Middle Eastern recipe

Egyptian Koshari

Name: Egyptian Koshari
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Middle Eastern cuisine
Ingredients: 250 g brown lentils, rinsed; 250 g medium-grain rice, rinsed and drained; 200 g small elbow pasta or ditalini; 400 g cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 2 large onions, thinly sliced; 120 ml neutral oil for frying onions; 30 ml olive oil for rice and lentils; 400 g crushed tomatoes; 5 garlic cloves, minced; 60 ml white vinegar, divided; 5 g ground coriander and cumin; 10 g fine salt and chili flakes, to taste

A Cairo comfort bowl layers rice, brown lentils, pasta and chickpeas beneath tangy spiced tomato sauce, crispy onions and a sharp garlic-vinegar dressing.

Cairo and Egypt

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 1 hr 5 min
Total: 1 hr 35 min
Servings: 6

Egyptian koshari layers of rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, tomato sauce and crispy onions — **Real finished-dish photograph**Photograph by BasmaSource page · Original file · CC BY-SA 4.0Cropped, resized, and compressed by Recipe Nest Vault.

Ingredients

250 g
brown lentils, rinsed
250 g
medium-grain rice, rinsed and drained
200 g
small elbow pasta or ditalini
400 g
cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2
large onions, thinly sliced
120 ml
neutral oil for frying onions
30 ml
olive oil for rice and lentils
400 g
crushed tomatoes
5
garlic cloves, minced
60 ml
white vinegar, divided
5 g
ground coriander and cumin
10 g
fine salt and chili flakes, to taste

Method

01
Fry the onion topping
Heat neutral oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add onion slices in batches and fry, stirring, until deeply golden and crisp; drain on a rack.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
02
Cook the tomato sauce
Pour off most frying oil, leaving a thin film. Soften half the garlic, add coriander, cumin and chili, then stir in crushed tomatoes and simmer until thick. Finish with some vinegar and salt.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
03
Make the garlic-vinegar sauce
Mix the remaining garlic with the remaining vinegar and a pinch of salt. Let it stand while the grains cook so the sharp garlic mellows.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
04
Par-cook the lentils
Place lentils in a saucepan, cover generously with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until just tender but still holding shape; drain.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
05
Steam the rice with lentils
Heat olive oil in a pot, add rinsed rice and stir to coat. Fold in lentils, salt and enough hot water to cover by a little; cover and cook on low until tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
06
Cook the pasta separately
Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with a little oil so the small pieces do not clump.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
07
Warm the chickpeas
Rinse and drain the chickpeas, then warm them in a small saucepan with a spoonful of water until hot. Keep them whole for layering.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph
08
Layer the koshari
Spoon rice and lentils into bowls, add pasta and chickpeas, then ladle tomato sauce over the top. Offer garlic-vinegar sauce and crispy onions so each person can finish their bowl.
Cooking-step illustration, not a photograph

Practical notes

Tips

Cook the lentils until just tender before adding rice so both grains finish together without turning mushy.
Let the rice rest covered after cooking, then fluff gently before adding the crisp onions.

Common mistakes

Adding all the water without checking the lentils can overcook the rice while the pulses are still firm.
Stirring repeatedly after the rice is covered breaks the grains and releases starch.

Substitutions

Fine bulgur can replace rice in some Levantine mujadara styles; follow its shorter cooking time and liquid needs.
Brown basmati may replace white long-grain rice, but add more cooking liquid and time according to the package.

Storage

Store components separately in covered containers at 0–4°C for up to 3 days. Reheat rice, pasta and sauce until steaming; keep fried onions dry and crisp.

Cultural context

Koshari is a Cairo street-food staple that layers rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas with tomato sauce, vinegar-garlic dressing and fried onions. Vendors and households vary the proportions and sauces; this bowl keeps each component distinct.

Sources and photo credit

This standardized method was independently rewritten after cross-checking the references below. Recipe Nest Vault does not claim that the credited photographer cooked from this exact version.

Recipe references

Egyptian Koshari.jpg — Photograph by Basma; CC BY-SA 4.0.

Step illustrations: Original illustrations created by Recipe Nest Vault with OpenAI image_gen.

Back to Middle Eastern recipes

Egyptian Koshari

Ingredients

Method

Fry the onion topping

Cook the tomato sauce

Make the garlic-vinegar sauce

Par-cook the lentils

Steam the rice with lentils

Cook the pasta separately

Warm the chickpeas

Layer the koshari

Sources and photo credit

Recipe references

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