Egyptian

Koshari

Egyptian lentils, rice and pasta with crisp onions

Egypt’s layered comfort dish of rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas with tomato sauce and crisp onions.

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Prep25 minsCook45 minsServes4DifficultyMedium
Koshari served in a rustic Mediterranean setting

Bright, satisfying and built for real life.

This recipe brings together the generous flavours of Egyptian cooking in a format that works on a busy day. Read through the method before starting and adjust seasoning to your taste.

The recipe

Koshari

25 min prep45 min cook70 min total4 servings
Scale:

Ingredients

Main

Method

  1. 1

    Simmer the lentils until almost tender, add the rice and cook until both are done.

  2. 2

    Cook the pasta separately until al dente and warm the chickpeas.

  3. 3

    Dust the onions with flour and fry until deeply crisp, then drain.

  4. 4

    Simmer tomato, garlic, cumin and vinegar into a sharp sauce.

  5. 5

    Layer rice and lentils, pasta and chickpeas, then spoon over sauce and crisp onions.

Koshari is an Egyptian street-food staple combining grains, pulses, pasta, tangy tomato sauce and fried onions.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Freezing

Freeze only if the finished texture remains suitable; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat gently until piping hot throughout, unless the dish is intended to be served cold.

Keep cooking

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