Egyptian Koshari Recipe (Koshary)

Egyptian Koshari (or koshary) is comfort food at its finest. Carbs upon carbs of deliciousness, made with layers of chickpeas, rice, vermicelli, pasta, fried onions, a spiced tomato sauce, and a second sauce made using cumin. This is Egypt’s national dish for good reason!

I’m almost ashamed to admit I didn’t try koshari until my thirties! This recipe was developed with my wife (who is Egyptian, and very much missed the flavors of home!) using recipes shared by family and friends in Egypt.

this recipe

What is Koshari

Koshari is widely considered Egypt’s national dish and one of its most beloved street foods. It’s affordable, filling, and vegetarian, but what makes it special is the contrast of textures and flavours: soft rice and lentils, pasta, crispy fried onions, and tangy sauces. Add some shatta (Egyptian chilli sauce) if you like things spicy!

One thing I learned eating koshari in Egypt is that it’s not reserved for any particular mealtime. Lunch? Dinner? Snack? All good! At some vendors, you can even ask for a kemela - a little extra helping of koshari.

If you’re exploring Egyptian comfort food, my Egyptian macarona bechamel recipe is another favourite. It’s a creamy baked pasta dish that’s just as comforting, although quite different from koshari!

Origins

The exact origins of koshari are debated. My favourite theory is that koshari dates back to ancient Egypt to a dish called koshir, meaning “Food of the rites of the gods”.

Another theory traces its rice-and-lentil base to the Indian dish khichri, which may have reached Egypt through trade and travel. Over time, the dish evolved into the Egyptian favourite we know today, complete with pasta, chickpeas, crispy onions, and tangy sauces.

Whatever its beginnings, koshari is unmistakably Egyptian today! In December 2025, UNESCO recognized the traditions surrounding koshari as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Key Ingredients

• Rice and brown lentils: The hearty base of koshari. Short-grain rice works particularly well, while brown lentils hold their shape during cooking.
• Ditalini pasta: These little pasta tubes add a satisfying, chewy texture. Small macaroni works too!
• Vermicelli: Use wheat-based Egyptian vermicelli (sha’riya), not rice noodles. It’s toasted before cooking for a delicious, nutty flavour. The combination of rice and vermicelli also appears in my Egyptian rice with vermicelli recipe, where the two ingredients take centre stage.
• Chickpeas: Add a little extra texture and make the dish even more filling. Canned chickpeas work perfectly!
• Onions: Fried until golden and crispy, they’re one of the best parts of koshari! Cornstarch helps give them that lovely crunch.
• Tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, and cumin: The stars of koshari’s two sauces. The tomato sauce brings richness, while the garlicky vinegar-cumin sauce (daqqa) adds a tangy kick. If you love garlicky, spiced tomato sauces, you might also enjoy my shakshuka recipe, which uses tomatoes, cumin, and paprika as the base for a completely different dish.

Variation Ideas

• Try different pasta: Small elbow macaroni works well instead of ditalini. You can even use penne, although it’s a little harder to scoop up! If you love the idea of pasta with punchy Middle Eastern flavours, try my Turkish pasta recipe too. It’s a completely different dish, with spiced meat and a garlicky yogurt sauce.
• Make it gluten-free: Replace the ditalini with gluten-free pasta and the wheat vermicelli with gluten-free rice vermicelli. Cook the rice vermicelli separately according to the package instructions, as it cooks differently and will change the final texture.
• Turn up the heat: Serve with shatta (Egyptian chilli sauce) if you like your koshari spicy.
• Adjust the sauces: Love garlic and vinegar? Add extra daqqa! Prefer something milder? Go heavier on the tomato sauce instead.
• Use dried chickpeas: Cooked-from-dry chickpeas work just as well as canned ones. Just prepare them ahead of time. Got extra chickpeas? My chana chaat recipe is a delicious option. It’s tangy, refreshing, and ready in just 10 minutes!

How to make Egyptian Koshari

Koshari has a few different components, but don’t let that intimidate you! We’ll prepare the onions, sauces, rice, lentils, and pasta separately before bringing everything together.

1. Fry the onions. Toss the sliced onions with salt and cornstarch. Fry in vegetable oil over medium-high heat until golden brown and crispy, about 12 minutes. Drain on paper towels and save the cooking oil. We’ll use it again!

2. Make the tomato sauce. Heat some reserved onion oil in a saucepan and sauté the garlic for about 2 minutes. Add the fried onions and remaining tomato sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

3. Cook the lentils. In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine the reserved oil, fried onions, brown lentils, and salt. Stir for 1-2 minutes, then add 4 cups of water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the lentils are cooked through. Don’t drain!

4. Add the rice and vermicelli. Toast the vermicelli in a little olive oil until golden. Add it to the lentils along with the rinsed rice, 2 cups of hot water, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 12-15 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Fluff gently with a fork.

5. Prepare the pasta and daqqa. Cook the ditalini according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain. For the daqqa (garlic-vinegar sauce), simply mix the vinegar, crushed garlic, hot water, cumin, salt, pepper, and paprika until combined.

6. Assemble your koshari! Start with a generous layer of lentil rice, followed by the cooked pasta and chickpeas. Top with crispy fried onions, spoon over the spiced tomato sauce, and finish with a drizzle of daqqa. Dig in!

Riz’s Expert Tips

• Get those onions crispy! Slice them evenly so they fry at the same rate. Once golden brown, spread them in a single layer on paper towels to drain. Avoid piling them up, or they’ll lose their crunch.
• Don’t rush the onions. Browning the onions properly brings out their natural sweetness and adds depth of flavour. Everyone has their preferences, but I can tell you fairly confidently that raw onions won’t taste great in this dish! These aren’t quite the same as the slow-cooked onions in my caramelized onion and goat cheese burger. For koshari, we’re after that golden, crispy texture!
• Don’t overcook the lentils. Remember, they’ll continue cooking once you add the rice. You want tender lentils that still hold their shape, not mush!
• Keep an eye on the vermicelli. Stir continuously while toasting it in oil. It can go from beautifully golden to burnt surprisingly quickly!
• Add the toppings just before serving. Drizzle on the tomato sauce and daqqa, then finish with crispy fried onions to preserve their crunch.

Storage and Reheating

• Storing leftovers: Keep the rice and lentils, pasta, sauces, and crispy onions in separate airtight containers. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking and enjoy within 2-3 days.
• Reheating: Warm the rice, lentils, and pasta in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if they’ve dried out. Reheat until piping hot (165°F/74°C), and heat the tomato sauce separately. Add the daqqa and crispy onions just before serving.
• Freezing: You can freeze the rice and lentil mixture and tomato sauce separately. I’d avoid freezing the pasta and fried onions, as their textures may suffer. Consume within 2 months.

If you like preparing hearty grain dishes ahead of time, my Turkish bulgur pilavi is another one to try. It’s a tomato-based bulgur pilaf that stores and reheats well.

Koshari FAQs

Have some dried lentils left over? My harissa chicken with lentils recipe is another way to put them to good use. It’s a completely different dinner, but just as hearty!

And that’s it for today, bestie. Now, it’s your turn. Have you tried this Koshari recipe yet? Would you like to? Let me know in the comments below.

📖 Recipe

How to make Egyptian Koshari (Koshary)

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5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Riz Asad
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 hearty servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

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Description

Make authentic Egyptian koshari (koshary) with rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, crispy fried onions, and two tangy sauces. Developed with my Egyptian wife, using recipes shared by family and friends in Egypt.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 (16 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 12 oz ditalini pasta

Fried Onions

• 3 large onions, sliced thin into rings
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Tomato Sauce

• 2 tbsp fried onions
• 1 tbsp reserved vegetable oil
• 7 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 3 cups water
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp paprika

Lentil Rice

• 2 tbsp reserved oil
• ⅓ cup fried onions
• 2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup wheat-based vermicelli (sha’riya), dry
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups hot water
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Cumin Sauce (Dukka)

• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• ½ cup hot water
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Salt, to taste
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp paprika

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Instructions

Fried Onions

1. Toss the sliced onions with the salt and cornstarch. 
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Use enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan by approximately 1 inch. Add the onions and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, about 12 minutes.
3. Remove the onions and spread them in a single layer on paper towels to drain. Reserve the fried onions and cooking oil for the remaining components.

Tomato Sauce

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of reserved onion oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
2. Add the fried onions and remaining tomato sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Lentil Rice

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, combine 2 tablespoons of reserved onion oil, ⅓ cup fried onions, lentils, and salt to taste. Stir for 1-2 minutes. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a gentle boil for 10-15 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Do not drain.
2. Meanwhile, toast the dry vermicelli in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, stirring until golden. Add it to the lentils along with the rinsed rice, 2 cups of hot water, cumin, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 12-15 minutes until the rice is cooked. Fluff gently with a fork.

Pasta

1. Cook the ditalini pasta in a separate pot according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Daqqa (Garlic-Vinegar Sauce)

1. Combine the vinegar, crushed garlic, hot water, cumin, salt, black pepper, and paprika in a bowl. Mix until well combined.

Koshari Assembly

1. A great koshari is as much about its assembly as it is each individual component. Add the rice with lentil mixture as the base, top with the cooked ditalini pasta, prepared chickpeas, and fried onions. Drizzle on the tomato sauce and finally, the daqqa. Enjoy! 

Notes

Rice: Short-grain rice works best for this recipe. Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to help distribute the heat evenly.

Vermicelli: Use wheat-based Egyptian vermicelli (sha’riya), not rice vermicelli. Break longer strands into smaller pieces before toasting. If using pre-toasted vermicelli, skip the toasting step and the olive oil used for it.

Fried onions: Remember to reserve some of the onions for topping your finished koshari, along with the cooking oil needed for the tomato sauce and lentil rice.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Cooking
• Cuisine: Egyptian