Egyptian Koshari (Lentils, Rice, and Pasta Bowl)
Egypt's beloved street food and unofficial national dish — a layered bowl of rice, brown lentils, and macaroni topped with a spiced tomato sauce, caramelised onions, and a punchy vinegar-cumin dressing. Koshari is a deeply satisfying plant-based meal that is greater than the sum of its parts — every component is simple, but together they create something complex, textured, and extraordinarily flavourful.
About This Recipe
What is this dish?
Koshari is Egypt's most beloved street food and one of the great plant-based dishes of the world. Sold from large steaming pots at street stands across Cairo and every Egyptian city, it is a deeply filling bowl of three carbohydrates — rice, lentils, and pasta — topped with a spiced tomato sauce, a vinegar-cumin dressing, and a heap of caramelised crispy onions. Each element is simple, but the layering of textures, temperatures, and flavours creates something genuinely extraordinary.
Why you'll love it
It is completely vegan, extraordinarily filling, and costs almost nothing to make. The combination of lentils and rice provides complete protein, making it a nutritionally complete meal without any animal products. It is also deeply customisable — adjust the heat, the spice level, the ratio of components — and it scales beautifully for feeding a crowd.
When to serve
A hearty lunch or dinner for 4. Works beautifully as a meal-prep dish with all components stored separately and assembled to order.
Quick tips
Cook all components simultaneously to save time. Don't rush the onions. Season each component separately. Serve with extra tomato sauce and onions on the side.
Ingredient Highlights
Brown Lentils
Brown or green lentils hold their shape during cooking, unlike red lentils which dissolve. The firm, earthy lentils provide the bulk and protein of the dish and absorb the surrounding flavours beautifully. They need no soaking — just rinse and cook directly.
Crispy Caramelised Onions
The most important topping. Slowly cooked until deeply golden, sweet, and crispy, these onions are the crowning glory of any koshari bowl. They add sweetness, crunch, and a rich caramelised flavour that ties the other components together. Do not rush them — underdone onions are the single biggest disappointment in a home-made koshari.
Spiced Tomato Sauce
The signature sauce of koshari, seasoned with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garlic, and a good splash of white wine vinegar. The spice combination is distinctly Egyptian — warming and aromatic without being hot. The sauce is made separately and ladled over the assembled bowl, so each person can take as much as they like.
Substitution Options
Use green lentils instead of brown. Replace short-grain rice with long-grain if unavailable. Use any small pasta shape. Replace white wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar. Omit chickpeas or replace with cooked fava beans (ful medames) for a more traditional version.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cook the lentils
Place the rinsed brown lentils in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 5cm (2in). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming any foam. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes until just tender — they should hold their shape and not be mushy. Drain and season lightly with salt. Set aside.
Pro Tips:
- •Brown lentils hold their shape better than red lentils — do not use red lentils here as they dissolve
- •Start tasting the lentils at 18 minutes — they can go from underdone to mushy quickly
Cook the rice
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rinsed rice and stir for 1–2 minutes to toast lightly. Add 400ml (1⅔ cups) of water, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Pro Tips:
- •Toasting the rice in oil before adding water adds a gentle nuttiness and helps keep the grains separate
- •Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking — the trapped steam is what cooks the rice evenly
Make the crispy onions and cook the pasta
Thinly slice 2 onions. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until deeply golden brown and crispy — these onions are the crowning glory of koshari. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in boiling salted water according to packet instructions. Drain and toss with a little oil to prevent sticking.
Pro Tips:
- •The onions need to be truly dark and caramelised, not just softened — this takes patience and more time than you expect
- •Cook the pasta and onions simultaneously to save time; both take roughly the same amount of time
Make the tomato sauce
Finely dice the remaining onion. In a separate saucepan, heat a little oil over medium heat. Cook the diced onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add 4 minced garlic cloves, the remaining cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and half the chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar. Season with salt. Simmer for 15 minutes until thick and richly flavoured.
Pro Tips:
- •The cinnamon is subtle but essential — it gives the sauce the characteristic warm depth of Egyptian spicing
- •The vinegar in the sauce should be noticeable but not overpowering — taste and adjust
Assemble the bowls
In a large pan, gently warm the cooked lentils, rice, and chickpeas together over low heat, mixing loosely. Divide the rice and lentil mixture between bowls. Top with a generous serving of macaroni, then ladle over the tomato sauce. Pile the crispy onions on top. Mix the remaining white wine vinegar with a crushed garlic clove, the remaining chilli flakes, and a pinch of cumin to make the shatta (vinegar dressing) and drizzle over.
Pro Tips:
- •Warm all the components before assembling — cold koshari is far less satisfying than a warm, steaming bowl
- •Serve extra tomato sauce and extra crispy onions on the side — everyone wants more
Chef's Tips
Techniques that separate good from great
Deep-fry the onions for maximum crispiness
For the most authentically crispy, golden onions, deep-fry thinly sliced onion rings at 160°C until deeply golden — about 15–20 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper and they will crisp further as they cool. This is the street-food method and produces onions that stay crispy longer than pan-fried ones.
Add the chickpeas to the tomato sauce
Rather than warming the chickpeas separately, add them to the tomato sauce for the last 5 minutes of simmering. They absorb the tomato and spices and become far more flavourful than simply warmed from the tin.
Make the daqqa (spiced vinegar) properly
The punchy vinegar dressing (daqqa or shatta) that is drizzled over the bowl is as important as the tomato sauce. Make it by simmering white vinegar with cumin, garlic, and chilli for 5 minutes, then cooling. It keeps in the fridge for weeks and adds a final acidic, aromatic punch that ties the whole dish together.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Equipment Needed
- 3 saucepans
- Large skillet
- Colander
Quick Tips
- The crispy onions are the soul of koshari — take the time to caramelise them properly until deep golden brown; they are not optional
- Cook lentils, rice, pasta, and sauce simultaneously to keep the total time to 45 minutes
- The tomato sauce should be thick and punchy — simmer it down well and season generously
Recipe Variations
Different ways to make this dish your own
Extra-Spicy Koshari
Increase the chilli flakes in the tomato sauce and add a fresh red chilli to the vinegar dressing. Some Egyptian street vendors also offer a hot chilli oil (daqqa hamra) on the side for those who want maximum heat.
Koshari with Fried Egg
Top the assembled bowl with a fried egg for a richer, more protein-packed version. The runny yolk breaks into the tomato sauce and lentils — a non-traditional but excellent variation.
Simplified Koshari (One Component)
If time is short, focus on just the lentil and rice base (mujaddara-style) with the tomato sauce and crispy onions. Skip the pasta entirely. The dish is simpler but still delicious and more achievable on a busy weeknight.
Koshari with Fried Aubergine
Slice an aubergine into rounds, salt, pat dry, and shallow-fry until golden. Layer the fried aubergine rounds over the bowl before the tomato sauce. Aubergine is a popular addition in some Egyptian households and adds a rich, soft texture.
What to Serve With
Perfect pairings to complete the meal
Extra Tomato Sauce
Serve a small bowl of extra tomato sauce on the side — most people want more than the initial serving, and it keeps well.
Extra Crispy Onions
A small bowl of extra crispy onions alongside allows guests to add more as they eat. They are irresistible and disappear quickly.
Simple Cucumber and Tomato Salad
A simple salad of diced cucumber and tomato with lemon juice and salt provides freshness alongside the rich, heavy bowl.
Flatbread
Warm Egyptian flatbread (aish baladi) or any flatbread for scooping — useful for mopping up the extra sauce.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Keep it fresh and plan ahead
Refrigerator
Store all components separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The crispy onions lose their texture after 24 hours but can be re-crisped in the oven.
Freezer
The tomato sauce and cooked lentils freeze well for up to 3 months. Cooked rice is acceptable frozen but loses some texture. Do not freeze the pasta or crispy onions.
Make-Ahead
All components can be made ahead and stored separately. Assemble fresh by warming the lentils, rice, and pasta and topping with reheated sauce and freshly crisped onions.
Reheating
Reheat the lentils, rice, and chickpeas together in a pan over low heat with a splash of water. Reheat the tomato sauce in a small saucepan. Re-crisp onions in the oven at 180°C for 5 minutes if needed.
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