Ask anyone living in the Kingdom about Egyptian food and they will have a favourite: molokhia, mahshi, fatteh or hawawshi. Egyptians have long been one of the largest communities in Saudi Arabia, and with them the taste of the Egyptian home came to Saudi cities and became part of many tables, of every nationality.
Why Egyptian food feels close to Saudi tastes
The two tables share a lot:
- Rice and lamb: rice is central to both, and Egyptian fatteh, with rice, bread and meat, is close in spirit to rice-and-meat dishes.
- Generosity and gathering: Egyptian food is made to share, one big plate in the middle with everyone around it, the same spirit as a Saudi gathering.
- Lamb and grills: lamb and charcoal grilling are prized on both sides.
- Home cooking: most Egyptian food is home food, slow-cooked, not fast food.
Egyptian dishes people look for in Saudi Arabia
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Molokhia | Finely chopped jute leaves in broth with a garlic-and-coriander ta'leya |
| Mahshi | Zucchini, aubergine, peppers, cabbage and vine leaves stuffed with herbed rice |
| Fatteh | Toasted bread, rice and a vinegar-garlic sauce, topped with meat or lamb shank |
| Hawawshi | Baladi bread filled with spiced meat and baked |
| Casseroles (tawagen) | Dishes slow-cooked in clay pots |
| Grills | Kebab and kofta over charcoal with tahini |
| Stuffed pigeon | Pigeon stuffed with rice or freekeh, a feast dish |
To learn more about the Egyptian way, read molokhia the Egyptian way, mahshi the Egyptian way and Egyptian kebab.
When people order Egyptian food
- Family lunch on Fridays or the weekend, when the whole family gathers.
- Gatherings and occasions, because an Egyptian table feeds many and offers variety.
- Ramadan, when longing for home cooking is strongest.
- And whenever someone misses the taste of Egypt.
Egyptian food in the Eastern Province
In the Eastern Province, Rokn Warda on Al Yarmouk Street in Al Khobar serves home-style Egyptian food and charcoal grills, with meat that arrives fresh, never frozen. There is a family hall and seating for large groups; order online from the menu for delivery in Al Khobar and Dammam, or book a table. Looking for a restaurant specifically? Read an Egyptian restaurant in Saudi Arabia.
