Koshari, aka kushari, is a beloved Egyptian comfort food that's become a popular street food around the world. This flavorful dish is a combination of rice, lentils, and pasta, topped with a spicy tomato sauce and crispy fried onions.
Jump to:
Koshari, much like ful medames, is a staple in the Egyptian culinary landscape. In fact, you can find this beloved dish just about anywhere in the country. From bustling street food vendors to traditional restaurants and homes, Koshari's become a ubiquitous presence in the daily lives of Egyptians.
The process of making koshari at home is a labor of love. There's quite a few steps, but each step is fairly simple to execute. Trust me, the satisfaction of assembling Egypt's national dish is well worth the effort.
Let's make koshari! Follow along with my step-by-step visual instructions.
🙋What Is Koshari?
Koshari is a popular Egyptian street food and a staple in Egyptian cuisine. It's a hearty, satisfying vegetarian dish that consists of a base of rice, lentils, and macaroni, topped with chickpeas, spicy tomato sauce, and crispy fried onions.
It's typically served with a side of sauce made of cumin and vinegar. This is a versatile dish that's much loved for its rich, complex flavors and textures.
🧡Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
🧡Koshari is made with a tons of healthy ingredients. It has lentils, rice, and chickpeas, which are high in protein and fiber. The textures and flavors complement each other beautifully.
🧡This koshari recipe is made with simple, inexpensive ingredients that are easy to find, making it a budget friendly meal.
🧡It can be served hot or cold. You can also customize it to suit your tastes. Like a bit of heat? Add some chili pepper flakes. There's so many ways to customize koshari.
🧡This recipe is easy to make and doesn't require any advanced cooking skills.
👨🍳How To Make Koshari
- Step 1 - Cook The Lentils: Rinse the lentils and place them in a large pot with 3 cups of water. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin, stir to combine. Do not add any salt, or the lentils will not cook properly. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Step 2 - Wash The Rice: Put the rice in a sieve and wash thoroughly.
- Step 3 - Cook Rice With Lentils: Add the rice to the pot with the lentils, along with another 2½ cups of water. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil again. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice and lentils are both tender and cooked through.
- Step 4 - Make The Crispy Onions: While the rice and lentils are cooking, mix the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt in a shallow dish. Dip the sliced onions in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess, and set aside.
- Step 5 - Make The Sauce Base: In a separate pan, heat another 2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the grated onion, minced garlic, cumin and coriander and cook for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Note: If you have a food processor, you can puree the onion and garlic together instead of grating the onion.
- Step 6 - Add The Tomatoes & Simmer: Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar and white vinegar, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 7 - Cook The Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Step 8 - Boil The Chickpeas: In a separate saucepan, cover the drained chickpeas with water. Add ½ tablespoon of ground cumin and boil for 5 minutes.
- Step 9 - Make The Vinegar Sauce: In a separate pan, saute the garlic and ground cumin for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add vinegar and water. Season to taste. Set aside.
- Step 9 - Fry The Onions: In a separate pan, heat the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the floured onions, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside on a paper towel lined plate.
- Step 10: Assemble The Koshari: To serve, spoon the cooked lentils and rice into serving bowls, and top with the cooked pasta. Spoon the spiced chickpeas over the pasta, and sprinkle with the caramelized onions and chopped fresh parsley. Pour the tomato sauce over the top. Serve the cumin sauce on the side. Enjoy hot!
🍽️Serving Suggestions
- Serve a simple, refreshing salad like my Israeli salad with koshari.
- Crispy, flavorful falafel can be served as a side dish or a protein-rich topping for koshari.
- Roasted vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and sweet potatoes would be a delicious and healthy side dish to your Koshari meal.
- How about a side of gluten-free hummus?
- A bowl of lentil soup wouldn't go amiss.
- Serve With a side of homemade flatbread to mop up the extra sauce.
❄️Storage Suggestions
Refrigerator
To store koshari, allow it to cool down to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container or sealable plastic bag. You can store the koshari in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When reheating, add a splash of water if needed to prevent it from drying out. Keep in mind that the fried onions will lose their crispiness when stored, so it's best to add fresh fried onions when reheating.
Freezer
If you want to store koshari for a longer period, you can freeze it. Let it cool down to room temperature, and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. Make sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing the container. Koshari can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
When you're ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, and then reheat it on the stove or in the microwave. Again, add a splash of water if needed to prevent it from drying out, and add fresh fried onions before serving.
🙋♀️Frequently Asked Questions
Koshari is an Egyptian dish that originated in the late 19th century. It is a popular street food and a staple in the Egyptian cuisine. While there are some similarities in ingredients between Koshari and Indian dishes such as khichdi, the two dishes are distinct and have their own unique flavors and preparation methods. Koshari is typically made with a combination of rice, lentils, macaroni, and chickpeas, topped with spicy tomato sauce and fried onions.
Koshari is a popular dish in Egypt for several reasons. First, it's a delicious, satisfying meal that's enjoyed by people from all walks of life. The combination of rice, lentils, and macaroni with spicy tomato sauce and crispy fried onions creates a unique and flavorful dish that's both hearty and comforting.
Secondly, Koshari is a budget-friendly dish that can be found at street vendors and small restaurants throughout Egypt. It is a filling and nutritious meal that is affordable for many people, making it a popular choice for students, families, and anyone looking for a satisfying and affordable meal.
Finally, Koshari has a long history and cultural significance in Egypt, and it is considered to be a national dish. It has been enjoyed by generations of Egyptians, and is a source of pride and tradition for many. Koshari is also a dish that can be customized to personal tastes, with different sauces and toppings added to create a unique variation of the dish. Overall, Koshari is a beloved dish in Egypt that has stood the test of time due to its delicious flavors, affordability, and cultural significance.
Absolutely! Let it cool down to room temperature, and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. Make sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing the container. Koshari can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
When you're ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, and then reheat it on the stove or in the microwave. Again, add a splash of water if needed to prevent it from drying out, and add fresh fried onions before serving.
Craving More Easy Vegan Recipes?
Batata Harra (Spicy Lebanese Potatoes)
Best Ever Falafel Sandwich - So Easy!
Healthy Lebanese Eggplant Fatteh
Imam Bayildi - Turkish Stuffed Eggplant
Mediterranean Rice - Easy Yellow Rice
How To Cook Couscous in a Rice Cooker
Vegan Couscous Salad With Pomegranate
📖 Recipe
Koshari
Ingredients
For Rice And Lentils
- 1 cup uncooked brown lentils
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1½ cups uncooked white rice
For The Crispy Onions
- ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large onions sliced
For The Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion grated
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 can 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar Or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
For The Pasta And Chickpeas
- 8 ounces uncooked short pasta such as macaroni or penne
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
For The Cumin Sauce
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves crushed and minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- Salt to taste
To Cook The Crispy Onions
- ¼ cup vegetable oil plus flour coated onions from above
Optional Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Make the lentil rice mixture
- Rinse the lentils and place them in a large pot with 3 cups of water. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin, stir to combine. Do not add any salt, or the lentils will not cook properly. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Put the rice in a sieve and wash thoroughly.
- Add the rice to the pot with the lentils, along with another 2½ cups of water. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil again. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice and lentils are both tender and cooked through.
Prepare The Onions
- While the rice and lentils are cooking, mix the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt in a shallow dish. Dip the sliced onions in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess, and set aside.
Make The Tomato Sauce
- In a separate pan, heat another 2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the grated onion, minced garlic, cumin and coriander and cook for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Note: If you have a food processor, you can puree the onion and garlic together instead of grating the onion.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar and white vinegar, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
Make The Pasta And Chickpeas
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a separate pan, cover the drained chickpeas with water. Add ½ tablespoon of ground cumin and boil for 5 minutes.
Make The Cumin Sauce
- In a separate pan, saute the garlic and ground cumin for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add vinegar and water. Season to taste. Set aside.
Cook The Onions
- In a separate pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the floured onions, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
To Serve
- To serve, spoon the cooked lentils and rice into serving bowls, and top with the cooked pasta. Spoon the spiced chickpeas over the pasta, and sprinkle with the caramelized onions and chopped fresh parsley. Serve the tomato sauce on the side. Enjoy hot!
Comments
No Comments