Golden Turmeric & Swiss Chard Skillet Braise with Sumac Fried Eggs
Everyone always asks me for my shakshuka recipe, but growing up in Tel Aviv, my absolute favorite mornings were when we had warm, spiced greens. This Golden Turmeric and Swiss Chard Skillet Braise is my love letter to those slow weekend breakfasts. I remember my mother standing over the stove, transforming giant, intimidating bunches of leafy greens into silky perfection. In my London kitchen, I wanted to recreate that comforting magic but layer in my absolute obsession with texture. We treat the chard two ways here, which is the secret to this dish: aggressively sautéing those crunchy stems with garlic and earthy turmeric, then gently braising the leaves in bright lemon and broth until they completely melt. What makes this skillet so special is the beautiful contrast between the silky greens and the aggressive crunch of crispy cumin chickpeas, all crowned with sumac-dusted fried eggs. And because I am me, it requires a generous, unapologetic river of tahini right at the end. Feel free to make this your own! If you do not have chard, robust spinach or kale works beautifully, just remember to treat the stems and leaves as two completely different ingredients. Scoop it all up with the crustiest bread you can find.
Featured Recipe
Golden Turmeric & Swiss Chard Skillet Braise with Sumac Fried Eggs
Everyone thinks of shakshuka for a Levantine breakfast, but braising greens until they melt is my ultimate morning move. Here, we treat Swiss chard two ways—sautéing the crunchy stems with turmeric and garlic, then silkily braising the leaves in broth and lemon. Topped with sumac-dusted fried eggs, crispy cumin chickpeas, and a generous river of tahini, this skillet is bright, deeply savory, and begging to be scooped up with crusty bread.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 2 large bunches Swiss chard(stems and leaves separated)
- 1/4 cup Olive oil(divided)
- 1 can (15oz) Chickpeas(drained, rinsed, and dried very well)
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 bunch Spring onions(thinly sliced)
- 4 cloves Garlic(thinly sliced)
- 1 tsp Ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper(or regular red pepper flakes)
- 1/2 cup Vegetable broth
- 1 whole Lemon(juiced (about 3 tbsp total))
- 1/3 cup Tahini(well stirred)
- 3 tbsp Ice water(plus more if needed)
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 tsp Sumac
- 1/4 cup Fresh dill(roughly chopped)
- 1/4 cup Pomegranate seeds
- 1.5 tsp Kosher salt(divided)
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Start by prepping the star of the show. Strip the leaves from 2 large bunches Swiss chard. Chop the stems into 1/4-inch pieces, keeping them in a separate bowl from the leaves, which you should roughly tear. We treat them as two different vegetables here!
10 min
Tip: Make sure you wash the chard well to remove any grit before chopping.
- 2
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 can (15oz) chickpeas (make sure they are very dry so they crisp!) and 1 tsp cumin seeds. Fry until the chickpeas are golden and blistered, about 8 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp kosher salt, then scoop them out into a bowl and set aside. We need that crunch for later.
8 min
Tip: Drying chickpeas with a paper towel before frying is the secret to getting them perfectly crispy instead of mushy.
- 3
Lower the heat to medium. In the same skillet, add another 1 tbsp olive oil, the chopped chard stems, 1 bunch spring onions (sliced), and 4 cloves garlic (sliced). Sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt, letting the spices bloom for 1 minute until fragrant.
6 min
Tip: Letting the turmeric bloom in the oil unlocks its deep, earthy flavor and gives the dish its golden hue.
- 4
Pile the torn chard leaves into the skillet—it will look like a mountain, but do not panic, they shrink! Pour in 1/2 cup vegetable broth and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid and braise for 8 minutes until the greens are completely collapsed and meltingly soft.
8 min
Tip: If your skillet lid isn't tight, you may need a splash more broth to keep the greens braising nicely.
- 5
While the chard braises, let's make your tahini puddle. In a small bowl, aggressively whisk together 1/3 cup tahini, the remaining 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp ice water, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt until perfectly smooth and creamy. If it seizes, just add a splash more ice water and keep whisking.
5 min
Tip: Ice water is the trick to incredibly light, fluffy, and bright white tahini sauce.
- 6
While the chard finishes its braise, grab a separate non-stick skillet. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high. Crack in 4 large eggs and fry them hard and fast so the edges get lacy and crispy while the yolks stay runny. Season them heavily with 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and an essential dusting of 1 tsp sumac.
4 min
Tip: Frying the eggs separately keeps their edges perfectly crisp to contrast the silky braised greens.
- 7
Take the braised chard off the heat and arrange your crispy fried eggs right on top. Scatter the reserved crispy chickpeas over everything for that essential crunch. Drizzle the entire pan generously with the tahini sauce. Finish with a bright shower of 1/4 cup fresh dill and 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds. Bring the whole skillet to the table and dive in.
2 min
Tip: Serve immediately so the eggs stay warm and the chickpeas stay crunchy!
Chef's Notes
Listen to me: do not throw away your chard stems! They are a vegetable in their own right. Braising the leaves gives you that melting, luxurious texture, but the stems add a sweet, earthy crunch that makes this dish sing. If you do not have spring onions, regular scallions or even a chopped leek will do beautifully. Serve this with the thickest, crustiest bread you can find to mop up the tahini and golden turmeric broth.
Yael Mizrahi
Bold flavors, beautiful plates
Born in Tel Aviv to a Moroccan mother and Iraqi father, I grew up speaking the language of spice. My kitchen was always full of cumin, preserved lemons, and the sound of multiple conversations happening at once. I moved to London at 22, cooked my way through the city's best restaurants, and discovered that the whole Mediterranean was my playground. Now I create dishes that celebrate the entire region—from Marrakech to Athens, with plenty of stops in between.