Adding preserved lemon, cumin and smoked paprika to Swiss chard makes for a wonderful Moroccan Breakfast. Served with fried eggs, this is a super healthy breakfast option that brings a big WOW of flavor.
Moroccan Breakfast, Why This Recipe Works
Swiss Chard and eggs. It’s not exactly what you’d expect on a breakfast table in Colorado. Perhaps steak and eggs?
Thinking outside the box, this recipe which features Swiss chard and eggs will bring a whole new level of fresh and exciting flavors to your breakfast table.
This healthy Moroccan breakfast recipe is earthy with smoked paprika, sultry with cumin, and lively with chili powder … you’ll simply savor every bite.
So jam packed full of flavor, and quick and easy to make, you’ll find yourself serving it time after time.
And with a sunny side up egg nestled alongside, what a delightful way to go green. A perfect breakfast recipe if you’re following the Mediterranean diet plan.
A recipe from Culinary School, let’s take a look. You’ll feel like you’re having breakfast in Morocco.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Swiss Chard (Rainbow Chard).
- Garlic.
- Preserved Lemon
- Olive Oil
- Parsley
- Spices and Seasonings: Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Chili Powder and Red Pepper Flakes.
- Eggs.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Chard: Fresh spinach is the best substitute for Swiss Chard. Kale is also a good choice, but the leaves are tougher and will have to be cooked longer.
- Garlic: Substitute a fine chopped medium shallot for the garlic.
- Oil: If you don’t have olive oil, substitute a neutral oil such as Canola or vegetable oil.
Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy!
- Step 1: Rinse and dry the leaves of the Swiss Chard. Use a knife to cut the leaves off of the tough large stems. Cut the leaves into large pieces, or stack them up, roll the stack of leaves and cut to create thin ribbons.
- Step 2: Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the chopped Swiss chard.
- Step 3: Cook the chard until it becomes wilted. Add garlic and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant. About 1 minute.
- Step 4: Add the cumin, chili powder and paprika. Stir, cover with a lid and turn down the heat to low. Let it steep and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the preserved lemon and stir.
For the Eggs: During the time you’re cooking the chard, fry two eggs. Over easy is always a good choice. Serve the cooked chard next to the fried eggs. Toast, English muffins, or flat bread is a good addition.
If you don’t add bread as a side dish, this breakfast is naturally gluten free.
Eggs are commonly a part of a typical Moroccan breakfast. And if you’re going to make Moroccan food regularly, you’ll want to keep a jar of preserved lemons on hand. They are a traditional ingredient in many Moroccan recipes. Mallow greens are commonly cooked in Morocco and seasoned with Preserved Lemon. To make this recipe easy for us in the States, we’ll use Swiss Chard.
Variation
Serve these Moroccan greens topped with a poached egg, rather than fried eggs. Feeling adventurous, serve this with traditional Moroccan Pancakes. Also a couple of slices of white aged cheddar cheese is a nice addition. And don’t forget freshly squeezed orange juice.
Swiss Chard and Eggs, Moroccan Breakfast
If you never tried Moroccan breakfast foods, you’re in for a real treat. The warm spices and style of recipes are some of my favorites. I love making Moroccan tagines. Take a look at this recipe for Moroccan Apricot Lamb Tagine. It’s truly divine.
And if you’re looking for traditional Moroccan breakfast recipes, I hope you give this super easy recipe a try.
If you’re looking for super healthy breakfast recipes for weight loss, this one is right up your alley. So healthy. So low-carb. So perfect.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
And don’t miss my Breakfast Category. You’ll find plenty of fabulous recipes to start your day. Including the most popular breakfast recipe on my site for Hatch Chile Smothered Breakfast Burritos.
Moroccan Breakfast, Swiss Chard and Fried Eggs
Equipment
- Large Fry Pan
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil or canola oil (divided)
- 2 bunches Swiss chard red stems removed and rough chopped
- 2 cloves garlic fine chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ preserved lemon chopped, flesh only
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 pinch crushed pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Wash the Swiss chard leaves well and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Use a knife to cut the leaves off of the tough large stems. Cut the leaves into large pieces, or stack them up, roll the stack of leaves and cut to create thin ribbons.
- Heat a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and once the oil is hot add the chard and cook stirring frequently. When the chard start to wilt, add the garlic and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.
- Add the cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder. Stir and cover with a lid. Turn down the heat to low and let it steep for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the preserved lemon and parsley. Stir and cover and cook on low for an additional 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, fry two eggs. Or poach two eggs.
- Plate the Chard, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with red chile flakes. Serve alongside eggs and toast, English muffin or flatbread.
Notes
Nutrition
Moroccan Breakfast, Swiss Chard with Eggs … It’s what’s for Breakfast
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
That looks delicious! Simple and yummy 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thanks Eric.
We never did much for St. Patrick’s Day when I was a kid but my mother always served a pork roast and alongside was a dish of homemade applesauce that she’d put green food coloring in. It looked gross – every single year.
I agree with you on everything but Green Eggs and Ham.
I love it that she put green food coloring in applesauce. Simply because it’s so unique.Happy St. Patrick’s Day Maureen.
Love the herbs and spices in this one..they sound great!
So funny,I like to put green food coloring in the milk on St. Patty’s and tell the kids the Leprechauns did it. I guess I won’t come to your house with that little joke. I would have to tone down the heat on these greens, but they sure sound like something worth trying, especially with the sunny side egg along side! YUM. HUGS
Love it. And heck no, if you remember in my post I wanted to order a Shamrock Shake from McDonalds. Milk products are Grandfather’d in. 🙂 The chili powder I used for this wasn’t too hot, so you might want to leave those hot pepper flakes in the pantry. Thanks for stopping in and the comment.
What a delicious breakfast option – LOVE IT!
Thanks Tracy.
Your greens look FABULOUS! I love the flavors and textures. DELISH!
Thank you so much Christie. Fun cooking with you for Sunday Supper.
I absolutely adore Moroccan food and the flavours. This looks right up my street!
Thanks Jessica. Hope you give it a try and thanks for stopping in and the comment.
What a great way to get in your greens. Yum!
Thanks Constance. Nice cooking with you for Sunday Supper.
Oh my…these greens look so good! I adore lots of spice, so this dish is right up my alley!
Let me know if you try it Wendy. We loved the flavors. Nice cooking with you for Sunday Supper.
Guess I need to make my own preserved lemons now!! I love Moroccan food
I’d love to make my own preserved lemons one day. I’m with you about that Moroccan food. Every dish I’ve made I’ve loved.
What a beautiful dish!i love the flavors of the greens paired with an egg. Just Yum!
Thanks so much Shannon. And for stopping in and the comment.
What a great side dish!! Love all of the flavors you have going on in it!!
We thought it was delicious Jennifer. Even cynical hubs loved it. I hope you give it a try. Nice cooking with you for Sunday Supper.
Looks like a perfect flavor combo! And, by the way, your egg looks perfect!
Don’t you love it when you get an egg just right? Thanks for stopping in and the comment.
I would eat moroccan greens any day over a McDonald’s shamrock shake! Love this recipe and your photography is just stunning!!
Thanks you so much Isabel and thanks for having me in the group. I’m really enjoying my #SundaySupper experience.
Love all the flavors you use in this dish, and I really do like chard… great recipe!
Thanks so much Shaina. We really loved this flavor packed breakfast. A keeper for sure. Nice cooking with you for Sunday Supper.
So lovely. That whole plate of food looks so inviting!! Looks like the perfect light breakfast, lunch or dinner. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome Renee. Nice cooking with you for Sunday Supper.
Your Moraccan greens sound amazing! I’ve only recently started using preserved lemons…and regret all the years I’ve missed cooking with them!
Me too Liz. Just started using them last year and thought that very same thing.
Very healthy not be mention gorgeous. Beautiful photo and presentation Lea Ann.
Sam
Thanks so much Sam, and yes we felt very healthy after this breakfast.
I love Moroccan cuisine, I think it has the most amazing flavours! I’d love to try these!
Manu, this was incredible with flavor. I hope you try it and let me know.
I must admit when I think of a green bagel, I think of it moldy. I’ll respectfully disagree with you regarding a green eggs and ham. Part of my Dr. Seuss childhood, I guess. Either way, thanks for participating this week.
Dr. Seuss was a generation after me. I really don’t think I’ve read any of the books and maybe seen 1/2 of a movie. I’ll have to Google the green eggs and ham thing. Thanks for stopping in DB.