Authentic Egyptian Koshari: Rice, Lentils & Crispy Onions
Christine Carter
Egyptian Koshari
Hearty Egyptian street food: rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, spicy tomato sauce and crispy fried onions.
Nutrition (per serving)
Koshari is Egypt’s beloved street-food comfort bowl — a satisfying, budget-friendly mashup of rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas dressed in a tangy, spiced tomato sauce and finished with crisp fried onions. It’s one of those dishes that feels like a warm hug: humble ingredients, bold flavors, and completely addictive.
This recipe walks you through each component but keeps things approachable: cook the grains and pasta, simmer a punchy tomato sauce, fry onions until crackling, then layer and serve. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd, meal-prepping, or serving when you want something hearty and soulful.
Ingredients
- Long-grain white rice:1 cup
- Brown or green lentils (dried):1 cup
- Elbow macaroni:8 oz
- Canned chickpeas, drained:15 oz
- Tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes):2 cups
- Tomato paste:2 tbsp
- Yellow onion (for sauce):1 pieces
- Yellow onion (for frying):2 pieces
- Garlic cloves, minced:3 pieces
- Vegetable oil (for frying):1/2 cup
- Olive oil:2 tbsp
- Cider vinegar (for sauce and drizzle):3 tbsp
- Sugar:1 tsp
- Ground cumin:2 tsp
- Ground coriander:1 tsp
- Red pepper flakes:1/2 tsp
- Salt:1 1/2 tsp
- Black pepper:1 tsp
- All-purpose flour (for dredging onions):1/2 cup
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional):2 tbsp
Instructions
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Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine rice with 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 10 minutes.
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Rinse lentils and pick out any debris. Place lentils in a pot with 3 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 20–25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water and keep warm.
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Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to prevent sticking.
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Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce: finely chop 1 onion and sauté in 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, sugar, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Simmer gently 10–12 minutes to let flavors meld. Adjust seasoning and add more vinegar for brightness if desired.
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Make the crispy onions: peel and thinly slice 2 onions into rings. Toss the rings in flour with a pinch of salt and pepper, shaking off excess. In a wide skillet or deep pot, heat vegetable oil over medium-high until shimmering. Fry onions in batches until deep golden and crisp, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.
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Warm the drained chickpeas in a small saucepan with a splash of the tomato sauce and a pinch of cumin and salt, just to heat through and season.
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Optional quick garlic-vinegar drizzle: mix 2 tbsp cider vinegar with 1 small minced garlic clove and a pinch of salt. Let sit a few minutes to mellow the raw garlic, then taste and adjust.
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To assemble: layer a base of rice on each plate, add a scoop of lentils, then some pasta, and top with chickpeas. Spoon generous amounts of tomato sauce over each serving and finish with a large handful of crispy fried onions. Drizzle the garlic-vinegar sauce over the top and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
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Serve hot with extra vinegar and hot sauce at the table for people to season to taste.
Tips & Notes
- Fry onions in small batches so they brown evenly and become fully crisp.
- Cook lentils and rice separately for best texture — they finish at different times.
- Make the crispy onions ahead and store in a paper bag at room temperature to keep them crisp.
- Adjust the vinegar in the tomato sauce and drizzle to get the classic bright tangy balance.
- Leftovers keep well; reheat gently and add a little water to revive the rice before serving.
