Koshari – Egyptian Street Food Classic

Koshari is Egypt’s ultimate comfort food, combining tender brown lentils, rice, pasta, crispy fried onions, savory chickpeas, and spicy tomato-vinegar sauce. This vegan dish is rich, filling, and bursting with flavor, making it a favorite for street vendors and home cooks alike. Layers of carbs, legumes, and vibrant sauces create a unique fusion perfect for sharing.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups short grain rice
• 1 package (16 oz) dry pasta (elbow or ditalini)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lentils
• 2 cups dry brown lentils
• Water to cover
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 can (16 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Vermicelli
• ½ packet (8 oz) vermicelli
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 1 cup water
• Salt to taste
• Chickpeas
• 1 cup dry chickpeas (or 1 can)
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• Water
• Tomato Sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 2 cans (16 oz each) tomato sauce
• Salt to taste
• Cumin Sauce (Kamouneyah)
• 1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup vinegar
• Salt
• Fried Onion
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• Oil for frying

Directions

1. Wash lentils well, cover with water, bring to boil, and simmer 25-30 min until almost done. Drain.
2. In pot, sauté onions in oil. Add lentils, cumin, salt, tomato sauce, cook 15 min until tender. Set aside.
3. Cook rice as directed.
4. Sauté vermicelli in oil or butter until golden, add water/salt, cover to cook until tender.
5. Boil chickpeas with baking soda until tender, or drain/rinse canned chickpeas.
6. Fry onions in oil until deep golden brown; drain well.
7. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente; drain.
8. For tomato sauce: sauté garlic, add vinegar and tomato sauce, simmer with salt to taste.
9. For cumin sauce: mix garlic, cumin, olive oil, water, vinegar and salt.
10. To assemble: layer rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, vermicelli. Top with tomato sauce, cumin sauce, and plenty of crispy onions.