Koshari (Egyptian Lentils, Rice, and Pasta with Spiced Tomato Sauce)

Koshari is Egypt’s national dish, a hearty mix of rice, lentils, and pasta topped with spiced tomato sauce and crispy fried onions. It’s entirely vegetarian, deeply comforting, and sold on nearly every street corner in Cairo.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed
• 1 cup small elbow macaroni
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

For the tomato sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes or 1 tbsp harissa
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the lentils
   Simmer the lentils in salted water until just tender, about 20 minutes, then drain.
2. Cook the rice
   In a separate pot, cook the rice in 2 cups salted water, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Cook the pasta
   Boil the macaroni in salted water according to package directions, then drain.
4. Fry the onions
   Toss the sliced onions with flour, then fry in batches in hot oil until deep golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
5. Make the sauce
   Heat olive oil in a saucepan, sauté the garlic briefly, then add the crushed tomatoes, vinegar, cumin, and chili flakes. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened; season with salt.
6. Assemble
   Layer the rice, lentils, macaroni, and chickpeas in bowls. Spoon the tomato sauce over the top and finish with a generous pile of crispy onions.

Serve extra tomato sauce and a bottle of vinegar-chili sauce (shatta) on the side, as they do in Cairo.