Koshari (also spelled Koshary or Kushari) is the national dish of Egypt. It’s served in virtually every Egyptian restaurant, in every Egyptian home, and on every Egyptian street corner. Street vendors serve the dish from carts to people eagerly waiting in line to eat this beloved and highly popular dish. An unusual combination, Koshari mixes lentils, macaroni noodles and rice into a single dish and it’s then topped with a spicy tomato sauce that uses a special Middle Eastern spice blend, garbanzo beans, and fried onions. The idea sounds strange…until you taste it. Then you’ll know why this dish is a favorite among Egyptians.
Egyptians and tourists fondly speak of the “Koshari Man,” the title bestowed upon street vendors who sell the dish from their carts. Aziz Awad, who used to be a Koshari street vendor and now works at a downtown restaurant, describes it this way: “The Koshari man grabs a bowl, and scoops a little of each ingredient into the bowl….Each Koshary dish takes about five seconds to [assemble]. His speed can be surprising to you. I have worked here since we opened 10 years ago, and before that I sold Koshary on a street cart, so I have to be fast. My hands are accustomed to the same movements I do all day everyday, so you can say that I memorized the movements rather than think about them” (www.touregypt.net).
Every Egyptian knows and recognizes the sound of Koshari being made from down the street. Heba Fatteen Bizzari explains, “As the Koshari man scoops, he knocks his metal spoon against the sides of the bowls, making the Koshari symphony that you won’t hear elsewhere. When the Koshari man prepares an order of more than four the restaurant fills with sound as if it was a rehearsal for a concert. The restaurants of Koshari are very noisy. One sits to eat while the Koshari man practices his drums in your ears” (www.touregypt.net).
Though it is Egypt’s national dish, it isn’t actually Egyptian in origin. Neither rice nor macaroni are indigenous to Egypt. It is believed that Koshari originated in India and dates back to the time of British Colonization. The name “Koshari” is actually from the Hindu “khichri”, which refers to a dish of lentils and rice. When the British arrived in Egypt in the late 1800’s they brought this dish with them – it was inexpensive and filling. It didn’t take long before the dish was enthusiastically embraced by the Egyptian people.
The crowning aspect of this dish is the flavor-packed, spicy tomato sauce. It’s made with a special spice blend called Baharat (Arabic for “spice”), an all-purpose spice blend commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Just a pinch adds depth and flavor to sauces, soups, stews and meat. I stocked up on on a myriad of Middle Eastern spices when I was in Jerusalem and have been making my own blends since.
Unless you have a Middle Eastern store in your area or order it online, this spice blend can be challenging to find. However, as with any spice blend, it’s much better made fresh in your own kitchen anyway and I’m going to share my recipe for it with you!
Here is another Daring Gourmet recipe using this wonderful spice blend: Chicken Machboos (Spiced Chicken and Rice – National Dish of Bahrain)
Now let’s move on to the Koshari. This recipe is very authentic and very simple to make, but be prepared to dirty up a few pots!
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 cup medium grain rice
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 2 cups small macaroni
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 garlic clove, quartered
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Salt to taste
- For the Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced finely
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 (15 oz) can unseasoned tomato sauce (cooked/pureed tomatoes)
- 2 tsp baharat spice blend (see recipe here)
- ¼ teaspoon red chile flakes (omit if you dislike spicy hot)
- 1 tbs red wine vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Crispy Onion Garnish:
- 2 large onions, finely sliced
- Oil for deep-frying
- 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice and fry it for 2 minutes, then add the vegetable stock. Bring it to a boil, decrease the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
- Rinse the lentils under cold water and add them to another medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Add the garlic, cumin and bay leaf and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Once cooked, add the salt and stir to combine. Strain any excess liquid if necessary.
- Cook the macaroni according to package instructions until al dente.
- Note: Prepare the rice, macaroni and lentils while the sauce is simmering and leave them covered in the pots to keep warm.
- To make sauce:
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add the onion. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until golden brown. Add the tomato sauce, baharat, salt and pepper to taste, chile flakes (if using) and red wine vinegar. Bring it to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- To make the crispy onions, heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onions and fry until dark brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove them from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain and cool.
- Add the rice, lentils and macaroni to a large bowl and toss to combine (or simply scoop out desired amounts of each onto the plates). Sprinkle a little baharat over each portion and serve topped with some of the spicy tomato sauce. Top with garbanzo beans, the crispy onions and another sprinkle of baharat. Serve warm.
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Westfalia Journal says
I wasn’t sure of this recipe at first but was intrigued by the concoction of spices…. the aroma and the taste was delicious, we loved it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, I’m happy you enjoyed it! Yes, it’s one of those dishes that initially sounds a little boring but the flavor combination is fabulous and the delicious sauce really brings it all together.
Newsome says
I made this recipe last night, and my husband and I really liked it. I didn’t have any cardamon, so I used a tiny bit of garam masala seasoning. My husband said it did taste a lot like the koshari we used to eat when we lived in Cairo. :) It made plenty for 4 people, so we’ll be enjoying the leftovers! Next is the spiced chicken and rice dish. Thanks for sharing these recipes!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Newsome, and I’m thrilled you enjoyed it! You’ll love the Bahraini spiced chicken, the flavor is fantastic. Let us know how it goes! Best, Kimberly
mahy says
Hi,as an egyptian I really appretiate your work but l have just a little note.we use only salt,pepper and some use cumen but never use baharat.try also dawood pasha kofta served with egyptian rice cooked with vermicelli cuts as another taditional egyptian dish.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mahy! I’ve had several other Egyptian readers confirm the authenticity of this dish. I was even contacted by Egypt’s official board of tourism who complimented its authenticity and wanted to use this on their Wikipedia site. Like most traditional dishes in any country, I’m sure there will always be variations from household to household. The dawood pasha kofta sounds wonderful, thank you for the recommendation!
Ashley says
Hi Kimberly! My husband is Egyptian and I am always looking for Egyptian recipes. I have found lots of Koshari recipes, and tried several, but this is the first one that my husband has given his seal of approval!! This recipe will be my go to Koshari recipe from now on!! Thank you so much for posting…and I loved the article too!!:)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, Ashley, and really appreciate the compliment and feedback – thank you! :)
Yasmine says
Hi Kimberly -thanks for writing so evocatively about Egypt. I just want to say, looking at your recipe, and the beautiful picture -I just want to add some notes for extra authenticity.
First, the vinegar. Egyptians only know and use plain old wine vinegar. Red wine vinegar is fancy/expensive/unheard of.
Second, your recipe omits a second and very important sauce called the Dukka. This is ground cumin, garlic and chili in vinegar. This is added separately at the table.
Third, the ratio of rice to macaroni is a bit wrong. There is a lot more macaroni in authentic Egyptian koshari. Also, Egyptians never cook anything al dente. We like to cook the heck out of everything, including pasta :)
Fourth, your onions needs to be much much darker than this. You need them to be the colour of darkest caramel, of chestnuts. Not of honey.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Yasmine, thanks for the feedback! Your description of “cooking the heck out of everything” reminds me of the Brits. I lived in England for 6 years and love the country but their boiled vegetables are something that never quite grew on me :) Have a wonderful week! Best, Kimberly
Yasmine says
I also agree with Mahy – BAharat is a Libyan spice mix, also similar to Lebanese 7-spice mix. We don’t use it and you can’t get it here.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Yasmine, as I replied to another comment, I’ve gotten contradicting feedback from several Egyptians via comments and personal emails. But whatever the case may be, the baharat with its complex flavors adds a remarkably delicious dimension to this dish and in the end, that’s what matters most!
Deborah says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! We love this recipe.
My third generation Egyptian sister in law makes a variation where she cooks the lentils with broth, onions, cumin and garlic and leaves them quite soupy. Then, instead of making the spicy tomato sauce, she tops the dish with lots of chopped fresh tomatoes and tons of her wonderful fried onions. The piece de resistance – she drizzles the browned olive that she used to fry the onions over the top.
I’m thinking from now on we’ll be eating your recipe in the winter and hers in the summer when the tomatoes are overgrowing our garden.
I love the spice mixture – can’t wait to try the chicken dish.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Deborah! Most people are really surprised at how amazing this dish is the first they try it. I’m so happy you enjoyed it and YES, the Winter/Summer plan sounds perfect, thanks for sharing!
Sylvia Wulf says
I stumbled upon your site by sheer luck whil hunting for something else entirely – serendipity! After 25 years of being stuck cooking boring meat & potato dishes, first for my late husband then a like-minded roommate – I am finally free to explore all the tastes of the world. My spice collection and condiments etc currently outnumber the actual food in my tiny kitchen LOL
This is going to be one of my first new recipes since I have most of the ingredients on hand (love rice & lentils!) and I will be back for more inspiration! Thank you ;-)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Sylvia, and I’m so happy to have you on board! International cuisine, with its vast palate of flavors, is my passion – I think you’ll find plenty here to keep your taste buds happy :) I hope you’ll visit frequently. Best, Kimberly
Saadia says
I had saved this recipe a longtime ago. Yesterday I got the chance to try and it turned out amazing. Thank you! I will forward your link to my friends group.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Saadia, thank you so much!
brinacyl says
excellent recipe
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you!
Sonja says
Thank you so much! I’ve just rediscovered koshari and was so happy to be able to make this with my (currently) barely-stocked pantry ingredients. Absolutely love the accompanying baharat recipe; I had to go with your koshari after seeing what the baharat entailed. Will definitely be doing some research to find what else I can use it in.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Sonja, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Anonymous says
What s The vegetable stock please ? Thank you
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Vegetable broth.
Johnson says
Thank you for the wonderful recipe and for sharing the experience behind it. Suqs in Muharraq, Madinat at Isa and Bab al abahrain are ideal places to go looking for the perfect spices. Preparing Baharat from scratch sure improves the flavours so much than stores bought pack.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for the tips, Johnson, and I agree – nothing compares to making spice blends from freshly toasted and ground whole spices.
Pauline says
Thank you so much for the recipe. I am dating someone from Egypt so I thought it was time to learn new recipes. I made it for my family first and they loved it. The real test will come when he tries it. By the way, I followed your recipe for the blended spice Baharat….awesome…loved it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Pauline, and I’m so glad you made the Baharat! Thanks so much and yes, please let us know what your boyfriend thinks when he tries it.
Jules says
I recently discovered this recipe and it is so fabulous I’d like to have it every day! The sauce alone is so good I’m going to make a batch of it to use on pasta. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Jules, thanks so much!
Dani says
Thank you so much for this recipe and the Baharat recipe. I tried this dish at a restaurant this weekend and immediately fell in love. Unfortunately, the restaurant is two hours from where I live so it’d be hard to fulfill any cravings. I made your recipe last night with a few tweaks and it was so good. The sauce is almost identical to the restaurant. I made barley instead of rice & pasta since I’m cutting back on starches for my diet and it was fantastic. I love trying new vegetarian friendly dishes. Definitely adding this one to my repertoire.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So glad you enjoyed it, Dani, thank you!
Gary in Arizona says
Oh my. This is it! That’s the spice blend I have been looking for. Now, while I have never had Koshuri in Egypt, the late Anthony B. (R.I.P. Anthony) Egypt episode of No Reservations sent me searching. I found a place here in Phoenix that serves it, and no recipe I have found had what I was tasting in the tomato sauce. I have read many recipe’s that contained this, this, and this, and I just said “No, that is not the depth of flavor I am tasting”…until now. SPOT ON Kimberly, spot on. Bravo! Made this for my mom, and sister. It’s a hit! Thank you so much for your travels, and your blog. This, and the Baharat recipe have been pinned, as well as a few others. :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Gary, thanks so much for the feedback!
Mark Green says
I wanted to try making this but I can only get tomato puree “double concentrate” in small cans, how much of this should be used and how much should it be diluted?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mark, yes that’s no problem. Dilute it with water using a 1:1 ratio (1 cup water per 1 cup tomato puree). Happy cooking!
Cindy says
My son is making this for his potluck at his Arabic class. We have to prepare everything the night before I will prepare the lentils, macaroni, sauce, and rice, in advance and store in Tupperware. What’s the best way to put everything together the next day? Should I heat everything up individually and then mix it, or mix it all together while cold and warm it up in the oven before putting the sauce on?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Cindy, that sounds like a fun and tasty potluck. Yes, you can just mix everything up, reheat it and add the sauce.
Tania says
A friend who visited Cairo kept raving about Koshari, so when he came for dinner, we looked up a recipe on the internet and came across your site. I liked what I read about the dish and the particular mix of ingredients (which according to our friend was authentic), so we gave it a try. Needless to say, it has been a hit ever since and is a regular in our rotation of menus. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Tania, I’m so glad to hear that, thank you!