If you ask us, tasting all the glorious foods from Egypt is another major highlight of the country.

So, what are the most popular foods in Egypt to try?

Egyptian cuisine has been influenced throughout history, primarily by the Middle East. We’d say the food in Egypt feels more Arabic than African.

Vegetables and legumes feature heavily in this cuisine and you can taste many cultures in their unique dishes. We compiled a list of the best foods from Egypt for you.

What is the most popular food in Egypt? – 10 dishes to try

1) Ful Medames 

Fava beans, parsley, onion, tomato, lemon juice, olive oil and tahini combine this warming dish to create my all-time favourite food in Egypt. Eaten with a basket of fresh Egyptian bread to scoop it all up – this meal is super satisfying.

Ful (pronounced ‘fool’) is a popular breakfast food in Egypt and pairs perfectly with fresh tea.

2) Koshari

Every culture has its favourite comfort food; for Egyptians, Koshari is the go-to dish. It is also a popular street food in Egypt. You can buy it from street vendors who prepare this filling dish in huge pots.

The dish is made from a base of lentils, rice, pasta and chickpeas, then seasoned with vinegar and garlic and covered with tomatoes.

Yes, this meal is heavy on carbs, but it’s worth it. You will notice that this humble food in Egypt blends both Italian and Arab flavours and ingredients. Served with a spiced tomato sauce and topped with crispy onions, you need to try it.

3) Kobeiba

A combination of ground meat, grains, onion and spices make up the delicious bite-sized kobeiba. It is known throughout the region by different names.

We’ve eaten it as we travelled in Lebanon and Syria, but it is known as ‘kibbe’ here. And each time we return to Turkey, we tuck into ‘bulgur koftesi’, the Turkish kobeiba. 

Kobeiba is super tasty on its own, but I love to eat them with dips such as hummus and baba ghanoush.

4) Mahshi 

Mahshi is a very popular vegetarian food in Egypt and most Mediterranean countries have a similar version.

This dish of different vegetables is packed with minced beef/lamb or chicken and rice, then simmered in a tomato and stock broth. Typically, the vegetables used in this dish are zucchini, peppers, eggplant, or even tomatoes.

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5) Fatteh

Fatteh is a popular food in Egypt and other countries in the Middle East. Essentially, spiced boiled beef or lamb is served over a bed of rice. Then pieces of toasted pita bread are added, and it’s topped with a warm tomato and garlic sauce.

There is something special about this traditional Egyptian dish. It’s one of my go-to dishes when travelling in Egypt and Lebanon.

6) Kebab

For all the meat lovers out there, the food in Egypt that you will like is kebab. These are pieces of marinated meat (lamb, veal or chicken) which is chargrilled.

The best part is the smoky taste from how it has been cooked and then the fresh bread, rice, salads, herbs and dips served alongside kebab. 

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7) Ta’meya (Egypt Falafel)

Ta’amiya is typical breakfast food in Egypt. It is also known as Egyptian falafel. It’s cheap, tasty, and perfect to pick up when you’re short on time to visit the amazing things to see in Egypt. 

So, what makes Egyptian felafel different to falafel from other countries? Rather than using chickpeas as a base, Ta’amiya is prepared using fava beans instead.

They’re loaded with greens and fresh herbs such as coriander, dill, leek and parsley and are perfect for vegetarians! So delicious to eat on their own, but I’d recommend eating them with fresh Egyptian bread, tahina and salad.

An easy, yet delicious Ta’meya recipe to cook at home is here on AllRecipes.com

8) Bessara

If you’re a fan of hummus, baba ghanoush and other flavourful dips, you will appreciate bessara. A zesty dip with broad beans being the core ingredient.

Garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, spicy red pepper, and salt are added and then blitzed. The result is wonderful. I could eat this foods from Egypt by spoon, but it’s better eaten with fresh bread.

I tasted a very similar dish during my travels in Libya. And, I really loved Libyan cuisine too – here are my favourite 10 dishes from Libya.

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9) Kunafah

Kunafah is a traditional dessert food in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries.

This incredible dessert is made with two crispy layers of kataifi pastry, soaked in sugar syrup and rose water and then filled with clotted cream or ricotta cheese.

The filling is often flavoured with cardamom and orange zest. Kunafah is served warm, and the most delightful dessert I’ve ever eaten.

10) Basbousa

Ask a local what the most popular food in Egypt, and they may tell you this delicious dessert!

A sweet cake from semolina flour soaked in rosewater syrup or honey and lemon. Afterwards, it is topped with slivered almonds and shaved coconut.

It’s perfect when eaten with a pot of fresh tea. Regarding sweets, some of our favourite foods of Egypt are served as desserts. 

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Why not consider travelling around Egypt on a Group Tour? We recommend Expat Explore. They offer a variety of group tours in Egypt to suit everyone.

Check out the great range of group tours in Egypt with Expat Explore. If you find the perfect trip for you, use our promo code VERYHUNGRYNOMADS at checkout for an additional 5% off your trip!

Alternatively, G Adventures is another tour company we recommend. They’ve got a great range of small group tours in Egypt. Check them out here.

Have you eaten anything on our list of popular food in Egypt? Tell us in the comments below about your all-time favourite foods of Egypt.

We’ve got many memories of eating incredible food around the world. These 9 delicious foods in Syria were a major highlight for us.

We also wrote a detailed blog on the Food of Algeria, Street Food Tunisia and what to eat in Mauritius.

I’m sure that one of the 10 reasons why you should visit Oman is the cuisine—it is wonderful! I’d go on another 7-day road trip to Oman just to taste all the food again.

Travel Tips for Africa

We have many travel guides and tips for Africa – what a massive continent!

Have you ever wondered how many countries in Africa there are? 54 or 55? We cover them in depth in our ultimate Africa bucket list.

There is some delicious cuisine to be enjoyed across Africa, and these ten best African countries for food will inspire your food journey.

Check out how many of these 15 most popular foods you can taste.

If you’re wondering what they eat for breakfast in Africa, check out these 20 popular breakfast foods.

For food lovers, our Food Map of AFRICA lists the quintessential dish you need to eat in every nation!

It’s worth reading these 17 ESSENTIAL Things to know before travelling to West Africa, and our packing list for Africa may be helpful to you.

Don’t miss our recap of our travels across West Africa for even more helpful tips, and try these popular West African dishes; they’re fantastic!

You’ll need to stay connected while travelling in Africa. We recommend eSIM. It’s easy, reliable and affordable. View eSIMs for individual countries in Africa, or consider a regional eSIM for Africa (which covers 36 countries)

If your travels in Africa are part of a much larger global adventure, then a Global eSIM may be the answer. It connects you in 124 countries, offering data-only eSIM and data/call/text Global eSIM. This eSIM has been a game-changer for us, and we couldn’t imagine travelling without it now.

If you want to travel with like-minded travellers, consider joining a group tour. Check out our Group Tours first for any upcoming departures in Africa, or view Tourradar for deals on group tours in Africa.

Check out our best-ever travel tips compiled from more than twenty years of experience.