Egyptian Koshari Recipe

This Koshari recipe, also known as Egypt’s national dish, is a comforting meal featuring pasta, rice, lentils, and a yummy chickpea tomato sauce and is topped with tons of crispy onions. Switch up your meatless Monday menu and serve this filling and hearty meal!

I’ve experimented with Egyptian cuisine in the past (like Egyptian dukkah and basbousa), but this is my first foray into a truly savory main dish. It came out so good that I knew I needed to share this koshari recipe with you all. It’s hearty, filling, and definitely comforting. 

Egyptian dishes boast warm flavors and a wide array of textures. This meal, in particular, is such a well-loved comfort food that it’s been deemed Egypt’s national dish! Featuring layer upon layer of flavorful ingredients it tastes — and looks — super impressive. I’m sure you’ll love it just as much as I do.

Koshari

Cuisine: Egyptian

INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• Yellow Onions - The cherry on top of this koshari recipe is the layer of crispy onions that sits on the pasta, rice, and lentils.
• All-Purpose Flour - To dredge your onions in before frying.
• Vegetable Oil - Use your preferred oil to fry the onions. You’ll also need it for the sauce.
• Basmati Rice - I always opt for Basmati rice for its delicate nutty and floral flavors.
• Lentils - Use green or brown lentils. Make sure to rinse well to remove any debris.
• Baharat Spice Blend - You’ll need it for the rice, lentils, and tomato and chickpea sauce. I love my homemade version. 
• Elbow Macaroni - This variety of pasta is the perfect size for this dish!
• Tomato Passata - For the tomato chickpea sauce. Regular tomato sauce is a great substitute.
• Chickpeas - An excellent source of protein, chickpeas work wonderfully in the tomato sauce.
• Kosher Salt - For boiling and added flavor.
• Garlic - For your sauce!
• Red Wine Vinegar - I love the extra flavor this ingredient brings to the tomato and chickpea sauce. You can also use red grape vinegar instead.
• Fresh Parsley - For a pop of flavor and color.
• Shatta Sauce - For serving! Don’t miss my homemade version.
• Garlic Sauce (Toum) - Also for serving. Check out my recipe here.

Video: Making Koshari

Watch the video in the recipe card at the bottom of the post for step-by-step instructions on how to make this recipe. You’ll also see how to plate it for a gorgeous presentation!

HOW TO MAKE EGYPTIAN KOSHARI RECIPE

1. Make the Crispy Onions. Place a large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add your vegetable oil. Toss the thinly sliced onions with flour in a large bowl, then fry the onions until they become dark golden brown. Work in batches for best results and allow them to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
2. Make the Rice. After rinsing the rice, bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the rice and 1 tablespoon of baharat spice blend, stir, and cover. Lower the heat and allow the rice to cook for 18 minutes, then set aside.
3. Cook the Lentils. In a separate saucepan, bring salted water to boil with a teaspoon of baharat spice blend. Pour in the lentils and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. Make the Macaroni. Boil the elbow pasta in salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
5. Prepare the Sauce. Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Sauté the garlic for 1 minute, then pour in the tomato passata, salt, remaining baharat spice blend, and cooked chickpeas. Lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes (partially covered). Stir in the red wine vinegar and parsley and set aside.
6. Assemble. To layer your koshari as pictured, place half of the crispy onions on the bottom of the bowl. Then, add the tomato and chickpea mixture, cooked macaroni, lentils, and rice — in that order. Gently press down with a spatula to ensure that the layers remain intact when flipped.
7. Flip the Bowl. Place a large plate or platter on top of the bowl and carefully (and confidently!) flip the bowl away from you so that the platter is on the bottom and the bowl is upside down. Your koshari should release itself on its own. Top with more crispy onions and chopped parsley, then serve with shatta and toum sauces. 

Serving Koshari

If you have experience turning cakes out onto a platter, plating the koshary should be very easy for you.  If not, don’t worry, it’s not difficult, but I recommend watching the video in the recipe card to see exactly how it’s done.

1. Layer the ingredients into a large bowl, then use your hands to gently press down and compact them.
   
2. Place a platter upside down over the top of the bowl.
   
3. Invert the plate. Hold the bottom of the bowl in one hand and place your other hand on top of the plate. Then, invert it so that the platter is on the bottom and the bowl is on top.
   
4. Remove the bowl. Gently lift the bowl off of the koshari and then garnish the top with fried onions.

Other than some oprional condiments like pickled lemon and shatta hot sauce, there isn't much else you'll need to serve with this carb and calorie laden delight. Bring your appetite!

What Country Made Koshari?

As I mentioned, this koshari recipe is Egypt’s national dish! It’s often enjoyed at home or as street food. Made with pasta, rice, lentils, chickpeas, and a tomato and garlic sauce, it’s a carb lovers' dream!

Why Is Koshari So Popular?

There are many reasons why this koshari recipe is so popular: it’s hearty, filling, and full of delicious flavors. The baharat spice mix adds much, and it truly is a mixture of many different cultures and cuisines. It’s also very inexpensive to make!

Do I Have to Create The Different Layers?

You don’t have to layer the different ingredients as shown — you can simply combine the lentils, macaroni, rice, and tomato chickpea sauce (much like a pasta salad), then serve with the crispy onions on top.

Egyptian Koshari Recipe + Video

Egypt’s national dish, this koshari recipe makes a comforting meal of pasta, rice, lentils, and crispy onions with a garlic tomato sauce.

4.67 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main dishes, side dishes

Cuisine: Egyptian, Middle Eastern

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 817kcal

Author: Kevin

Ingredients

Crispy Onions

• 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 cup vegetable oil

Koshari

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup green or brown lentils picked over and rinsed
• 2 tablespoon Baharat Spice Blend divided (See Note 2)
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 2 cups tomato passata/sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 15 oz cooked chickpeas rinsed
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or red grape vinegar)
• 3 tablespoon fresh parsley minced

Serve with Optional

• shatta sauce
• Garlic Sauce (Toum)

Instructions

Crispy Onions

• In a large, deep sided skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat.
• In a large bowl toss the thinly sliced onions with the flour. Working in batches, fry onions until a dark golden brown. Drain on paper towel lined plate. Season with salt and repeat with remaining onions. Set aside.

Koshari

• Rice: Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until water runs clear. In a saucepan bring 1 ½ cups water and a teaspoon of kosher salt to a boil. Add rice, 1 tablespoon Baharat Spice Blend, stir and cover. Bring heat to low and cook 18 minutes. Set aside.
• Lentils: In a saucepan bring 4 cups water and a teaspoon each of kosher salt and Baharat Spice Blend to a boil. Add lentils and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Macaroni: In a saucepan bring 3 cups water and a teaspoon of kosher salt to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Tomato Sauce Chickpeas: In a saucepan over medium heat add the oil. Saute the garlic for 1 minute and add the tomato passata/sauce, salt, remaining 2 teaspoons Baharat Spice Blend and cooked chickpeas. Turn heat to low and simmer 10 minutes covered partially. Stir in the red wine vinegar and parsley. Set aide.

Assembly

• Options are to layer for great presentation OR mix all together reserving crispy onions to go on top.
• For Layered Presentation: In a large bowl transfer half of the crispy onions and place on bottom of bowl. Top with the Tomato Chickpea mixture, then the cooked elbow macaroni, then the cooked lentils, and finally the last layer is the cooked basmati rice. Gently press down with spatula to firm up the koshari for presentation when flipped.
• Cover the bowl with a large plate or platter (larger than bowl width). Carefully and confidently grab each side, holding both plate and bowl sides and flip away from you and firmly shake and place plate side down on counter top. The koshari should release itself. Top with more crispy onions, chopped parsley and enjoy. Serve with hot sauce (Shatta) and garlic sauce (Toum).

Notes

I make my own Baharat Spice Blend, which I highly recommend, but if you need a quick version (not complete) this mixture is a good start and enough for this recipe.

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

*The information shown below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

Nutrition

Calories: 817kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Sodium: 829mg | Potassium: 949mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 555IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 6mg