Northern Africa
Food of Egypt
The 8 most iconic national dishes of Egypt — real photos, key ingredients and tasty facts behind every plate.
Africa
Koshary
Egypt’s beloved comfort food layers rice, lentils, macaroni and chickpeas, then tops them with spiced tomato sauce, garlic-vinegar sauce and crisp fried onions. It is hearty, tangy and deeply savory.
Did you know?
Although now considered Egypt’s national dish, koshary developed in the 19th century from a mix of local and foreign influences, including rice-and-lentil dishes and pasta.
Ful medames
A slow-cooked fava bean dish usually seasoned with olive oil, lemon, cumin and garlic, often eaten with bread. Its earthy, creamy flavor makes it a classic Egyptian breakfast.
Did you know?
Ful medames is one of the oldest continually eaten dishes in Egypt, with roots stretching back to ancient times.
Molokhia
This distinctive green soup is made from finely chopped jute leaves cooked into a garlicky broth, commonly served with rice or bread and often chicken or rabbit. It has a silky texture and an herbal, slightly mucilaginous character.
Did you know?
Molokhia has been eaten in Egypt for centuries and was once associated with royal tables, helping give it its enduring prestige.
Feteer meshaltet
A rich, flaky layered pastry-bread made with copious butter or ghee, baked until golden and often served plain or stuffed with sweet or savory fillings. It is crisp outside, tender inside and famously indulgent.
Did you know?
Feteer meshaltet is often linked to ancient Egyptian layered breads offered to guests, and today it remains a marker of hospitality.
Mahshi
Mahshi refers to vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, peppers or vine leaves stuffed with seasoned rice and herbs, then cooked until tender. The dish is aromatic, comforting and central to home-style Egyptian cooking.
Did you know?
In Egypt, mahshi is less a single dish than a whole family of stuffed vegetables that often appears at festive family meals.
Hamam mahshi
A prized Egyptian specialty of young pigeon stuffed with seasoned rice or freekeh and roasted until the skin is browned and the meat turns succulent. It is rich, savory and associated with celebratory dining.
Did you know?
Raising pigeons has long been part of rural Egyptian life, which helped make stuffed squab a classic dish of the Nile Valley.
Besarah
A rustic Egyptian bean purée traditionally eaten for breakfast, especially in rural areas. It is seasoned with herbs and often topped with fried onions.
Did you know?
Bissara is also found in other parts of North Africa, but it has a long-established place in Egyptian home cooking.
Ringa
Ringa is Egyptian smoked herring, commonly served with onions, lemon, and bread. It is especially associated with the spring festival of شم النسيم.
Did you know?
In Egypt, renga is one of the traditional foods eaten during Sham Ennessim celebrations.