Koshary
Egypt's beloved street food, layered rather than mixed: rice, brown lentils and macaroni topped with chickpeas, a garlicky tangy tomato sauce and a heap of deep-fried crispy onions.
About this dish
Koshary's exact origin is genuinely mixed, much like the dish itself — its layering of rice and lentils likely traces to Indian khichdi, brought to Egypt through 19th-century trade and British colonial presence, while the pasta reflects Italian influence and the tomato sauce an Egyptian addition on top of both. What started as inexpensive, filling street food for Cairo's working class became a dish eaten across every class in Egypt, sold from carts and dedicated koshary shops alike, always finished the same way: with a shower of crisp fried onion that has to stay crunchy even once buried under sauce.
- Vegan
- Lactose-free
- Contains gluten because of Macaroni
Ingredients
- 200gLong-grain rice
- 150gRed lentils
- 200gMacaroni
- 240gChickpeas
- 400gOnion
- 400gTomato passata
- 5clovesGarlic cloves
- 6gGround cumin
- 30mlWhite wine vinegar
- 1pieceFresh red chilli
- 150mlSunflower oil
- 12gFine sea salt
Instructions
Thinly slice the onion and deep-fry in the oil in batches until deep golden brown and crisp, then drain on paper towel.
15 minTip: Fry the onions low and slow rather than fast and hot — golden all through beats a batch that's dark at the edges and raw in the centre, and they crisp further as they cool.
In the same oil, fry the garlic briefly, then add the tomato passata, cumin, vinegar and finely chopped chilli, and simmer 15 minutes into a tangy sauce.
15 minTip: The vinegar is what gives koshary's sauce its distinctive sharp edge against the starchy base — taste and add more if it doesn't cut through cleanly.
Cook the rice, lentils and macaroni separately according to their own timings, so each is properly done rather than compromised by cooking together.
20 minTip: Keeping the three starches separate until serving is the whole technique of koshary — mixed together too early, the pasta overcooks while the rice is still working.
Layer the rice, lentils and macaroni in bowls, top with the chickpeas, ladle over the tomato sauce, and finish with a generous heap of the crispy fried onion.
5 minTip: Serve extra sauce, vinegar and chilli on the side — koshary vendors always let diners adjust the balance themselves, and everyone has a different ratio they like.