Top 50 Traditional Egyptian Food and Drinks

Many people think Traditional Egyptian Food and Drinks are some of the world’s most authentic and delicious. Cooks in Egypt often spin the country’s most famous dishes by adding flavors and cooking techniques from all over the Middle East, North Africa, Greece, and France. This is because Egypt has been exposed to many different cultures.

Egypt is close to the Mediterranean Sea, North Africa, and the Middle East, so Mediterranean, North African, and Middle Eastern cooking styles have a big impact on Egyptian food. So, the food of Egypt is a mix of healthy, filling staples with a lot of heat, and spice.

Egypt is known for a lot more than just its ancient sites, lively culture, and high-end vacation spots. Egypt has a huge number of restaurants where you can eat dishes that combine cooking styles from all over the world. With each bite, you’ll go back four thousand years in space and time.

If you’re looking to spend a fantastic vacation in Egypt check out our Egypt Day Tours with our qualified Egyptologist with the best Egypt travel guide to visiting Egypt.

What do Egyptians eat?

Egypt is best known for its ancient history, but its fantastic food, a mix of Mediterranean, African, and Middle Eastern dishes, is a great reason to visit. Also best known for its Egyptian cuisine. If you ever go to Egypt, you have to eat these meals.

Traditional Egyptian Food and Drinks

1- Aish baladi (Egyptian Bread)

Egyptian bread that is similar to pita is called “aish baladi” (sometimes spelled eish baladi). It is made with 100% whole wheat flour and cooked at very high temperatures. Since Egyptians bake bread many times a day and eat it with every meal, you’ll never have to eat stale bread in Cairo because Egyptians eat it with every meal.

Bread is an important staple food that you can find in a lot of different kinds of cooking. In addition to helping make the meal, it is often used either as a tool for eating or as a dish for serving. The same thing can be said about aish baladi and other Egyptian dishes.

2- Ful medames (Fava Beans)

The most common street food in Egypt is complete, which is a paste made of broad mashed beans (also called fava beans) and flavored with garlic and olive oil. It is often advertised as a cheap takeout sandwich, with the ingredients written on large copper pots and put into pita bread pockets.

Ful Medames is one of the popular foods in Egypt, and some of the biggest restaurant chains serve foul meals as one of their specialties. Fried eggplant, French fries, fried cheese, and falafel are some of the most popular things to eat with foul medames.

3- Taameya (falafel)

Falafel, called Taameya, are balls or patties of fava beans and greens cooked in oil. Falafel Mahsheya gets its name from the fact that it is made of falafel patties that are filled with a red-hot mixture.

Some trendy new fast food chains and up-and-coming chefs are known for their cheese-stuffed falafel. 

4- Shakshuka

Shakshuka is best for breakfast or brunch, but you can eat it at any other time of the day without being disappointed. It is often served on a mezze platter with hummus, falafel, and other traditional Egyptian foods, and it goes well with flatbread and salad.

Shakshuka is a dish that is often made without any meat. However, it can also be made with ground beef or lamb. In a healthier version of the traditional meal, you could use dark green vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, or even brussels sprouts instead of tomatoes.

5- Eggah (Omelette)

Eggah is similar to a frittata, and it can have a lot of different kinds of vegetables and other things in it. The egg is a glue to hold the various parts together, which may even include meat. Spices and fresh herbs like cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and paprika are added to the omelet before it goes into the oven. There are also times when nutmeg and paprika are used.

Even though reggae is usually eaten for breakfast, it can be eaten at any time of day as a starter or main dish when combined with pita bread, salad, and other ingredients common in Egyptian food.

6- Mish cheese

Mish is a type of cheese that has been left out to ferment. It tastes salty and is often made at home in rural areas. The meal comes with Baladi bread and a bunch of different salads.

7- Domiati cheese

Domiati cheese has been around for a long time. Its name comes from the city of Damietta. This creamy white cheese is usually made from cows’ milk or buffaloes and is served with Baladi bread. Dates are another good thing to eat with this cheese.

8- Areesh cheese

Areesh White Cheese is a soft cheese made from laban rayeb, which is a type of curdled milk. Egyptians love Areesh cheese because it tastes great and is used a lot.

9- Hummus (Chickpeas)

If you serve your aish baladi with hummus, you might not have to look any further for a tasty side dish to go with it. This spread is often used in Middle Eastern and Egyptian cooking. To make it, you mix cooked and mashed chickpeas with tahini, garlic, cumin, and lemon juice, creating a delicious dip.

Hummus is a popular starter or dip that goes well with Egyptian foods like falafel. It is often eaten with pita bread and toppings like olive oil, whole chickpeas, paprika, and other herbs.

10- Baba ghanoush

Is it a staple in Egyptian food and a common choice for dipping sauces worldwide? For this traditional Middle Eastern dish, cooked eggplant is mashed, and tahini, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and other herbs and spices are added.

The roasted eggplant is what gives baba ghanoush its delicious smoky flavor. The eggplant is charred by roasting it over an open flame or under the broiler before it is peeled and mixed with the other ingredients. In Egypt, you can get baba ghanoush as a side dish or as part of a cold mezze spread with pita bread.

11- Feteer meshaltet (Egyptian Pie)

Feteer is a traditional Egyptian dish that is both filling and tasty. If you take it literally, it means “pie,” but this is not your typical sweet treat. There are many layers of flaky, buttery dough used to make this.

When served with molasses and tahini, which taste great together. You can get both sweet and savory fillings for filled Feteer, and both are very popular. The Egyptians liked sausages, chicken cooked with various sauces, minced meat, and vegetables, the best of the few savory foods they could get. Sugar custard pie and Nutella pie are the most common sweet pies.

12- Koshary

Koshary is an Egypt famous food and popular dish in this area. It is made by cooking lentils, rice, macaroni, and chickpeas together and then topping the dish with fried onions and an Egyptian-style red sauce. People often get a packet of vinegar and a packet of hot sauce on the side to make their dish. The first people to eat koshary were Egyptian workers and employees. It was first sold from street carts. Restaurants didn’t start serving it until a long time later, but once they did, it quickly became one of Egypt’s most popular home-cooked meals.

13- Egyptian rice

Egyptians make a dish that is considered to be one of the country’s staple meals almost every day. Egyptian rice and noodles are one of the most well-known combinations, and it is used to make a wide range of foods because it gives energy and carbohydrate.

14- Molokhiya ( Mallow )

The green leaves of the Molokhiya plant, which are used to make the soup, are where it gets its name. In addition to the other options, you can make this meal with chicken, beef, or rabbit. The soup that has been kept a secret has both garlic and ghee in it. Making molokhiya is a complicated process that differs from one place to the next. Molokhiya made in Aswan is different from Molokhiya made in other parts of Egypt because it is darker and has a thicker texture. To do this, dried Molokhiya leaves are used instead of fresh ones. The broth, Molokhiya leaves, garlic, and tomatoes make the soup healthier, and the fact that it tastes so good makes it a good choice no matter where you want to eat it.

15- Bamya ( Okra )

Egyptian bamya is a stew made with okra, lamb, onions, garlic, peppers, cilantro, and other spices cooked in a tomato sauce. Because it is so prevalent in the Mediterranean and the Levant, it has given rise to many different versions. In Arabic, the word for okra is bamya. In Egypt, bamya is a grain that is eaten every day. It can be made with or without meat, but most recipes call for beef or lamb for protein. Some restaurants serve it with white rice, pita bread, and a lemon wedge.

16- Besela (Peas)

Peas with tomato sauce are a popular Arab dish that many people in the West would like to eat more often. It is one of Egypt’s most straightforward and traditional dishes, but it has a lot of good for you. This food is essential to the Egyptian way of life.

17- Shorbet ads (Lentil soup)

Egyptian lentil soup is another name for shorbet ads, which is what most people call it. The name of this dish already gives away its main ingredient, which is lentils (specifically red lentils). The remaining ingredients are chicken broth, garlic, onions, coriander, cumin, olive oil, and lemon juice. All of them are vital.

18- Makarona Bechamel (Pasta béchamel)

This dish is great for any party and can be served on its own or with any side dish. It has three layers, and each one is light and tastes good. The first layer is penne pasta that has been cooked. The layer in the middle is made of ground pork, and the layer on top is made of ground beef, onions, and tomato sauce. The last layer is a warm, thick white sauce called bechamel sauce. The top layer turns a deep golden brown color when the dish is done cooking. Since it has protein, carbs, and fat, you can eat it as a complete meal and still feel full.

19- Mahshy (Stuffed Veggies)

In Egypt, rice is the main ingredient in a lot of the food. In Egypt, vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, and vine leaves are often stuffed with rice. Some of the most common vegetables used in this cooking list are above. Mahshy is one of Egypt traditional dishes.

20- Mussaqa (Made from eggplant)

is a simple dish made with eggplant, tomato sauce, and other spices. It is thought to be one of the best traditional Egyptian dishes.

21- Beserah

Beserah is a simple green puree that can be made into a tasty vegan meal by blending parsley, leeks, dill, beans, green peppers, fried onions, and different spices.

22- Kebda and Sogo’ Eskandrani (Alexandrian Liver and Sausage)

It is a street snack, but it is also prepared at home. The liver is cooked with spicy peppers and garlic or onion. The sausage is often framed in various ways, including tomato sauce and spicy pepper, and pickles accompany both.

23- Keshk (Savory Pudding)

This classic Egyptian dish comes in two flavors: orange-colored Shrimp Keshk or white-colored Chicken Keshk. Pudding is made with four main ingredients: milk, yogurt, flour, and either chicken or shrimp broth. Cooked and caramelized onions are sprinkled on the dish to make it look even more decadent. Many young Egyptians don’t like this dish and don’t even know what it is or where it comes from. Fewer restaurants are willing to serve this food because it is so rare.

24- Fattah

Fattah is a traditional Egyptian dish liked by people of all ages and income levels. Even in the Arab world, many people know about it. It tastes good and is mainly made up of beef soup, crusty bread, rice, and sauce. This easy dish can impress your family and friends.

25- Kebab and Kofta

Kofta kebabs are koftas that have been put on a stick and grilled in this way. There are many different recipes, but most of them use beef and ground lamb, onions, garlic, and a wide range of herbs and spices like parsley, mint, sumac, nutmeg, cardamom, cumin, and paprika. Spices like allspice, cumin, and paprika are also often used.

Kebab is prepared by skewering pieces of meat such as lamb or veal over a coal fire. These meat meals are usually served with dips, rice, bread, and vegetables on the side.

26- Kamounia

It’s a beef stew cooked in an Egyptian tomato sauce and seasoned with cumin. I’ve heard that in addition to the traditional kamounia from Morocco, Tunisia also has a kamounia that is different from the one from Morocco. The only difference between the Egyptian and Tunisian versions is that the Tunisian versions have harissa and bell peppers, and the Egyptian version does not.

27- Hawawshi (Meat Sandwich)

Hawawshi is a delicious dish made of seasoned ground beef baked inside a whole loaf of bread and roasted in a rotisserie oven or a regular oven. It is then served with a tasty sauce and a salad.

28- Hamam Mahshi (Stuffed Pigeons)

Pigeons are stuffed with stuffing and then roasted; they make a tasty meal. Most people agree that “pigeons” from Egypt, loaded with seasoned rice and pork and then baked or grilled, are the best-stuffed dishes in the world.

29- Mombar 

The Egyptian “mombar” sausage is made from sheep intestines, which is why its name is Egyptian, and people in North African and Middle Eastern countries like Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Syria, which are close by, eat it as an essential part of their meals.

The ground beef, rice, garlic, onions, tomato paste, and other seasonings are stuffed into sheep casings. Herbs and spices like parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon are often used in recipes, even though they can be changed in many ways. After the sausages are blanched in water, they are fried until they turn a beautiful golden brown color.

30- Tarb (Grilled Kofta Wrapped in Lamb Fat)

Tarb is a beautiful dish with a lot of fat that is different from the usual “kofta.” To make kofta, you need ground beef, chopped onions, a small amount of ground fat, and many other spices. Tarb is a dish made of kofta that has been covered in a layer of lamb fat and then roasted until it turns a golden brown.

In any part of Egypt, you can find restaurants that only offer different grilled kinds of meat, and there is a chance you will discover Tarb there. In addition to rice, pasta, and sweets, these restaurants serve the most common grilled meat, like chicken, and other styles, like kofta, tarb, and kebab.

31- Kawaree (Cow feet)

Kawaree is Egypt traditional food and a tasty dish made by cooking and cleaning cow feet very well. It has a consistency similar to gelatin and is used to create a soup called Kawaree. Rice with tomato sauce, called “Kawaree Fettah,” or stuffed vine leaves, is a standard side. 

32- Akawi (Ox Tail)

A thin slice of cow tail is used to make akawi, which is then cooked with onions and tomatoes in a clay skillet. Eating at a grill restaurant might get you white Egyptian rice or white pita bread on the side.

33- Sayadiyah Fish

You can get one of the local treats in Egypt’s coastal cities, like Suez, Port Said, and Alexandria. It is made with white fish like sea bass or bluefish, yellow rice, onions, different spices, and tomato sauce, among other things. After that, it goes into a casserole dish and stays in the oven for the rest of the time. This mouthwatering meal tastes like an authentic Egyptian lunch and is made similarly.

34- Feseekh  (Fermented and Salted Fish)

The Egyptians have loved the drink called feseekh since ancient times. The fish, called mullet, is fermented and salted in this case. Feseekh is served with herring, green onions, and pita bread at the Sham Al Nessim festival in Egypt every year in spring.

Deserts

35- Basbousa

Basbousa is a type of sweet dessert that comes from Ottoman food but is famous worldwide. It is well-known worldwide and can be found in many places. This delicious food is called different things in different parts of the world. For example, the Egyptians call it basbousa. The traditional Egyptian version is often relatively thin and covered with almonds and fresh cream before soaking in a sweet syrup.

36- Konafa

Konafa is Egypt’s most famous street food dessert during the holy month of Ramadan. It can be found in every dessert shop and café. When unprocessed, konafa looks like vermicelli because it is made of long strands of dough. Not long ago, Egyptians usually ate konafa with custard or almonds and milk. These are the first recordings that Konafa ever made, and they still sound good. Konafa comes in many different flavors these days, like Nutella, mango, lotus, fruit, and Ferrero Rocher, to name a few.

37- Baklava

In Egypt, people like to eat sticky foods. Baklava is a type of dessert made by putting layers of filo bread, sweetened syrup, and chopped almonds on top of each other.

38- Roz bel Laban

The main ingredients in the traditional Egyptian dessert called Roz bel Laban are rice, milk, butter, vanilla extract, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You can add rose or orange blossom water and then sprinkle raisins and chopped almonds on top to make it taste and look better. Orange flower water can also be used.

39- Om Ali

This delicious baked treat is called “Om Ali” in Arabic. It is made of layers of puff pastry soaked in milk and filled with almonds, raisins, coconut flakes, and sugar. This plate will be remembered for a long time because of the baked bread soaked in hot milk and the many different flavors served.

40- Sweet potato

One of Egypt’s cheapest sweets is this nutritious treat. Typically, residents will form a queue at the cart, and their sweet potatoes will be roasted in a wood-fired oven right in front of them. Sweet potatoes are peeled, halved, and presented to eager diners on a sheet of paper or a newspaper.

41- Medalaa (The Spoiled Girl)

Medalaa is an Egyptian dessert, and its name comes from the ancient Egyptian city of Tanta, known as the “land of sweets.” The sweet dish called “medalaa” is made up of several layers. The bottom layer is usually a traditional dessert called basbousa, made with a semolina batter. Konafa is used to make the most visible layer. The part in the middle is made of cream, and a caramel sauce is sprinkled all over the top of the dish. Even though this sweet treat has only been around for a short time, it has already become trendy in Egypt. You don’t have to travel to Tanta to eat Medalaa food unless you want to see it in its natural environment.

42- Meshabek

is a ball-shaped dessert made of batter that has been deep-fried until it is crispy, then dipped in honey or sugar syrup and deep-fried again.The word “twisted” comes from the Italian language, and the product looks exactly like what it means: thick, tangled strands of pleasure! Tanta and Damietta are the cities that are thought to be the birthplaces of other famous foods in all of Egypt. Meshabek can be bought in every part of Egypt right now.

43- Qatayef

Qatayef (or katayef) refers to a popular Arabic dessert commonly served during Ramadan. They’re essentially small Arabic pancakes that have been folded over and filled with sweet cheese and a variety of nuts. Qatayef is commonly made at home or sold as street food in Egypt. It’s available everywhere during Ramadan and can be eaten plain or drizzled with simple syrup or honey.

44- kahk

Egyptian Ka’ak al-Eid biscuits, often called “kahk,” are usually filled with agameya (a mixture of honey, almonds, and ghee), pistachios, or dates and covered in powdered sugar. You might be able to find their roots in ancient Egypt, but now they are enjoyed all over the Middle East at Eid al-Fitr, a feast that marks the end of the month-long fasting period called Ramadan.

During Eid, the essential kind of cookie to have is called kahk. Both Christians and Muslims in Egypt love them because they are an integral part of many Egyptian festivals and are held in high regard by both faiths.

45- Ghorayeba

is an Egyptian shortbread cookie that is made with just ghee, flour, and powdered sugar. The word can also be written as ghraybeh and ghoraybeh. Nuts like pistachios, almonds, cashews, and others are often used as toppings. Because this dish is only made with ghee in Egypt, it doesn’t need any other seasoning.

Drinks

46- Egyptian Tea

Koshari tea is a popular drink all over the country because it has a strong flavor and is best served hot.

47- Sahlab

This drink is made from flour from dried tubers of the wild orchid species Orchis mascula. It is rich, creamy, and smells good. Traditionally, orchid flour was used to make sahlab. However, sorghum flour or cornstarch are often used as orchid blooms become harder to find and more expensive. Then, cinnamon, raisins, and almonds are sprinkled on top and served hot or warm in cups. It’s like a thin pudding or a milkshake in texture. Egyptians often drink sahlab in the winter because it warms them up.

48- Sugarcane  juice

When sugarcane is pressed, it leaves behind a liquid called pure sugarcane juice. Egypt’s food is often very fresh because it comes from the Nile Valley, which is one of the most fertile places in the world. Because of this, Egyptian food and drinks are often thought to be some of the best in the world.

49- Sobia juice

Coconut milk, rice, rice water, vanilla extract, and sugar are the main ingredients in this dish. Mix the powder with water to make Sobia, and then you can buy it from many vendors in Egyptian markets.

Egypt is a popular place to visit at any time of the year. Egyptian Muslims like this drink because it helps them break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan when they have to fast.

50-Halabessa

Even though halabessa is technically a soup, it is often eaten with straws and cups instead of bowls. In this process, the final product is made by boiling chickpeas with other ingredients like tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices. You get a spoon and a straw to use for eating the chickpeas and drinking the soup, respectively. This warm, filling vegan option will keep you happy and warm all night.

There are small shops where you can buy halabessa along the shore and the Nile. Typical kiosks have beautiful displays of Arabic calligraphy and lighting and also play traditional Egyptian music in the background.

 

There are innumerable food varieties in Egypt, giving every visitor the opportunity to sample mouthwatering cuisine that is as traditional and elegant as time itself. The cuisine of Egypt will provide a thorough look at the culinary skills that lie at the very core of Egyptian culture as well as the inventive ways in which Egyptians of all times were able to produce their renowned cuisines. Book our Egypt Vacation Packages to savor Traditional Egyptian Food and Drinks.