Egyptian

Cairo & the Nile

Egyptian home cooking is hearty and ancient, built on beans, lentils, grains and bread. It is koshari, the gloriously layered carb-on-carb national dish; ful medames, the slow-stewed fava beans eaten for breakfast; and ta’ameya, Egypt’s herb-green fava-bean falafel.

Every recipe

3 recipes in this region.

A shallow bowl of stewed brown fava beans, partly mashed and glossy with olive oil pooled in a well, topped with diced red tomato, chopped parsley and a wedge of lemon, warm pita alongside.

Vegan

Egypt (pan-Egyptian) · Egyptian

Ful Medames (Egyptian Stewed Fava Beans)

Egypt's ancient breakfast: fava beans slow-simmered until soft, mashed with garlic, cumin, lemon and olive oil, and finished with tomato and herbs. Scooped with warm bread, it's been fuelling the country for millennia.

EasyBreakfastMediterranean

A deep bowl of Egyptian koshari layered with rice and brown lentils, macaroni and chickpeas under a red spiced tomato sauce, crowned with a tall heap of golden crispy fried onions.

Vegan

Egypt (Cairo) · Egyptian

Koshari (Egyptian Rice, Lentils, Pasta and Crispy Onions)

Egypt's national dish and ultimate comfort food: a glorious carb-on-carb layering of rice, brown lentils and macaroni topped with chickpeas, a garlicky-spiced tomato sauce, a sharp vinegar daqqa, and a mountain of crispy fried onions.

IntermediateMainsMediterranean

A plate of Egyptian ta'ameya — sesame-crusted golden fava-bean falafel patties, one split open to show a vivid green herby interior, with a bowl of tahini sauce, tomato and pickles alongside.

Vegan

Egypt (Cairo & the Delta) · Egyptian

Ta'ameya (Egyptian Fava Bean Falafel)

Egypt's own falafel: split dried fava beans blitzed with herbs, leeks and garlic into a vivid green batter, formed into patties and fried until shatteringly crisp outside and fluffy-green within. Lighter and herbier than its chickpea cousin.

IntermediateSnacksMediterranean