Nachynka

Nachynka (Ukrainian Egg and Onion Casserole)

Nachynka is a comforting Ukrainian casserole made by layering sautéed onions with eggs and milk, then baking until puffed and golden. It is traditionally served for breakfast or as a side, often with crusty bread.

Prep

15 min

Cook

45 min

Total

60 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1.1 lb) yellow onions, about 4 medium, finely sliced
• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• •6 g (6 large) eggs, room temperature
• •250 ml (1 cup) whole milk, full-fat for the richest set
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, adjust to taste
• •1 g (1/2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •15 g (1 tbsp) dill, finely chopped, optional but traditional

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Generously butter a 20 cm (8 in) round or square baking dish.
2. 2 Melt the 30 g butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt; cook gently for 12–15 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned, stirring often. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. 3 In a large bowl, whisk the 6 eggs with the 250 ml milk, 5 g salt, and pepper until just combined. Do not aerate heavily; a gentle blend keeps the texture custard-like.
4. 4 Spread the cooled onions evenly in the buttered dish. Pour the egg-milk mixture over the onions. Scatter the chopped dill on top if using.
5. 5 Bake on the middle rack for 25–30 minutes, until the center is just set and a knife inserted 3 cm from the edge comes out clean. The internal temperature should reach 72°C (160°F) for fully cooked eggs. The top should be pale gold; do not expect deep browning.
6. 6 Let the nachynka rest for 8–10 minutes before slicing; it will finish setting as it cools. Serve warm with buttered rye bread or as a side to a simple soup.