Mujadara Recipe {Lentils and Rice}

overhead view of mujadara with fresh parsley on top

5 from 5 votes

Mujadara Recipe {Lentils and Rice}

Enjoy authentic Mujadara, a delicious Middle Eastern dish of lentils, rice, and caramelized onions. Try our easy recipe for a healthy, vegan meal.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Soaking time30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keyword: lentils recipe, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe

Servings:

Calories: 376kcal

Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups green lentils
3/4 cup medium grain rice (Calrose brand)
2 large yellow onions
1/4 cup olive oil
3-4 cups water
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

Look through the lentils and pick out any stones. Rinse the lentils with water and drain. Place in a large bowl. 1 1/2 cups green lentils
In a medium pot, heat 4 cups of water to steaming over medium-high heat. It doesn't have to boil, but should be very hot.
Pour the hot, steaming water over the lentils. Set aside to rest.
Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. 3/4 cup medium grain rice
Peel the onions, then slice them in half. Then slice each half in thin slices. 2 large yellow onions
Pour about 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet. Set to medium heat. Add the sliced onions. Allow the onions to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are caramelized. They’ll be deeply brown and crisp. (You can make them as crispy as you'd like, but I love them the way Doris taught us to make them...very dark brown!) Remove the onions and set aside. 1/4 cup olive oil
Remove the pan from the heat and allow any remaning oil in the pan to cool.
Add water to the skillet. (Start with 3 cups.) (Make sure the pan & oil are cool before adding water or it may spit at you and burn you.) 3-4 cups water
Rinse and drain the lentils that have been heating in hot water. Add the lentils to the skillet. The water should be about 1” above the lentils. Add more water if needed. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
Rinse and drain the rice, then add the rice to the lentils. Mix well. Add cumin and salt. Mix again. 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Cover and cook until the rice is tender. (About 10 minutes.) The water should be completely absorbed. If it isn't, you can drain off any liquid.
Place the lentils in a serving dish and top with the caramelized onions. Serve immediately. Add more salt to taste.

Video

Notes

Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 6, with 1 serving being 1/6 of the recipe. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition