deep brown, golden crispiness.
🧾 Ingredients in This Recipe
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🧅 Pro Tip: Prep Those Onions 🧅
My mom has the best prep-ahead system down for onions. She will take 32 onions, dice them up super fine, then slowly caramelize them together in one huge pot. Once they are done, she puts them in a 1-gallon-sized ziplock bag, which becomes pretty flat as the onions cook down to a much smaller size. She uses the back of a knife to press down the middle and the sides fo the ziplock to section out 16 sections, so she knows that each section equals about two onions. Then, she freezes them and takes out a portion whenever she needs them. Genius!
👩🍳How to Make This Recipe
🥗What to Serve With Kuku Piaz
This is a fantastic breakfast, brunch, or lunch food. I would service it alongside a plate of sabzi khordan and some homemade pita. It’s fun to make a little sandwich out of a slice of Kuku Piaz and some of the herbs tucked inside a fresh pita. Add some shirazi salad, and you’re in for a huge treat!
Kuku Piaz
Print Recipe SaveIngredients
- 2 yellow onions
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- ¼-½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 6 eggs beaten
- 1 pinch baking soda
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat and add the onion. Cook beyond the point where it is translucent. Let it evenly become golden brown. You want it to be caramelized. This takes about 20 minutes. Keep your eye on it and stir every couple minutes. When done, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the caramelized onions, cumin, turmeric, baking soda, and eggs to a bowl. Mix well with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. You can taste test by frying a mini-pancake and adjusting for salt.
- Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a clean 10-inch non-stick pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the whole egg mixture. Using a spoon or spatula, gently press the mixture to evenly distribute it in the pan. You want it to be evenly thick.
- After 1-2 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan with a lid. After about 10 minutes, check to make sure the mixture is well set. You don’t want it to be runny, and the bottom should be golden brown.
- To finish it on the stove flip it, and cook it for another 5-10 minutes to brown the other side. To finish in the oven (if you’re scared to flip it) bake it in a 400F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Blot excess oil with a paper towel. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. Kuku is known for it’s leftovers, and is great for picnics!