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Egyptian Food – Dishes to eat in Egypt

Egyptian Food – Dishes to eat in Egypt

When we think of Egypt we think of the Pyramids, pharaohs, and ancient temples, … But when we think of Egyptian food, it’s not so well known. 

With Mediterranean, North African, and Middle Eastern influences, the dishes of Egypt are rich and wholesome and combine hearty staples with plenty of heat, spice, and kick. 

If you are a food lover like us, then you should try one of the dishes on this list! 

Aish Baladi

Bread is an important part of Egyptian cuisine, they can’t live without it! It is similar to pita, but Egyptians make it from 100% whole wheat flour and bake it in an extremely hot oven. 
 
Bread will be served with almost everything you order. 

Hawawshi

Hawawshi is pita bread stuffed with deliciously spiced minced meat. It is a dish close to the heart of many Egyptians. You can eat it everywhere in Egypt. 

We had a delicious Hawawshi at Zööba in Cairo. 

Ta’meya

Ta’meya is the Egyptian Falafel. It looks like falafel but instead of chickpeas, they make it with fava beans. 

It’s one of the most popular street food in Egypt. You can eat them for breakfast or as a snack. Ta’meya balls are often stuffed into a sandwich. 

We had the best Ta’meya at Zööba in Cairo. 

Koshary

Koshary or Koshari is Egypt’s national dish. 

It is popularly found on the streets and served in carts and restaurants. 

It is a layering of rice, macaroni, lentils, and chickpeas topped with tomato sauce, garlic, vinegar, and fried onions. It’s one of the cheapest and most filling meals in Egypt. 

You can find the best Koshary at Abu Tarek in Cairo. 

Kebda Eskandarani 

Kebda eskandarani is a dish made with fried beef liver flavored with garlic, chili peppers, cumin, and cardamom. 

The liver is often stuffed in a sandwich but it can be eaten on its own with white rice, and lime. 

You can find Kebda Eskandarani in every restaurant in Egypt. 

Ful Medames 

Ful Medames is a stew of creamy fava beans cooked with cumin, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, herbs, and spices. It can be consumed at any time of the day; for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner. Just like hummus and baba ghanoush, ful medames are typically eaten as a dip with warm pita bread. 
 
You can eat Ful Medames in every Egyptian restaurant. 

Hamam Mahshi

Hamam Mashi is an ancient dish that Egyptians have eaten for centuries. It includes squab (small pigeon) stuffed with freekeh, onions, and seasonings. 

They usually serve Hamam Mahshi on special occasions such as weddings, but you can always find it in traditional Egyptian restaurants.

We had a delicious Hamam Mahshi at the Mövenpick Hotel in Aswan. 

Besarah 

Besarah is a fava bean dip that dates back to the pharaonic area. It is made with simple ingredients; fava beans, onions, garlic, and lots of fresh herbs which give besarah its unique green color. If you love hummus you should give besarah a try! 
 
You can find Besarah on every menu in Egypt. 

Molokhia

Molokhia is a green soup made from minced jute mallow leaves boiled in chicken broth with garlic, coriander, and other seasonings. The soup is typically served with rice or Egyptian flatbread and is often paired with meat dishes like roasted chicken, rabbit, or seafood. 
 
We had a delicious Molokhia with seafood at the Al Khal restaurant in Cairo. 

Macaroni Béchamel

Macaroni Béchamel may not look like it belongs on an Egyptian menu, but it’s an extremely popular dish in Egypt. It’s the Egyptian version of lasagna. It is typically made with macaroni and a minced meat sauce baked with creamy béchamel.  
 
We had a delicious Macaroni Béchamel at the Al Khal restaurant in Cairo. 

Feteer

Feteer is a flaked layered pastry. It consists of many thin layers of dough and ghee and an optional filling. The fillings can be both sweet and savory. 

We had a delicious feteer with cheese and vegetables at feteera in Cairo. 

Basbousa 

Basbousa is a sweet, syrup-soaked semolina cake. The semolina batter is baked in a sheet pan, then sweetened with orange flower water, rose water, or syrup. 

We had a delicious Basbousa in the Mövenpick Hotel in Aswan. 

Mahalabia

Mahalabia is a milk pudding commonly made with rice, sugar, milk, and either rice flour or semolina. 

We had a delicious Mahalabia in the Mövenpick Hotel in Aswan. 

Umm Ali

Umm Ali is an Egyptian bread pudding made with milk, sugar, and some type of pastry like phyllo. Unlike many types of bread pudding, it isn’t made with any eggs, making it lighter and milkier. The pastry is soaked in milk and sugar and then baked in an oven before being garnished with chopped nuts, shredded coconut, raisins, and cinnamon. 

Umm Ali means “mother of Ali”. It’s named after the first wife of Izz al-Dib Aybak, a Mamluk sultan from the 13th century. 

We had a delicious umm Ali at Trianon in Alexandria. 

Roz Bel Laban

Roz bel laban is an Egyptian rice pudding made from short-grain rice, milk, butter, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It can be infused with rose or orange blossom water and garnished with raisins and chopped nuts. 

It can be served warm or chilled and is typically eaten for breakfast or as a snack. 

We had a delicious roz bel laban at Sofra in Luxor. 

Fresh Juice 

You can find a fruit juice stand on every corner in Egypt. We love to wander around with fruit juice in hand.

Mint Tea

Mint Tea is very popular in Egypt like in many other Arabic countries. Sipping a cup of mint tea was our favorite evening ritual.

We hope you enjoyed this list! Have you ever tried one of these dishes, or which one would you love to try? Let us know in the comment section below.

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