The ultimate comfort bowl! 🧅 Wait for that onion crunch.
Looking for the king of weekend street food? Meet Koshari, Egypt’s national dish and an absolute masterpiece of flavor and texture! This hearty, naturally vegan bowl layers lentils, rice, and macaroni, all smothered in a spiced tomato sauce and a garlicky vinegar drizzle. But the real star? The mountain of aggressively crispy, golden-fried onions on top that deliver an unbelievable crunch with every single bite.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup medium-grain rice
- 1 cup elbow macaroni
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Cooking oil for frying
Garlic Dakkah (Drizzle):
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 tsp cumin
Tomato Sauce:
- 3 cups tomato sauce (passata)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
Instructions:
- Toss the sliced onions with flour. Fry in hot oil until deeply golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels (they will crisp up more as they cool).
- Boil the lentils until tender (about 20 mins). Drain. Cook the rice and macaroni separately according to package instructions.
- For the sauce: Sauté the chopped onion and garlic until soft. Add the tomato sauce, spices, and vinegar. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.
- For the Dakkah: Whisk the crushed garlic, vinegar, and cumin together in a small bowl.
- To assemble: Layer rice, macaroni, and lentils in a bowl. Pour a generous amount of warm tomato sauce over the top, drizzle with the garlic Dakkah, and bury it under a handful of crispy onions!
Secret Tip: The secret to the crispiest ASMR-worthy onions is making sure your oil is hot before dropping them in, and not overcrowding the pan. The flour coating does the rest!
Have you ever tried this Egyptian street food classic? Let us know your thoughts and Save this post for your next meatless weekend meal!