Egyptian Sogo' | Beef Sausage

Egyptian Sogo' | Beef Sausage

Egyptian sausage, known as sogo’ is a flavorful street food staple made from spiced beef sausage cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce with onions, peppers, and garlic. It’s especially popular in Alexandria and Cairo, often served hot inside fino bread as a quick sandwich. At home, sogo’ can also be paired with roz bil shareya (rice with vermicelli) for a heartier meal, making it a versatile dish that captures the bold, savory flavors of Egyptian cuisine.

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Ingredients

(Seasonings should be added to taste.)

  For the Sausage:

• olive oil

• one pound beef sausage

• one yellow onion, sliced

• 6 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 green bell peppers

• 2 chili peppers

• 4 tomatoes, finely diced

• white vinegar

• ground coriander

• ground cumin

• sea salt

• black pepper

• fresh parsley, chopped

For the Vermicelli Rice:

• clarified butter

• 1 cup vermicelli

• 1 cup Egyptian rice, medium grain

• approximately 3 cups water

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Instructions

Preparing the Sausage

Begin by heating a pan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Fry the beef sausage for a few minutes on each side until lightly browned, but do not worry about fully cooking it yet. Once it develops some color, remove the sausage from the pan and set it aside.

Making the Sauce

In the same pan, add sliced onions and minced garlic, frying them for several minutes until fragrant. Next, add sliced green bell peppers, followed by chili peppers if you prefer extra heat. Allow the peppers to soften slightly before adding finely diced tomatoes and a splash of white vinegar. Season the mixture with ground coriander, ground cumin, sea salt, and black pepper. Add a splash of water, stir everything together well, and let the sauce simmer for 5–7 minutes until it begins to thicken.

Combining the Sausage and Sauce

Return the browned sausage to the pan and stir to coat it evenly in the sauce. Let everything cook together for 10–15 minutes, allowing the sausage to become fully cooked and tender while absorbing the rich flavors of the sauce.

Preparing Roz bil Shareya

Traditionally, sogo’ is eaten in fino bread as street food. Since we’re preparing it at home, we’ll serve it with roz bil shareya (rice with vermicelli). To make it, start by frying vermicelli in semna (clarified butter) for a few minutes, stirring frequently until the noodles turn golden brown. Add washed Egyptian medium-grain rice, mix well, and let it sit for about one minute. Pour in just enough water to cover the rice by no more than ½ inch. Once the pot reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let it cook for about 12 minutes. When finished, gently fluff the rice.

Serving the Dish

Once the sogo’ is ready, it should be coated in the flavorful sauce and tender to the bite. To serve, scoop a portion of roz bil shareya into a bowl, then pile the sogo’ on top. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and your Egyptian sogo’ with rice is ready to enjoy.