6 of the Most Delicious Dishes to Eat in Egypt

Traditional Egyptian cuisine encompasses a kaleidoscopic mix of fresh vegetables, beans and legumes, seafood, and meats like chicken and lamb. The country’s culinary habits and traditions are shaped by various civilizations dating back centuries as well as the favorable conditions for growing vegetables and legumes in the fertile Delta and Nile Valley. Because of this, combined with the relatively high prices of meat, many of Egypt’s most notable dishes are vegetarian, packed with flavor through the use of spices like cumin, coriander, chili peppers, and cinnamon.

Here’s a look at some of the most delicious Egyptian dishes that highlight the country’s culinary creativity and diversity.

Koshari

Koshari is a unique, carb-heavy concoction of rice, lentils, macaroni, and chickpeas that is considered one of Egypt’s national dishes. It’s usually served in a bowl topped with a spicy tomato sauce, fried onions, and chili or garlic-vinegar. While the origins of the dish are unclear, it is commonly accepted that it was either conceived as a cost-effective and hearty dish to satisfy people who couldn’t afford meat or created by fasting Coptic Christians, who eat a vegetarian diet. However, there are many modern variations, and some people add meat, including chicken, lamb, or fried liver.

Initially a popular dish among low-income workers, koshari was primarily sold from street carts in Cairo but is now a staple in Egyptian restaurants. Some dining establishments even specialize in the dish. The tomato sauce usually includes chopped onion and garlic sautéed with tomato puree, cinnamon, cumin, chili flakes, and ground black pepper.

Shawarma

Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern and Mediterranean grilled meat and pita dish that has transcended the region into shops and markets throughout the Western world — it was famously referenced in the post-credits scene of the first Avengers film in 2012. Meat, usually lamb, beef, or chicken, is heavily spiced and cooked for several hours on a rotating vertical skewer against a vertical heating element. The stack of meat, which can be as high as 20 inches, is roasted in its own fat and juices, and shaved off in thin slices. The sliced meat is then put into pita pockets or wraps with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and sometimes French fries.

Many countries in the Middle East have their own variations of shawarma. In Egypt, most people eat beef shawarmas with tahini, or sesame sauce, and chicken shawarmas with garlic sauce. Shawarma is similar to the Greek gyro, and both are derived from Turkish doner kebabs, which became popular in the Ottoman Empire in the 1800s.

Ta’meya

Falafel is another food eaten throughout the Middle East, but originated in 19th century Alexandria which, at the time, was the Egyptian city with the most European troops. It is believed that British officers asked Egyptian cooks to replicate the fried vegetable croquettes they had in India, but the cooks used fava beans instead of chickpeas. Still, Israel, Lebanon, and Yemen, among other countries, claim to have created the iconic Mediterranean food.

The fava bean falafels today are known in Egypt as ta’meya and are typically served for breakfast with pita bread, eggs, cheese, and tomatoes. The beans are soaked overnight and crushed in a food processor before being mixed with chopped onion, leek, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and spices (cayenne, paprika, coriander, and cumin). Chickpea flour is added to the mixture, following which portions are rolled into balls and fried until crispy.

Fattah

Fattah, which has origins dating back to ancient Egypt, is a comforting and hearty dish of meat, rice, crispy bread, and tomato-vinegar sauce. It can be eaten at any time but is particularly popular during the holy month of Ramadan, when it is eaten to break a fast and restore vitality and energy levels. It is also often eaten at special events, including weddings and parties.

The dish itself often serves as the centerpiece on a table and features rice and boiled lamb or beef on top of toasted pita bread. Other variations include eggplant fattah and chicken shawarma fattah.

Mahshi

Mahshi is a versatile vegetarian dish in which rice, along with fresh herbs (cilantro, dill, and parsley) and tomato sauce, is stuffed and cooked in a vegetable, such as eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, or grapevine leaves. Some people add minced meat for a heartier, more filling dish, while hamam mahshi is another popular variation that might sound strange to some in the West.

For hamam mahshi, the filling mixture is stuffed in a young domestic pigeon or squab. These squabs are considered a delicacy up until about six weeks old, when their meat becomes too muscular and tough. The stuffed bird is cooked on a spit and served with cracked wheat. It’s a popular item at many Egyptian restaurants.

Ful Medames

Ful medames is another delicious vegetarian dish that is a staple of Egyptian cuisine, but also popular throughout the Middle East. It is a fava bean stew, slow cooked in olive oil, cumin, garlic, and other herbs and spices. Ful medames is traditionally eaten at breakfast but is also a popular street food in Cairo.