Koshari is Egypt’s unofficial national dish and its most famous street food: rice, pasta and lentils layered together under a spiced tomato sauce and a heap of crunchy fried onions.
Koshari layers rice, brown lentils, and small pasta, then buries the whole thing under a spiced tomato sauce and a generous pile of deeply fried crispy onions, with a garlicky vinegar sauce passed at the table for anyone who wants extra punch. It sounds like an odd combination of textures until you get a spoonful with all of them together, at which point it makes complete sense.
It is a build-your-own meal. Egyptian families all have their own ratios and opinions, so feel free to adjust once you have made it a few times. For extra heat, our Harissa (recipe on the site) stands in well for the traditional Egyptian shatta.
Koshari Recipe
Ingredients
- For the rice, lentils and macaroni:
- 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed
- 1 cup small elbow macaroni
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt
- For the tomato sauce:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- Salt, to taste
- For the crispy onions and garlic vinegar:
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Cook the lentils in salted water until just tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and set aside.
- Cook the rice: heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, add the rice, cumin, and salt, and toast 1 minute. Add 1 3/4 cups water, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork.
- Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.
- Make the tomato sauce: heat the olive oil, saute the garlic 30 seconds, then add the crushed tomatoes, vinegar, cumin, chili flakes, and salt. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes until thickened.
- Make the crispy onions: fry the sliced onions in about 1/2 inch of oil over medium heat until deep golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and salt immediately.
- Make the garlic vinegar: whisk the minced garlic, vinegar, cumin, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let it sit 10 minutes.
- To assemble, layer the rice, lentils, and macaroni in bowls or on a platter, then top generously with the tomato sauce and crispy onions.
- Pass the garlic vinegar, and hot sauce or harissa if you like, at the table for guests to add to taste.
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