Egyptian koshari is a hearty street-food dish from Egypt, layered with rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, spiced tomato sauce and crisp fried onions. The ingredients are cooked separately, then piled together so each bite has a mix of soft grains, tender legumes, tangy sauce and crunchy topping; family and vendor versions vary in their seasonings and proportions.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (190 g) brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 1 cup (190 g) medium-grain or long-grain white rice, rinsed until the water is mostly clear
- 1 cup (100 g) small elbow macaroni or ditalini
- 1 can (15 oz/425 g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed; about 1½ cups (240 g) drained
- 2 medium yellow onions (about 300 g), thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola oil, for frying the onions
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, for the tomato sauce
- 3 garlic cloves (about 15 g), finely chopped
- 1½ cups (360 ml) passata or smooth tomato purée
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white vinegar, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (2 g)
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander (1 g)
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, or more to taste
- 1¾ teaspoons fine salt (about 10 g), divided, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (1 g)
- 4 cups (950 ml) water for the lentils, plus water for cooking the rice and pasta
- 1½ cups (355 ml) water for the rice
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin (1 g), optional, for seasoning the lentils
Instructions
- Get everything ready. Rinse the lentils and rice separately, slice the onions thinly, chop the garlic and drain the chickpeas. Set out a large heavy skillet for the onions, a saucepan for the lentils, a pot for the rice and a pot for the pasta. Preparing the ingredients first makes it easier to manage the components as they cook.
- Cook the lentils. Put the lentils in a saucepan with 4 cups (950 ml) water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 18–22 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. Start checking at 18 minutes; older lentils may take longer. Drain well, stir in the optional ½ teaspoon cumin, and cover to keep warm. If the lentils are done before the other components, leave them covered off the heat.
- Fry the onions until crisp. While the lentils simmer, heat the neutral oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and stir to coat. Cook for about 15–18 minutes, stirring regularly, until they are deep golden and crisp at the edges. Lower the heat if they brown too quickly; burnt onions taste bitter. Lift them onto a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Keep the onion-flavored oil in the skillet for the sauce, or pour off all but 1 tablespoon (15 ml).
- Make the tomato sauce. Add the olive oil, or the reserved onion oil, to a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, just until fragrant. Stir in the passata, vinegar, cumin, coriander, chili flakes, ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the salt, vinegar or chili. The sauce should be tangy and well seasoned because it will flavor a generous amount of rice, pasta and lentils.
- Cook the rice. Put the rinsed rice in a saucepan with 1½ cups (355 ml) water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, stir once, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15–18 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork. If the rice is still firm after resting, add a tablespoon of water, cover and cook over low heat for another 2–3 minutes.
- Boil the pasta and warm the chickpeas. Cook the macaroni in a pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions, usually 8–10 minutes, until just tender. Drain it well; a quick rinse with warm water can keep it from sticking if it will sit for a few minutes. Warm the drained chickpeas in a small pan with a splash of water for 3–4 minutes, or microwave them in a covered bowl until hot. Drain any excess water before assembling.
- Layer and serve. Spoon rice onto a large platter or into individual bowls. Add the lentils, macaroni and chickpeas in distinct layers, or gently mix them if you prefer an even distribution. Spoon the hot tomato sauce over the top and finish generously with the crisp onions. Put extra sauce and vinegar on the table so everyone can adjust the tang and heat. The cooking components take about 50 minutes from the first pan going on the heat, with several cooking at the same time.
Tips
- Keep the lentils intact. Simmer them gently rather than boiling hard, and begin checking early. They should be tender enough to eat but not mushy; draining as soon as they reach that point helps keep the koshari’s layers distinct.
- Use the right pasta substitute. Small macaroni or ditalini is convenient, but Egyptian-style koshari may include short pasta or vermicelli. If using vermicelli, break it into short pieces and cook it according to its package directions; its finer texture makes the finished dish less chewy.
- Choose a practical onion-frying method. A wide skillet gives the onions room to brown. If your pan is small, fry them in batches rather than crowding them, which traps steam and makes them soft. Take them out when golden because residual heat will deepen their color.
- Season each part lightly. Salt the lentil water, rice water and pasta water, then season the sauce. This gives the whole dish balanced flavor without making the tomato sauce overly salty. You can always add more salt, vinegar or chili at the table.
Serving Suggestions
Serve koshari hot as a filling main course, with the onions and tomato sauce added just before eating so the onions stay crisp. Set out extra vinegar and a small dish of chili sauce for diners who want a sharper or hotter bowl. A simple chopped salad of cucumber, tomato and parsley makes a fresh contrast to the warm rice, pasta and lentils; pickled vegetables are another common-style accompaniment.
For a platter, arrange the rice as a base and spoon each remaining component over it in layers. For individual portions, build the bowls the same way and let each person mix their serving. If you are feeding a group, keep the sauce, onions and chickpeas separate until serving. That makes it easier to accommodate different preferences and helps the onions retain their texture.
Variations
Use brown lentils for a firmer bite or green lentils for a slightly earthier flavor. Small elbow macaroni is widely available, while ditalini, broken vermicelli or another small pasta can stand in; each changes the texture a little but keeps the layered idea intact. If passata is hard to find, use canned crushed tomatoes blended smooth. The sauce may be a little less silky, so simmer it until it thickens.
Adjust the chili flakes to make the sauce mild or spicy, and add a pinch of cumin if you like a more pronounced warm spice note. Some versions include a separate sharp garlic-vinegar chili sauce; to make a quick one, stir a finely grated garlic clove, a tablespoon of vinegar, a pinch of chili and a tablespoon of water together, then serve it on the side. For a less oily topping, bake thin onion slices on an oiled tray at 425°F (220°C), turning once, until browned and crisp at the edges. They will be more like roasted onions than the classic fried topping.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate cooked koshari within 2 hours, storing the rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas and sauce in separate airtight containers if possible. They keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Keep the fried onions in a separate container; they will soften in the fridge, but can be refreshed in a dry skillet over low heat for a few minutes. For longer storage, freeze the rice, lentils and sauce in separate freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat only the portion you plan to eat. Add a splash of water to the rice, lentils or pasta, cover and warm in a microwave or saucepan, stirring as needed. Heat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), as measured with a food thermometer, in accordance with USDA FSIS guidance. Warm the sauce separately and add the onions after reheating. Avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the full batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook the rice and lentils in the same pot?
You can, but they do not always cook at the same rate, and the lentils can color or soften the rice. Cooking them separately makes it easier to get fluffy rice and lentils that hold their shape. If you want to combine them, use a method suited to the particular lentil and rice varieties and check both for doneness before draining or resting.
Is koshari spicy?
The basic tomato sauce can be mild, and the heat varies from cook to cook. This recipe uses a modest amount of chili flakes, which you can leave out or increase. Serving chili sauce separately is an easy way to offer different heat levels without changing the whole pot.
What can I use instead of passata?
Use canned crushed tomatoes blended smooth, or use a can of tomato sauce if that is what you have. Crushed tomatoes may need a few extra minutes of simmering to thicken, while smooth canned sauce can be thinner or more seasoned. Taste before adding extra salt, and cook the sauce until it clings lightly to a spoon.
Can I make koshari ahead?
Yes. Cook the lentils, rice, pasta and sauce up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate them promptly in separate containers. Reheat each component with a little water as needed, and make the onions close to serving if you want them crisp. You can also fry the onions ahead, then recrisp them briefly in a skillet before topping the dish.
How do I keep the fried onions crisp?
Drain them well and spread them in a single layer on paper towels rather than stacking them while hot. Add them to the koshari only when you are ready to serve, because steam from the hot rice and sauce softens the topping. If they lose their crunch, warm them in a dry skillet over low heat until crisp again; watch closely so they do not burn.
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