What To Eat & Drink In Egypt

Another Egyptian street food staple, known elsewhere as falafel, Ta'ameya is made with mashed fava beans and parsley (instead of chickpeas, which are used elsewhere around the Mediterranean). It is made in the shape of flat discs rather than round balls and is typically eaten as a sandwich with salad.

One of the famous Egyptian dishes, A mix of rice, brown lentils and macaroni topped with fried onions and a spicy tomato sauce, koshari is normally eaten in dedicated koshari restaurants that serve the dish exclusively.

Shawarma one of the tasty Egyptian dishes, it is a large cone of pressed lamb or chicken that is rotated vertically in front of a flame grill. As the meat is cooked it is sliced off and mixed on a griddle with chopped tomato, onion and parsley before being stuffed into flatbread and wrapped in foil to take away.

Apparently, this dish originates in Greece and is known as the gyros. But of course, the Egyptians have their own version with their own twist. It is a large cone of pressed lamb, beef or chicken that is rotated vertically in front of a flame grill. As the meat is cooked it is sliced off and mixed on a griddle with chopped tomato, onion and fries before being stuffed into flatbread and wrapped in foil to take away.

Flame-grilled chunks of spiced beef, lamb (kebab) & chicken is a favorite Egyptian meal. It is typically eaten with a simple tahini, hummus, chopped tomato and cucumber salad and a disc of flatbread. 

Flame-grilled spiced minced meat made into a sausage and grilled on a skewer (kofta) are a favorite Egyptian food meal. It is typically eaten with a simple chopped tomato and cucumber salad and a disc of flatbread.

It is one of the favorite dishes of Egyptians, Hard to like on the first encounter, this is a soup made from mallow leaves. Green in color, it has a thick, viscous texture. Egyptians eat it with meat such as rabbit or lamb. Fatimid Sultan Hakim found the dish so unappetizing that he had it banned in the 11th century.

Egypts countryside is rich with bountiful lush gardens and groves filled with some of the best fruit in the entire world! Fresh Papayas, bananas, and more will likely be offered as a dessert after your meal. Be sure to indulge in this delicious and nutritious treat! You wont believe the flavor this fruit packs!

Remember how we mentioned how lush the groves in Egypt are, this includes thousands of Medjool Date Palms, producing some of the tastiest treats of all. These fruits are dried to be enjoyed later. The Medjool variety of dates carries a maple syrup, caramel infused like flavor, and is one of the largest varieties of dates grown around the world. Its delicious gooey texture is a treat. Egypt is the worlds largest producer of dates.

A traditional delicacy food, pigeons (Hamaam) are bred throughout Egypt in conical pigeon towers. The birds are stuffed with onions and spices along with a grain called freekeh, which is a green cracked wheat with a nutty flavour, or alternatively they are stuffed with rice or bulgur wheat. Though Egyptians traditionally have hamam mahshi on special occasions, it’s not difficult to find it on a restaurant menu.

 This authentic, creamy, rich super delicious tahini sauce pairs very well with almost anything in this world! It is used it to accompany grilled meats and is also great with seafood dishes. 

Egyptian desserts are quite light. Mahalabiya is a delicate rosewater-flavored ground rice dessert, topped with toasted nuts and cinnamon. Um Ali is similar to the English bread and butter pudding but is less soft and spongy as it is made with local dry bread. Roz bi laban is rice pudding, which is always served cold.

Egyptians are big fans of the sticky for this kind of food, syrup-drenched, nut-filled filo pastries known collectively as baklava. There are numerous different kinds such as konafa, which has a cream base and a crunchy vermicelli pastry crust and Basbousa, made of semolina pastry soaked in honey and topped with hazelnuts.

While many think it was invented in Lebanon, baba ganoush is a dish you will soon find on Egyptian restaurant menus. It’s a cream of roasted eggplant, olive oil, garlic, sesame paste (tahini) and lemon, very similar in texture to hummus, which like hummus is eaten with pita bread. Every dip you will try will blow your taste buds right out of your mouth, so delicious!

Another great dish for vegetarian travelers. It basically consists of baked vegetables, usually peppers, zucchini or aubergine, stuffed with rice mixed with aromatic herbs (parsley, coriander…).It is accompanied by a drink sauce.

The tzatziki sauce is a Greek recipe, but you will find it served across the Mediterranean and Middle East in various ways and under many names. Egyptians call it, Salatet Zabady (Yogurt Salad).

The tzatziki sauce is the perfect accompaniment to many Egyptian dishes such as Grape leaves, beef tenderloin, grilled meat, pigeon, and when we make any Indian rice. It would be great as a sandwich spread or as a dip with your favorite vegetables.

Warak enab, dolma, dolamdes or simply stuffed grape leaves are so popular in the Mediterranean. Tangy, tender grape leaves wrapped around aromatic rice, and sometimes minced meat, and cooked to perfection. This old-fashioned recipe is an all-time family and friends favorite. You are likey to have these alongside your meals.

is a traditional food in Egypt, it’s a bread (something similar to pita bread) that is usually filled with minced meat, onion, pepper. Hawawshi is perhaps best known as a staple of home-style Egyptian cooking to make you feel good

A tasty dessert that has crossed borders, the Basbousa is of Ottoman origin. Found in different countries, it is favored by people all over the world. The name of the delicacy changes from country to country, it is called Basbousa in Egypt. The Egyptian version is usually thin, soaked in sweet syrup, soft inside and covered with almonds and fresh cream.

Aish baladi (or eish baladi) is the Egyptian version of pita bread. It’s made with 100% whole wheat flour baked at extremely hot temperatures. It’s baked several times a day in Cairo and eaten at every meal so you never have to settle for stale bread in Egypt. This type of flatbread has been produced since ancient Egyptian times. Back then, it was made with an ancient grain known as emmer wheat. Wild yeast would help the dough rise which would then be baked in traditional Egyptian clay ovens made with red mud from the Nile River. Since ancient times, aish baladi has been a cornerstone of Egyptian cuisine. In fact, you can tell just how important it is to Egyptian culture by its name. Baladi means “traditional” or “authentic” while aish means “life”. Consumed everyday across all social classes in Egypt, it’s something that Egyptians simply cannot live without.

An Egyptian national dish, it refers to a stew of creamy fava beans cooked with cumin, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, herbs, and spices. Ful medames (or foul mudammas) is an Egyptian food staple but it’s also popular in other countries throughout the Middle East, the Levant, and North Africa. Like aish baladi, it’s an everyday Egyptian dish that can be consumed at any time of the day – for late breakfast, lunch, or even dinner. Like hummus and baba ghanoush, ful medames is typically eaten as a dip with warm pita bread.

If you’re looking for something delicious to pair with your aish baladi, then look no further than hummus. An Egyptian food favorite that’s popular throughout the Middle East, it refers to a type of savory dip made from cooked mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, garlic, cumin, and lemon juice. The word hummus means “chickpeas” in Arabic and is a shortened version of the dish’s full name ḥummuṣ bi ṭaḥīna, meaning “chickpeas with tahini”. The exact origins of the dish are unclear, but the earliest written recipes for a dish resembling hummus are recorded in cookbooks written in 13th century Cairo. Typically eaten as an appetizer or dip, or as an accompaniment to other Egyptian dishes like Ta'am, hummus is usually served with pita bread and garnishes like olive oil, whole chickpeas, paprika, and herbs.

Shakshuka is made with eggs poached in a tomato sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, green pepper, bell peppers, onions, and olive oil. It’s a delicious and simple one-skillet dish flavored with herbs and spices like parsley, mint, coriander, paprika, and cumin. The word shakshuka in Arabic means “shaken together” or “mixed”.

Shakshuka is typically eaten for breakfast or brunch, especially in Israel, but it can be enjoyed at any time of the day. It’s best paired with flatbread and salad and is often served as part of a larger mezze platter with hummus, falafel, and other traditional Egyptian dishes.

Bamya refers to a type of Egyptian stew made with okra and lamb simmered in a tomato sauce with onions, garlic, peppers, cilantro, and spices. It’s popular throughout the Mediterranean and the Levant where it exists in many variations. Bamya in Arabic means “okra”.

Macaroni Bechamel is an extremely popular dish in Egyptian cuisine. It’s essentially the Egyptian version of pastitsio, a Greek baked pasta dish made with ground meat and béchamel sauce. It is typically made with penne or macaroni baked with bechamel and a minced meat sauce made from ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, and seasonings. 

Egypt grows a number of fresh fruits all over the country. Some of the Egyptian favorite drinks are watermelon fresh juice, pomegranate fresh juice and sugar cane juice. These are enjoyed all year-round by locals all over Egypt.

Karkadé Tea is legendary in Egypt. Sometimes mint leaves or a squeeze of lemon juice are added. One of the most popular teas in the country is Karkadeh which is an Egyptian favorite, and is often a cold drink made out of hibiscus flowers and lots of sugar. 

Lentils are a staple in Egyptian cuisine, and this soup highlights the legume in its glory. Different Egyptian states have their version of the soup. If you like your soup with a bit of a kick, this version is the one to beat. Red lentils, potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery are pureed to make one smooth, creamy, and ridiculously tasty soup. Cumin, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne add warmth and spice to boot.

It may look plain and simple, but it actually has such a complex flavor.

Every vegetable adds a different layer of flavor, and the blend of spices makes it impeccable.

Salati baladi is an Egyptian salad made of cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, parsley, and onion. Dressed with a blend of lemon, vinegar, cumin, and chili pepper, this salad is just as delicious as it looks.

The Egyptian tagine is much like the better-known Moroccan tajine, the conical-topped clay cooking pot that cooks spicy stews to perfection. Made with a variety of spiced stewed vegetables, meat or fish. 

Fatteh is an Egyptian and Levantine dish consisting of pieces of fresh, toasted, grilled, or stale flatbread covered with other ingredients that vary according to region. Spiced boiled lamb/beef served over a bed of rice and toasted pita bread then served with garlicky warm tomato sauce. Fatteh is very popular in the middle east with different names and ingredients like chicken shawarma fatteh or this eggplant fatteh.