Budget Egyptian Koshari with Lentils (Feeds 4 for Under $10)

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown or green lentils — rinsed
• 1 cup long-grain white rice — rinsed
• 1 cup elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti — dry
• 1 unit large yellow onion — thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil — divided
• 4 unit garlic cloves — minced
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper — or to taste
• 1 tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt — plus more to taste
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 3.5 cup water — for cooking lentils and rice

Method

1. 1 Rinse the lentils and place them in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes until lentils are just tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water and set aside.
2. 2 While the lentils cook, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until deeply golden and starting to crisp. Remove half the onion to a paper-towel-lined plate — these are your crispy topping. Leave the rest in the pan.
3. 3 Add the minced garlic to the pan with the remaining onion and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Stir and simmer over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
5. 4 In a separate medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the dry macaroni and toast, stirring, for 2 minutes until lightly golden. Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat.
6. 5 Add the cooked lentils to the rice-pasta pot along with 1.5 cups of water, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Stir once, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting. Cover tightly and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 more minutes.
7. 6 Fluff the lentil-rice-pasta mixture with a fork. Taste and add more salt if needed.
8. 7 To serve: spoon the lentil-rice mixture into bowls, ladle the spiced tomato sauce generously over the top, and finish with a pile of crispy onions. Serve immediately while the onions are still crunchy.

Variations

• Faster version (30 minutes) — Use canned lentils (drained and rinsed) instead of cooking dry lentils — skip straight to step 3 and reduce total time by about 15 minutes. The texture will be softer but still delicious.
• Skip the crispy onions — If you're too tired for the onion step, just use 1/2 teaspoon onion powder in the tomato sauce and skip the frying. You lose the crunch but the dish is still completely satisfying.
• Add hot sauce — Traditional koshari is served with a garlicky hot sauce called 'dakka.' Stir 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, and a few dashes of hot sauce together and drizzle it over the bowl alongside the tomato sauce.

Equipment that helps

• Large skillet or wide saucepan — A wide surface area lets the onions caramelize evenly without steaming — critical for getting that crispy topping.
• Medium saucepan with tight-fitting lid — A snug lid traps steam so the rice-lentil-pasta layer cooks through without drying out or sticking.

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