Exploring Egypt Famous Food: Try These Top Dishes

Egyptian food is a rich blend of traditional cuisines and styles from Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and African regions. The food in Egypt is renowned for its authentic flavors, hearty ingredients, and the variety of textures you can explore.

Egyptian culinary culture revolves around sharing meals with families and close friends, and the cuisine typically includes fresh salads, grilled meats, and delicious bread.

If you’re searching for options for Egypt famous food, this guide has a detailed overview of the top dishes, price range, and how you can enjoy it well.

Table of Content

Non Vegetarian Egypt Famous Food
Vegetarian Egypt Famous Food
Egypt Famous Street Food
Desserts in Egypt
FAQs

Non Vegetarian Egypt Famous Food

Egyptian non-vegetarian meals are rich in taste and have strong traditional roots. Here are a few great choices:

1. Egyptian Fatteh

This dish includes layers of crisp pita bread, rice, chickpeas, and thick yogurt sauce. The mix of textures makes Fatteh delicious and comforting food. The Egypt famous food option usually includes toppings like vinegar, garlic, onions and more.

Must Try: Fatteh with Lamb
Price Range: 50-100 EGP (₹250-₹500)
Best Served With: Tangy Egyptian-style pickles or a simple cucumber and tomato salad.

2. Hawawshi

This dish includes flatbreads filled with minced and seasoned meat, usually lamb or beef, with a blend of herbs, onions, and spices. The cooking process involves wood-fired baking, which makes it crisp outside while retaining a delicious and moist filling inside.

Must Try: Hawawshi Alexandria- a more flavorful version with a unique texture
Price Range: 25-40 EGP (₹120-₹200)
Best Served With: Fresh salad, pickles, or sometimes tahini and yogurt

3. Halabesa

This is another Egypt famous food option: a healthy soup made with wheat and legumes mixed with spices. You can enjoy its aromatic flavors during winters in Egypt with comforting toppings like onions, garlic, and sometimes tomatoes.

Must Try: Halabesa with Meat
Price Range: 25-40 EGP (₹120-₹200)
Best Served With: Pita bread or baladi bread, a side of salad and pickle

4. Mulukhiyah

This dish in Egypt is made from the leaves of a Jute plant, cut into pieces, and cooked as a flavorful broth. Mulukhiyah has a slimy consistency, which is a major attraction of this dish. The flavor is earthy and savory with herbal bitterness, and you can enjoy this authentic food in Egypt with bread or rice.

Must Try: Mulukhiyah with Rabbit
Price Range: 40-70 EGP (₹200-₹350)
Best Served With: White rice or baladi bread, fried onions, mint tea

Suggested Read: South Africa Famous Food

5. Stuffed Pigeon

This famous food option is called Hamam Mahshi in Arabic where a pigeon is cleaned and filled with rice. This stuffed pigeon has various seasonings and a mix of herbs and spices that gives it an excellent satisfying flavor. The cooking process involves roasting until it gets crisp and golden while the stuffing remains soft and fragrant.

Must Try: Hamam Mahshi with Rice
Price Range: 50-100 EGP (₹250-₹500)
Best Served With: Rice, fried vegetables, or salads

Vegetarian Egypt Famous Food

Listed below are a few delicious Egyptian vegetarian meals that highlight the creativity of its cooking customs.

6. Koshari

This popular comfort food includes lentils, rice, chickpeas, and macaroni topped with crispy onions and spicy tomato sauce. You can find this among the top dishes in Egypt because of its interesting ingredients and tangy flavors. The classic Koshari is entirely vegetarian and an excellent option for anyone looking for authentic flavors.

Must Try: Classic Koshari with rice, chickpea, and pasta
Price Range: 50–80 EGP (₹150–₹350)
Best Served With: Tangy garlic vinegar sauce or Egyptian-style pickles.

7. Ta’meya (Egyptian Falafel)

Falafel in Egypt

These are Egyptian falafel made of roasted chickpeas mixed with onions, garlic, parsley, and more. You can find this tasty, deep-fried snack in a patty-like shape, which provides a delicious and aromatic flavor.

Must Try: Ta’meya with Tahini
Price Range: 5-15 EGP (₹20–₹75)
Best Served With: Pita bread, Egyptian yogurt, pickled vegetables

8. Simit

This is common on the list of Egypt famous food options, which is a sesame-crusted loaf found in Egypt and parts of the Middle East. The coating of sesame seeds gives it a crunchy exterior, and the baking process makes it soft and chewy. The cooking process involves wood fire baking, and people in Egypt prefer to have this as a light snack for breakfast.

Must Try: Simit with Cheese
Price Range: 5-10 EGP (₹20–₹40)
Best Served With: Turkish tea or mint tea with a side of yogurt, olives, or tomatoes.

9. Zaalouk

This can be a must try food in Egypt that offers an aromatic and flavorful combination of tomato and eggplant salad. The ingredients are combined with garlic, cumin, and olive oil to make the most delicious and smoky combination. You can try Zaalouk as a dip or a side dish and balance the flavors by adding a little lemon juice for freshness.

Must Try: Zaalouk with Garlic and Cumin
Price Range: 10-20 EGP (₹50–₹100)
Best Served With: Grilled meats, pickled vegetables, and fresh salad

Suggested Read: Saudi Arabia Famous Food

Egypt Famous Street Food

Egyptian street food is well-known for being affordable and tasty. Here are some recommendations for street food in Egypt:

10. Ful Medames

This traditional Egypt famous food option contains Fava beans slowly cooked to create a soft and creamy texture. The preparation involves seasoning beans with garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice for a savory flavor. You can enjoy this dish warmly during breakfast because of its interesting flavors.

Must Try: Mombar with Minced Meat and Rice
Price Range: 10-20 EGP (₹50–₹100)
Best Served With: Baladi bread, pickled vegetables, and fresh salad

11. Mombar

This classic Egyptian street food involves cow or sheep intestines stuffed with a delicious mixture of minced meat, rice, onions, and spices for its preparation. You can enjoy the flavorful dish as the intestines are stuffed with different spices and cooked with different variations. Mombar has a distinct savory flavor; you will love the delicious filling and crispy exterior.

Must Try: Ful Medames with Olive Oil and Lemon
Price Range: 10-20 EGP (₹50–₹100)
Best Served With: Baladi bread, pickled vegetables, and sometimes tahini sauce

12. Shawarma

Delicious Egyptian Shawrama

This popular Egyptian street food option is made of thinly sliced and seasoned food items like chicken, beef, or lamb placed on a vertical rotisserie. You can find this in variations, including marinated meat with garlic, cumin, and paprika. You can enjoy the aroma and taste by adding cucumbers, tomatoes, and pickles to it.

Must Try: Chicken Shawarma, Lamb Shawarma
Price Range: 40-70 EGP (₹100–₹200)
Best Served With: Pita bread, pickled vegetables, fries

Desserts in Egypt

Egyptian sweets are rich and a great way to finish any meal. Here are a few top choices:

13. Roz bil Laban

This is a delicious Egypt famous food option made of rice, milk, and sugar. This Egyptian rice pudding is cooked long until the rice softens and becomes a custard texture. Adding rose water and citrus blossom to this rice pudding adds a subtle floral aroma.

Must Try: Roz bil Laban with Cinnamon and Nuts
Price Range: 15-30 EGP (₹75–₹150)
Best Served With: Cup of hot tea, slices of fresh fruit or a light Egyptian cookie

14. Kanafeh

Kunafeh in Egypt

This Egyptian dessert is made from shredded semolina and soaked in sugar syrup, adding authentic flavor to the dish. You can enjoy Kanafeh, usually topped with sweet cheddar or clotted cream. The cooking process for Kanafeh includes baking to make it crisp and golden, served topped with crushed pistachios.

Must Try: Kanafeh Nabulsieh with melted cheese filling
Price Range: 20-50 EGP (₹75–₹150)
Best Served With: Warm and fresh with mint tea or sweetened rose water lemonade

15. Basbousa

Basbousa in Egypt

This option for Egypt famous food includes semolina, yogurt, sugar, and butter. This spongy cake delight is as popular as Hareeseh and Revani in some Egyptian areas. The cooking process involves baking and topping it with rosewater-flavored sweet sugar syrup and citrus blossom water for an extraordinary flavor.

Must Try: Basbousa with Coconut
Price Range: 20-50 EGP (₹75–₹150)
Best Served With: Mint tea, Turkish coffee, or Arabic coffee

16. Umm Ali

This popular Egyptian dessert involves layers of puff pastries mixed with sugar, milk, and nuts. The cooking process requires baking, resulting in a puffed, creamy, and custard-like taste with a little crunch from the nuts. Umm Ali is usually served warm and enjoyed on special occasions during winter months in Egypt.

Must Try: Umm Ali with Nuts
Price Range: 20-50 EGP (₹75–₹150)
Best Served With: Mint tea or Arabic coffee, topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream