Koshari, Egyptian lentil, rice and pasta with spiced tomato sauce
Egypt's street food bowl of lentils, rice, macaroni and chickpeas under a garlicky tomato sauce and crisp onions.
- Time1 hr 10
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.67 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 533kcal
- 80.8gcarbs
- 9.6gof which sugars
- 14.3gfat
- 3.9gsaturates
- 17.6gprotein
- 10.9gfibre
- 0.6gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil on Sauté. Fry the onions in two batches for 10 to 12 minutes each, stirring, until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Lift out onto kitchen paper and leave about 1 tbsp of the oil in the pot.
23 min - 2
Add the garlic, cumin and chilli to the pot for 30 seconds, then pour in the passata, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Simmer for 8 minutes, then tip into a jug and keep warm.
8 min - 3
Put the lentils, 800 ml water and 1 tsp salt in the pot. Lock the lid, seal, and cook at high pressure for 6 minutes. It takes about 8 minutes to come up to pressure.
6 min - 4
Use a quick release so the lentils do not go to mush. Open the lid, stir in the rice and the 250 ml water, lock the lid and cook at high pressure for 5 more minutes.
5 min - 5
Let the pressure drop naturally for 10 minutes (natural release) so the rice finishes steaming, then open the lid and fluff. Meanwhile, boil the macaroni in a separate pan of salted water for 8 minutes and drain.
10 min - 6
Warm the chickpeas in a spoonful of the tomato sauce. Build bowls of lentil rice, macaroni and chickpeas, then pour over the sauce and top with the crisp onions.
- 7
No pressure cooker? Simmer the lentils in plenty of water for 25 minutes, add the rice and cook for 15 minutes more with the lid on, then drain off any extra water. A splash of garlic vinegar at the table is traditional.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
