Persian omelette is referred to by Iranians as Nimroo or omelette, but in reality, the way Persian omelette is served is distinct to what you may commonly refer to as French-style omelette (made with three eggs, folded perfectly, and creamy in the center). It’s also doesn’t have anything to do with an American-style diner omelette, which usually has a little bit of browning going on.
Persian omelette is more like scrambled eggs.
For us, Persians Omelette is not only a breakfast dish but also considered as a light lunch or dinner, usually served hot with fresh flatbread and Sabzi-Khordan (Persian vegetable salad) or even with plain steamed rice too.
A delicious pan of Persian tomato omelette brings back so many childhood memories for most Iranians. I recall our sleepovers at my aunties where we would spend the night sleeping on the rooftop and wake up to the mesmerising smell of Sangak bread. At this point, I would only see the breakfast Sofreh (table cloth) set up on the floor with cups of sweet Persian tea, feta cheese, walnuts and Sabzi-Khordan, butter or thick clotted cream, a few types of homemade jam made by my grandma and my favourite of all, a delicious pan of omelette at the centre.
Omelette in Iran has many variations, subjects to regional appetite. Here is a list of the most popular ones cooked around the country. They are all incredibly easy and very quick to make, with just a few ingredients and magnificent taste.
Feel free to read our article on Persian breakfast to learn more.
#6 Sosis Tokhm-e morgh | Frankfurter sausage and egg omelette
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 2 eggs
- 1 large Frankfurter sausage
- Olive oil or Butter
- Salt & pepper
How to cook Persian sausage omelette?
- Lay the sausages on a chopping board and with a sharp knife slice into 3-4 mm rounds.
- Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced sausages and sauté until slightly golden.
- Break the eggs on top of the sausages. slightly mix the sausages. Lower the heat.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on top and cook until the eggs are set.
#7 Omelet-e Piaz | Persian caramelised onion omelette
This Iranian onion omelette is from the southern provinces of Iran. If you love the incredibly wonderful smell of onions deeply caramelised, consider this idea for breakfast, or even on top of rice as quick lunch.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 2 medium onion, julienned
- 2 large eggs
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
How to cook Persian onion omelette?
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion, stirring frequently, sauté until golden and caramelised.
- Break the eggs one by one into the pan, spacing them evenly, yet making sure the yolks stay intact.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
#8 Varagh-e Bademjan | Aubergine Omelette
We have so many aubergine dishes, most of them like this aubergine omelette are classics from the northern provinces of Iran.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 1 medium aubergine
- 2 large eggs
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Salt & pepper
How to cook Persian aubergine omelette?
- Cut the aubergines into 1 cm thick slices.
- Brush the aubergine slices with oil and roast for 15 mins in 220C preheated oven.
- Heat butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the aubergine and sauté for one minute.
- In a bowl lightly beat the eggs with a fork until the yolks and whites are well blended. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the eggs to the frying pan over aubergines. Cook the eggs until set.
#9 Shapouri | Baked beans and omelette
A Persian version of English breakfast. This northern Iranian dish could be made with fried eggs.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 1/2 cup baked beans
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- Fresh Bitter orange or lime
- Olive oil or butter
- Salat & pepper
How to cook Persian baked beans omelette?
- Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat, add tomato purée, sauté for a minute.
- Break the eggs on top and scramble well.
- Push the egg and tomato mix to one side and pour the baked beans in.
- Season with salt and pepper and just before serving squeeze the half a bitter orange or lime on top.
#10 Omelet-e Tareh Koohi | Wild chive omelette
Persian meals are usually served along with fresh and seasonal herbs (sabzi khordan) such as basil, chives, mint, coriander, scallions and more.
Also Cooking with herbs and vegetables is an essential part of Persian cooking. In addition to our meat-based dishes, we have our delicious and healthy vegetarian Persian foods as well. This recipe’s origin is from the western provinces of Iran, where natives pick wild herbs from its highland.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 scallions chopped
- 1/3 cup dried wild chives or 1/2 cup fresh chives
- 2 medium eggs
- Olive oil or Butter
- Salt & pepper
How to cook Persian chives omelette?
- Soak the dried wild chives in water for 5 minutes to hydrate them, drain and set aside.
- In the meantime Melt the butter in a medium pan over medium heat.
- Add the scallions, sauté until golden then add wild chives
- Break the eggs one by one into the pan, spacing them evenly and making sure the yolks stay intact.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
Classic Omelette Goje Farangi | Persian Tomato omelette
Ingredients
- 2 tsp tomato purée
- 2 large ripe tomatoes Chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Olive oil or Butter
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil or butter in a pan over medium heat, add tomato purée, sauté for a minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, mix well and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until you get a thick sauce.
- Break the eggs on top of the tomatoes and mix to a scramble.
- Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle cumin before serving.
Customer
you didn’t mentioned khagineh.
as an Iranian house wife I didn’t know some of these inlets . thank you for yourgood information
Matin Lashkari
Thank you for your comment 🙂
Since Khagineh contains flour and can be considered more as a Pancake than an omelette, we didn’t mention it in this article.
Customer
How do you make khagineh its always been my favorite and I’m dying to make it again!
Matin Lashkari
We will have a post about Khagineh soon!
Stay tuned 😉
Customer
No one mentions geginagh! It’s so odd! Maybe it’s hyper local to Western Azaerbaijan??
Matin Lashkari
Hope you find them helpful:)
Thank you for your comment
Customer
Good recipes, but for Panir bershteh that is a Gilanian – Iranian food, no garlic or garlic powder is needed , I recommend you not to destroy its taste by adding garlic to this traditional food of Gilan province .
Customer
But we add garlic and Im Gilani and my whole family has been living in Gilan forever.
Matin Lashkari
Thank you for your tip! 🙂
Customer
Nice to know all these receipes.
Its lucidly told and let me try.
Thanks
Customer
yum these look wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing them.
My Irish mum recalls being cooked something she think has eggs in by her Persian friend and she thought it was called something that sounds like kuku sabse? Would that be counted as an omelette? I tried to make it for her and she said it was nothing like it should be, so any tips welcome please. Thank you!
Matin Lashkari
Thank you for your comment 🙂
Yes, It is called Kuku Sabzi (Persian Herb Frittata) .
Even though Kuku sabzi is made with eggs, it is not counted as an omelette. However, we have a whole post dedicated to this food that you can check out:
http://www.persianfoodtours.com/kuku-sabzi-persian-herb-frittata
Have a nice day! 🙂
Customer
Nice post!!!!! My favourite, #1…!!! Wishing to visit Iran again!!
Matin Lashkari
Thank you for your comment!
We hope to see you in Iran soon 🙂
Customer
Thank you dear Shirin for all wonderful omelet recipes. I would try all of them beginning tomorrow morning!
Matin Lashkari
We are happy that you liked our article 🙂
Don’t forget that you can send some pictures of the result to our Instagram account ( @PERSIANFOODTOUR ).
Customer
Wow, I really enjoyed this article. I will definitely be trying all these egg recipes. Beautiful culture, cuisine and people.
Love from Pakistan
Matin Lashkari
We are glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Don’t forget that you can send some pictures of the result to our Instagram account ( @PERSIANFOODTOUR ).
Customer
What pan is used in the pictures? Is there one you recommend?
Customer
Thanks for these recipes. We tried the spinach omelette today and it tasted gorgeous.
Matin Lashkari
We are glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Customer
This is great! But i think for the first one you mean turmeric (zardchube) instead of cumin (zeere), no?
Matin Lashkari
Thank you for your comment.
Sprinkling some Cumin at the end is a personal touch from our dear Chef Shirin to improve the taste even more 😉
Customer
Thank you for your effort collecting the recipes! But unfortunately you forgot the most delicious and unique one called (panir bereshte) from Lahijan/Gilan northern part of Iran!! because a few of those omlet omelettes specially the sausage one is not Persian! I’ll give you the recipe if you wish. 🙏🙏