Koshari is Egypt's national dish—a layered one-bowl meal combining lentils, rice, pasta, chickpeas and vermicelli, crowned with tangy tomato sauce, spicy chili sauce and crispy onions. Its hearty simplicity and bold flavor balance make it a street-food icon across the Middle East.
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Drain soaked chickpeas, place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer and cook until soft all the way through. This will take at least an hour.
To make the tomato sauce, finely chop the garlic and fry in olive oil for 3 minutes or until just starting to turn golden. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin and salt. Cook for 30 minutes on a low heat until rich and glossy. Set aside.
For the chilli sauce, split chillies lengthwise, remove seeds and roughly chop. Finely chop garlic. Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add chillies, garlic and salt and fry for 5 minutes or until starting to brown. Add ground coriander and water. Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat until chillies are soft. Blitz until smooth and set aside.
In a large saucepan that will hold all ingredients, heat the vegetable oil until smoking and fry the onion slices until golden brown. Remove onion, drain on a paper towel and season with salt.
Using the same oil in the same pot, turn heat to low heat and fry vermicelli noodles until golden brown. Tip off about half the excess oil and discard. Drain the lentils and add them to the noodles, along with the rice and enough water to generously cover. Bring to boil and turn down to simmer for 30 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure it's not sticking. Add extra water if mixture is drying out.
Cook the macaroni separately, in salted water, according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
For the eggs, bring 1 litre water to boil, gently place eggs in and cook for 7 minutes. Drain and place in iced water for 3 minutes to stop cooking. Peel and set aside.
Melt butter in a small pot, microwave or Thermomix, and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the chickpeas, cooked macaroni and lentil mixture and stir to combine everything.
Place in serving bowls and top with tomato sauce, egg and fried onions. Serve with chilli sauce on the side.
Store cooked components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; assemble fresh with warm sauces and crispy onions just before serving.
Layer in a bowl from bottom to top: cooked rice, then lentils, then cooked pasta and vermicelli mixed together, then chickpeas. Top with warm tomato sauce, chili sauce, and crispy onions.
Soaking overnight cuts cooking time by 25–30% and ensures even texture. If skipping, increase simmering time by 20–30 minutes and check tenderness often.
Slice thinly, toss with a pinch of salt, and shallow-fry in oil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until golden and crisp (8–10 minutes). Drain on paper towels immediately.
Yes, the core recipe is vegetarian. Eggs are optional. Some regional versions add meat; omit it to keep the dish plant-based.
Store components separately in airtight containers (rice, lentils, pasta, sauces) for up to 3 days. Reheat each gently in a pan or microwave, then reassemble and top fresh with sauces and onions.
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