Koshari (Egyptian Lentil Rice Pasta Bowl)
Egyptian Koshari layers rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, tangy tomato sauce, garlic-vinegar drizzle, and crisp onions into a hearty street-food bowl.
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1 hr 5 mintotal
45 min hands-on20 min hands-off
Prep 20 min · Cook 25 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Mild
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop.
Includes cooking the lentils, rice, pasta, tomato sauce, garlic-vinegar drizzle, and crisp onions as separate components before layering.
Method
Cook the lentils in water until tender but not mushy. Drain and keep aside.
Cook the rice with a pinch of salt until fluffy. Cook the macaroni pasta separately until just tender, then drain.
Heat part of the oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions slowly until deep golden and crisp. Remove them to a plate.
In the same pan, add garlic and cook briefly. Add tomato puree, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper.
Simmer the tomato sauce until thick and glossy, then stir in part of the vinegar.
Mix the remaining vinegar with a little garlic, cumin, and salt to make a sharp garlic-vinegar drizzle.
Layer rice, lentils, macaroni, and chickpeas in bowls. Spoon tomato sauce over the top and finish with crisp onions and garlic-vinegar drizzle.
How to tell it's done
The rice should be fluffy, lentils tender, pasta just soft, onions crisp, and tomato sauce thick enough to coat the bowl.
Getting it right
Tip
Keep each component slightly dry before layering; Koshari should feel hearty and saucy on top, not watery throughout.
What to serve it with
Serve warm with extra tomato sauce, garlic-vinegar drizzle, and crisp onions on the side.
Substitutions
- Small pasta such as elbow macaroni works best, but any short wheat pasta can be used.
- Canned cooked chickpeas can replace home-cooked chickpeas after rinsing well.
- For a gluten-free version, replace the macaroni with certified gluten-free pasta and check every ingredient label and cross-contact risk before serving.
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