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Bowl of koshari with red sauce in a bowl with a fork.
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Egyptian Koshari

This delicious savoury street food is not only the national dish of Egypt but also the most deliciously savoury carb-fest you'll ever try! A base of macaroni, white rice and lentils is topped with a mildly spiced tomato sauce and crispy fried onions for an extra-satisfying umami hit. As a bonus, it's budget friendly and quick to make - the perfect dish to feed a crowd.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Egyptian, Vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 539kcal
Cost $6

Equipment

  • Large pot or dutch oven
  • Handheld stick blender

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup dry brown lentils
  • 3/4 cup dry white rice
  • 150 g dry macaroni pasta

Tomato sauce

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp zaatar or sub with oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 140 g tomato paste
  • 400 g can diced tomatoes
  • 800 ml boiling water

Crispy onions

  • 1 large brown onion
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil sub any oil suitable for frying

Instructions

  • In separate pots, cook the rice, lentils and pasta to packet instructions, using salted water. Serve all 3 onto a large platter.

Tomato Sauce

  • To make the sauce, heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute before adding all spices and vinegar. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the spices from burning (they will start to stick a little to the pan but try your best!).
  • Add a splash of boiling water to deglaze the saucepan - run the spoon around the base and edges to loosen all the spices and mix well. Add the canned tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until combined. Increase heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half the volume (takes around 20 mins).
  • Taste test the sauce and add more sugar if it tastes too sour, or salt if needed. Using a stick blender, blitz the sauce until smooth. Transfer sauce to a serving jug.

Crispy onions

  • Slice the onion in half then slice into thin half moons. Transfer onion slices to a bowl and coat with flour, using your hands if necessary.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a large frypan until hot. You can test if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small piece of onion into the oil - if it sizzles and bubbles around the edges, you're good to go!
  • Add the onions and shallow fry, stirring occasionally until golden and crispy. Spread out onto paper towel to remove any excess oil, then transfer to a small serving dish.

Serve

  • Place the jug of sauce, onions and pasta/rice/lentil platter in the middle of the table and allow everybody to serve themselves. You can mix the macaroni, rice and lentils together, and top with sauce and onion to taste. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1299mg | Potassium: 1046mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 737IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 6mg