10 Egyptian breakfast recipe and 20 Traditional Egyptian Recipes – Insanely Good step by step guide

Recipe by :chef ssentongo

From : Easy Recipes / cook smart

Here are 10 authentic Egyptian breakfast recipes, celebrated for their robust flavors, cultural significance, and nutritious ingredients. Each includes step-by-step guidance and tips for authenticity, curated from traditional sources.


🫘 1. Ful Medames (Egyptian Fava Bean Stew)

Egypt’s national breakfast since Pharaonic times. Slow-cooked favas are mashed with cumin, garlic, lemon, and olive oil, served with boiled eggs and pita .

  • Key Steps: Simmer soaked beans 1.5–2 hours (or use canned). Sauté onions, garlic, cumin; mash into beans. Top with olive oil, parsley, and lemon .
  • Pro Tip: Add tahini sauce (whisk tahini + lemon juice + garlic) for creaminess .

🥗 2. Ta’ameya (Egyptian Falafel)

Green-centered fritters made from fava beans (not chickpeas), blended with cilantro, parsley, and leeks, fried until crisp .

  • Key Steps: Soak dried favas overnight. Blend with herbs and spices. Form into patties; deep-fry. Serve with tahini and chopped tomatoes .
  • Pro Tip: Air-fry for a lighter version .

🌿 3. Bissara (Creamy Fava Bean Dip)

A herb-packed dip of split fava beans, mint, parsley, and chili flakes, topped with fried onions .

  • Key Steps: Boil split favas until soft. Blend with herbs, garlic, lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil and chili .
  • Serving: Warm with aish baladi (Egyptian pita).

🍳 4. Egga (Egyptian Herb Frittata)

🍰 Sweets & Drinks

A baked savory cake with caramelized onions, potatoes, dill, parsley, and spices like cumin and coriander .

  • Key Steps: Sauté onions, tomatoes, potatoes. Whisk eggs with flour, baking powder (for fluffiness), and herbs. Bake at 375°F (190°C) until golden .
  • Serving: Cut into wedges with pita and pickles.

🥩 5. Beid Bel Basturma (Eggs with Cured Beef)

Spiced air-dried beef (basturma) sautéed with eggs, replacing pork in this Muslim-majority country .

  • Key Steps: Pan-fry basturma (paprika/cumin-seasoned beef) in ghee. Add whisked eggs; scramble until set .
  • Pairing: Serve with aish baladi for scooping.

🔥 6. Beid Meza’lil (Fried Hard-Boiled Eggs)

A Coptic Christian tradition: hard-boiled eggs fried in ghee until golden and crisp-skinned .

  • Key Steps: Boil eggs 10–12 mins, peel, then fry in ghee until blistered. Season with za’atar or smoked paprika .
  • Occasion: Eaten to break Christmas/Easter fasts.

🥖 7. Aish Baladi (Egyptian Whole Wheat Pita)

“Bread of life”: Whole-wheat pita baked in communal ovens, forming a perfect pocket for dips .

  • Key Steps: Mix whole-wheat flour, yeast, water. Rest dough; bake at high heat until puffed.
  • Tip: Reheat in an air fryer for crispness .

🍯 8. Feteer Meshaltet (Layered Pastry)

Flaky “Egyptian croissant”: Thin dough layered with samna (ghee), served sweet (honey/cheese) or savory (minced meat) .

  • Key Steps: Stretch dough paper-thin, brush with ghee, fold repeatedly. Bake until golden .

🧀 9. Labneh with Za’atar (Strained Yogurt)

Tangy yogurt cheese drizzled with olive oil and za’atar (thyme/sesame/sumac blend) .

  • Key Steps: Strain full-fat yogurt overnight. Top with olive oil, za’atar, and olives.
  • Pairing: Spread on aish baladi or fresh veggies.

🌶️ 10. Gebna bel Tamatem (Spiced Cheese-Tomato Dip)

A creamy mix of white cheese, tomatoes, chili, and mint, often eaten with bread .

  • Key Steps: Sauté tomatoes with garlic and chili. Stir into diced feta or gebna rumi (hard cheese). Garnish with mint .

📝 Pro Tips for Authenticity

  • Beans: Use dried fava beans (soak overnight) for ful and ta’ameya . Canned work for quick versions.
  • Spices: Cumin, coriander, and garlic form the “holy trinity” of Egyptian breakfasts .
  • Bread: Aish baladi is non-negotiable—substitute whole-wheat pita if unavailable .
  • Vegetarian Focus: Most breakfasts are plant-based; meat appears as a garnish (e.g., basturma) .
  • Tea Pairing: Serve with Egyptian mint tea or karkadeh (hibiscus tea) .

“Breakfast in Egypt is a ritual: communal, unhurried, and anchored in legumes, herbs, and bread.” – Inspired by food memories in Chez Nermine .

20 Traditional Egyptian Recipes – Insanely Good step by step guide

Here are 20 traditional Egyptian recipes with step-by-step guides, celebrating the rich flavors of the Nile. From street food staples to festive dishes, each recipe includes key tips for authenticity. 🇪🇬


🍛 Savory Mains

  1. Koshari (Egypt’s National Dish)
    Layers: Rice, lentils, macaroni, chickpeas, crispy onions.
    Sauce: Spicy tomato-vinegar sauce.
    Key Step: Fry onions until caramelized for crunch.
  2. Ful Medames (Slow-Cooked Fava Beans)
    Classic Breakfast: Simmer beans with cumin, garlic, lemon.
    Serve: Topped with olive oil, boiled eggs, and pita.
    Tip: Mash slightly for creaminess.
  3. Molokhia (Jute Leaf Stew)
    Prep: Finely chop fresh molokhia leaves (or use frozen).
    Broth: Simmer with chicken/rabbit and coriander-garlic sauce (taqliya).
    Serve: Over rice with lemon.
  4. Mahshi (Stuffed Vegetables)
    Fill: Zucchini, bell peppers, eggplants, vine leaves.
    Stuffing: Herbed rice with tomatoes, parsley, dill.
    Cook: Simmer in tomato broth 45 mins.
  5. Fattah (Festive Lamb & Rice)
    Layers: Crispy pita, garlicky rice, tender lamb.
    Sauce: Tomato-vinegar drizzle and garlic yogurt.
    Occasion: Eid or celebrations.
  6. Hawawshi
  7. (Spiced Meat-Stuffed Bread)
    Filling: Ground beef, onions, peppers, cumin, chili.
    Bake: Stuffed in pita bread until crispy.
    Street Food: Serve with pickles.
  8. Sayadiya (Fish with Spiced Rice)
    Fish: White fish (like bass) pan-seared.
    Rice: Cooked in fish broth with caramelized onions.
    Topping: Crispy fried onions.

🥘 Soups & Sides

  1. Lentil Soup (Shorbet Ads)
    Blend: Red lentils, carrots, onions, cumin.
    Finish: Lemon juice and fried pita croutons.
  2. Bamya (Okra Stew)
    Trick: Sauté okra with vinegar to reduce sliminess.
    Stew: Simmer with lamb/tomatoes and cilantro.
  3. Rozz bi Khalta (Rice with Nuts & Liver)
    Sauté: Chicken liver, raisins, almonds, pine nuts.
    Mix: Into turmeric rice.
  4. Dukkah (Spice-Nut Blend)
    Toast: Cumin, coriander, sesame, hazelnuts.
    Serve: Dip bread in olive oil + dukkah.

🥙 Breads & Street Food

  1. Feteer Meshaltet (Egyptian Layered Pastry)
    Dough: Stretch thinly, layer with samna (ghee).
    Fillings: Sweet (cheese/honey) or savory (minced meat).
  2. Taameya (Egyptian Falafel)
    Base: Fava beans (not chickpeas), herbs, leek.
    Fry: Flatten into discs until golden.
    Serve: In pita with tahini.
  3. Shakshuka bil Basar (Eggs with Liver)
    Sauté: Lamb liver with peppers, tomatoes.
    Poach: Eggs in the mixture.

  1. Basbousa (Semolina Cake)
    Soak: Baked semolina-coconut cake in rose syrup.
    Garnish: Almonds.
  2. Umm Ali (Bread Pudding)
    Layer: Pita, milk, raisins, coconut, nuts.
    Bake: Until golden. Serve warm.
  3. Konafa (Shredded Phyllo Dessert)
    Filling: Sweet cheese or nuts.
    Syrup: Rosewater-orange blossom sugar syrup.
  4. Qatayef (Stuffed Pancakes)
    Fill: Fold mini pancakes with nuts or cheese.
    Cook: Fry or bake. Drench in syrup.
  5. Karkadeh (Hibiscus Tea)
    Brew: Dried hibiscus flowers with mint.
    Serve: Hot or iced with honey.
  6. Sahlab (Warm Milk Pudding)
    Thicken: Milk with orchid root powder.
    Toppings: Cinnamon, coconut, nuts.

📝 Key Tips for Authenticity

  • Spices: Cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom are essential.
  • Herbs: Parsley, dill, cilantro dominate savory dishes.
  • Frying: Many dishes (onions for koshari, taameya) require deep-frying for texture.
  • Syrups: Egyptian desserts use sugar syrup with rosewater or orange blossom.
  • Legumes: Dried fava beans and lentils are pantry staples—soak overnight.

🔍 Sourcing Tips:

  • Molokhia leaves: Find frozen in Middle Eastern stores.
  • Samna (ghee): Substitute with unsalted butter.
  • Dukkah: Make your own for freshness.

Enjoy your Egyptian feast! For visuals, check sites like Cooking with Amira or Egyptian Cuisine on YouTube for step-by-step videos. 🥢


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