Koshari (Egyptian Lentils, Pasta, and Rice)

Name: Koshari (Egyptian Lentils, Pasta, and Rice)
Prep time: PT0D0H0M
Cook time: PT0D1H30M
Total time: PT0D1H30M
Yield: 6–8
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided; 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups); 2 tsp. fine sea salt, divided, plus more; ¼ cup tomato paste; 2 tsp. ground cumin; 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper; ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper; One 28-oz. can whole tomatoes in their juices, coarsely chopped; 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 3 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar; 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced; ½ cup vegetable oil; ½ cup beluga lentils; Fine sea salt; One 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1 lime, halved; 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil; ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup); ⅔ cup vermicelli pasta; 1½ cups medium-grain rice; 1 tsp. fine sea salt; ½ tsp. Aleppo pepper; 1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked according to package instructions until al dente (optional); Store-bought fried onions or shallots (optional); 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

This classic comfort food is a carb-on-carb masterpiece.

Serves
6–8
Time
1 hour 30 minutes

JOHN LEE (COURTESY VORACIOUS)

By Michael Mina

Published on November 19, 2024

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce:

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
2 tsp. fine sea salt, divided, plus more
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
One 28-oz. can whole tomatoes in their juices, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

For the caramelized onions:

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
½ cup vegetable oil

For the lentils and chickpeas:

½ cup beluga lentils
Fine sea salt
One 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 lime, halved

For the vermicelli rice:

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
⅔ cup vermicelli pasta
1½ cups medium-grain rice
1 tsp. fine sea salt
½ tsp. Aleppo pepper

For serving:

1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked according to package instructions until al dente (optional)
Store-bought fried onions or shallots (optional)
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

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By Michael Mina

Published on November 19, 2024

This recipe is brought to you by the SAVEUR Cookbook Club, our passionate community of food-loving readers from around the globe, celebrating our favorite authors and recipes. Join us as we cook through a new book every month, and share your food pics and vids on social media with the hashtags #SAVEURCookbookClub and #EatTheWorld.

Though he spent a lifetime cooking in some of the country’s finest restaurants, chef Michael Mina never forgot his mother’s koshari, a humble dish made of lentils and chickpeas, served on macaroni and rice and topped with spoonfuls of tangy tomato sauce and caramelized onions. In his cookbook, My Egypt, Mina offers his version of this classic comfort food dish, one that can be prepared as individual components and then assembled at almost the last minute. (The dish combines medium-grain rice and pre-broken pieces of vermicelli, a wheat pasta that adds to the textural complexity of the dish. Pre-broken vermicelli can be found at many Greek or Middle Eastern grocery stores.)

Featured in “Chef Michael Mina Wants the World to Cook More Egyptian Food” by Jessica Carbone.

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce:

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
2 tsp. fine sea salt, divided, plus more
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
One 28-oz. can whole tomatoes in their juices, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

For the caramelized onions:

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
½ cup vegetable oil

For the lentils and chickpeas:

½ cup beluga lentils
Fine sea salt
One 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 lime, halved

For the vermicelli rice:

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
⅔ cup vermicelli pasta
1½ cups medium-grain rice
1 tsp. fine sea salt
½ tsp. Aleppo pepper

For serving:

1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked according to package instructions until al dente (optional)
Store-bought fried onions or shallots (optional)
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the tomato sauce: To a large pot over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the onions and ½ teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, cumin, Aleppo pepper, and black pepper and cook, stirring often, until the paste darkens to brick red, 3–4 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high and stir in the tomatoes, the remaining salt, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes more. (You will have about 5 cups of sauce.)

Step 2

Meanwhile, to a small pot over medium heat, add the remaining oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the garlic and cook until just golden, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the vinegar, swirling the pot to incorporate. Stir the garlic vinegar into the tomato sauce, then set aside until ready to serve the koshari. (The sauce can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.)

Step 3

Make the caramelized onions: Separate the onion slices into individual pieces as much as possible. To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, stir in the onions, then stop stirring and allow them to brown along the edges, about 4 minutes. Stir to redistribute the onions and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until they are dark golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. (The onions can be made up to 7 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.)

Step 4

Make the lentils and chickpeas: To a medium pot over medium heat, add the lentils, a generous pinch of salt, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the lentils are cooked through but not completely soft, 15–17 minutes. Drain the lentils through a fine-mesh strainer, rinsing well with cold water to stop the cooking, then set aside.

Step 5

To the same pot over medium heat, add the chickpeas. Squeeze the lime halves over the top, season with a few pinches of salt, and stir to combine. Stir the lentils back into the pot and keep warm.

Step 6

Make the vermicelli rice: To a medium pot over medium heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it is soft and golden brown, 6–7 minutes. Add the vermicelli and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3–4 minutes. Stir in the rice and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add 2¼ cups of water and turn the heat to high. When the water is boiling, give the pot a stir, then turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the rice is cooked through and the water has been fully absorbed, about 15 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and sprinkle the Aleppo pepper on top. Cover the pot and keep warm.

Step 7

In a large bowl, stir together the warm lentils, chickpeas, and macaroni (if desired). Add the vermicelli rice and use a fork to stir everything together, taking care not to break up any large pieces of rice. Season to taste with salt.

Step 8

Transfer the koshari to a platter and add a few spoonfuls of the tomato sauce along the rim and on top. Sprinkle the caramelized onions, fried onions (if desired), and parsley on top, and serve with extra sauce and onions at the table.