Our mujadara turns humble lentils, rice, and deeply caramelized onions into a warm, savory one-pot dinner that’s wholesome, satisfying, and packed with flavor.
If you love easy lentil dinners like this mujadara, try our Mediterranean lentils and rice for a quicker weeknight version, fresh lentil tabbouleh, or hearty lentil stuffed peppers.
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Why you’ll love our easy mujadara recipe!
Mujadara is one of those wonderfully simple meals that proves everyday ingredients can make deeply satisfying food. 🧅 Made with lentils, rice, and plenty of caramelized onions, it’s comforting, savory, and full of warm Middle Eastern flavors.
Louise and I love it because it turns affordable pantry staples into a wholesome, nourishing dinner that you can make without hard-to-find ingredients or complicated techniques. 🌿
Lentils make this dish naturally fiber-rich and a good source of plant-based protein, while the rice makes it filling and familiar. It’s a vegetable-forward meal made with simple ingredients and fits beautifully into a balanced, Mediterranean-style way of eating.
Best of all, our version is designed for easy everyday cooking. Everything comes together easily, and those deeply caramelized onions add incredible flavor with very little effort. 🥣 Serve it with a fresh salad or creamy yogurt sauce for a simple, satisfying meal.
P.S: For a Middle Eastern-inspired meal, serve mujadara with crunchy fattoush, creamy hummus, or a generous drizzle of tahini sauce.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Onions: white or yellow onions become sweet, jammy, and deeply browned. Yellow onions are our favorite; sweet onions also work.
- Extra virgin olive oil: adds richness and helps the onions caramelize beautifully. Substitute regular olive oil, avocado oil, or a neutral vegetable oil.
- Sugar: helps the onions caramelize faster and develop a rich color. Substitute brown sugar or honey.
- Vinegar: apple cider vinegar adds brightness; balsamic gives a sweeter, deeper flavor. Substitute red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- Lentils: green or brown lentils hold their shape beautifully in this lentil rice recipe. Canned lentils work too, drain and rinse them well, and there’s no need to cook them first.
- Rice: we love basmati, but almost any rice works, including jasmine, long-grain, brown rice, or leftover cooked rice. Avoid risotto rice, which is too starchy.
- Scallions: add fresh, mild onion flavor. Substitute finely chopped shallot or chives.
- Garlic: adds savory depth. If you’re garlic intolerant, substitute garlic-infused olive oil or simply omit it.
- Spices: paprika, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and black pepper give this Middle Eastern rice dish its warm, aromatic flavor. Turmeric isn’t traditional, but I love adding a little for its wonderful golden color—it makes the whole dish much more appealing.
- Parsley and cilantro: add freshness to the finished rice and lentils. Cilantro is optional, so use parsley alone if you prefer.
- Lemon: a squeeze at the table brightens the earthy lentils and sweet onions. Substitute lime if needed.
- Greek yogurt: adds a cool, creamy contrast. Choose low-fat Greek yogurt or Skyr for even more protein, or upgrade it with our yogurt tahini sauce.
How to Make Mujadara
Step 1. Caramelize the onions
Peel and thinly slice the onions.
Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, sugar, and salt, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the water, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water is gone and the onions are very soft and golden brown.
Turn the heat to high, add the vinegar, and cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Tip: The onions mostly cook on their own, so start the lentils and rice while they simmer.
Step 2. Cook the lentils and rice
Bring two pots of salted water to a boil.
Add the rinsed lentils to one pot and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain well.
Add the rinsed basmati rice to the second pot and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender with a slight bite. Drain well.
One-pot shortcut: If you’re comfortable in the kitchen, you can cook the lentils and rice in the same pot—we often do. Start with the lentils, then when they are about 10 minutes from being tender, add the rinsed rice. Continue cooking until the rice is tender with a slight bite, then drain well. Cooking them separately is easier and more reliable because lentils can vary considerably in cooking time.
Using canned lentils or leftover rice? Even easier. Skip the cooking and go straight to the next step.
Step 3. Add the spices and combine
Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add the scallions, reserving the green tops for garnish, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic, paprika, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and optional turmeric. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
Add the cooked lentils and rice, half of the caramelized onions, parsley, optional cilantro, salt, and black pepper.
Cook for a few minutes, gently stirring, until everything is hot and well combined. Taste and adjust the salt.
Step 4. Garnish and serve
Transfer the mujadara to a large serving platter and top with the remaining caramelized onions, scallion tops, and fresh parsley.
Serve warm with lemon wedges and Greek yogurt or our creamy yogurt tahini sauce.
For a fresh, crunchy contrast, pair this classic Lebanese mujadara with Shirazi salad, fattoush, tahini salad, or cucumber-tomato salad.
Serving Suggestions
- Make it a complete dinner: Serve mujadara with Greek yogurt and a crisp cucumber-tomato salad for an easy, satisfying meal.
- Add more protein: Top each bowl with a fried or jammy egg, or serve with grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp.
- Build a Mediterranean-style bowl: Add chopped tomatoes, cucumber, greens, hummus, feta, lemon wedges, and a spoonful of yogurt tahini sauce.
- Bring it to a potluck: Mujadara travels well and tastes delicious warm or at room temperature. Bring the caramelized onions separately and add them just before serving.
- Meal prep it: Make a batch ahead and portion it into containers with Greek yogurt and fresh vegetables on the side for easy lunches.
- Serve it family-style: Spoon it onto a large platter, pile the caramelized onions on top, and serve with warm pita, yogurt, lemon wedges, and a big salad.
- Turn leftovers into lunch: Reheat them in a skillet or microwave, then add a fried egg, Greek yogurt, or leftover roasted vegetables.
Tips
- Don’t rush the onions: They’re the main flavor-maker. Cook them until very soft, deeply golden, and almost jammy.
- Slice the onions evenly: Similar-size slices cook at the same rate, so you don’t end up with some burnt while others are still pale.
- Use green or brown lentils: They hold their shape after cooking. Avoid red lentils, which break down and become mushy.
- Watch the lentils, not just the clock: Lentils vary considerably in cooking time. Drain them when tender but still holding their shape.
- Keep the rice slightly firm: Cook it until tender with a little bite so it doesn’t become mushy when you combine everything.
- For beginners, cook rice and lentils separately: It’s the easiest way to get both textures right. If cooking them together, give the lentils a head start and add the rice for the final minutes.
- Drain everything well: Excess cooking water can make the finished mujadara wet and heavy rather than fluffy.
- Toast the spices briefly: About a minute in olive oil wakes up their aroma, but keep stirring so the garlic and spices don’t burn.
- Save plenty of onions for the top: Mixing some into the lentils and rice gives you flavor throughout; piling the rest on top gives you that signature sweet, savory finish.
- Finish with something fresh: Lemon, parsley, scallions, and Greek yogurt balance the earthy lentils and rich caramelized onions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Drain and rinse them well, then skip cooking the lentils and add them when you combine everything in the skillet. This makes lentils with rice and onions especially quick for a weeknight dinner.
Absolutely. Leftover rice works very well. Skip the rice-cooking step and add it to the skillet with the cooked lentils.
Yes, but the timing takes a little practice. Start cooking the lentils first, then add the rinsed rice when the lentils have about as much cooking time left as the rice needs.
For example, basmati rice takes about 10-12 minutes, so add it when the lentils are roughly 10 minutes from tender. If your rice takes longer, add it earlier.
For beginners, we recommend cooking them separately because lentils can vary considerably in cooking time.
No. The sugar helps the onions brown and caramelize more quickly, but you can leave it out and cook the onions a little longer.
We like it warm or at room temperature. This makes Middle Eastern lentils and rice particularly convenient for meal prep, potlucks, and packed lunches.
Let leftovers cool, then refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet with a small splash of water.
You can also freeze mujadara for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat until hot. If possible, add fresh parsley, lemon, and Greek yogurt after reheating.
More wholesome lentil recipes
- Lentil Curry
- Lentil Bolognese
- Lentil Salad
- Lentil Patties
- Lentil Meatballs
- Lentil Loaf
- Lentil Chili
- Mediterranean Lentil and Orzo
If you try this Mujadara Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Mujadara (Lentils and Rice)
Video
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
- 4 large onions white or yellow
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vinegar apple cider or balsamic
Mujadara
- 1 cup dried lentils green or brown, or 2 (15-oz /400 g) cans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup basmati rice or 1½ cups / 300 g cooked rice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 scallions finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder optional
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped, optional
- 1 lemon and Greek yogurt for serving
Instructions
- Caramelize the onions: Peel and thinly slice 4 large onions. Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.Add onions, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ¾ teaspoon salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add 1 cup water, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 20 minutes until the water is gone and the onions are very soft and golden brown.Turn heat to high, add 1 tablespoon vinegar, and cook for 2 minutes. Set aside.
- Cook the lentils and rice: While the onions cook, bring two pots of salted water to a boil.Add 1 cup dried lentils (rinsed) to one pot and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain well.Add ½ cup basmati rice (rinsed) to the other pot and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until tender with a slight bite. Drain well.Using canned lentils or cooked rice? Skip boiling them and add them directly in the next step.
- Add the spices and combine: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add 4 scallions (chopped), saving the green tops for garnish, and cook for 2 minutes.Add 2 cloves garlic (grated), 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.Add lentils, rice, half the caramelized onions, 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, optional cilantro, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for a few minutes until hot and well combined. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Garnish and serve: Transfer the mujadara to a serving platter and top with the remaining caramelized onions, scallion tops, and parsley.Serve warm with lemon wedges and Greek yogurt or yogurt tahini sauce.
Notes
- Onions → Sweet onions.
- Extra virgin olive oil → Regular olive oil, avocado oil, or neutral vegetable oil.
- Sugar → Brown sugar or honey.
- Vinegar → Apple cider, balsamic, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice.
- Lentils → Green or brown lentils, or canned lentils (drained and rinsed; no cooking needed).
- Rice → Jasmine, long-grain, brown, or leftover cooked rice. Avoid risotto rice.
- Scallions → Finely chopped shallot or chives.
- Garlic → Garlic-infused olive oil, or omit.
- Spices → Turmeric is optional and not traditional.
- Parsley and cilantro → Use parsley alone if you don’t like cilantro.
- Lemon → Lime.
- Greek yogurt → Low-fat Greek yogurt, Skyr, or yogurt tahini sauce.
- Don’t rush the onions: Cook until deeply golden, soft, and jammy.
- Slice onions evenly: They’ll caramelize more consistently.
- Choose the right lentils: Green or brown hold their shape; avoid red.
- Watch the texture: Lentils should be tender, and rice should retain a slight bite.
- Cook separately if unsure: It’s the easiest way to get both lentils and rice just right.
- Drain well: Excess water can make mujadara heavy and wet.
- Toast the spices: One minute in olive oil brings out their aroma.
- Save onions for topping: You want those sweet, caramelized onions in every serving.
- Finish fresh: Lemon, herbs, and Greek yogurt balance the rich flavors.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Don’t Lose This Recipe
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
I tried a Mujadara cookbook version unsuccessfully and dismissed the NYTimes version as likely bland before finding this one. I love Nico’s version for the warm, spiced goodness and rich multilayer flavours and eye-pleasing colours. Sugar and balsamic to caramelise and flavour, good one Nico!
I used the seasoned lentil water to boil the rice. The basmati came out tender and separated nicely. The turmeric eventually adds colour to the rice so I didn’t care about the lentil water staining the white grains.
It did make me wonder if boiling the rice and lentils can be combined in step 2 to save time/effort with the same result?
Hi Bryan, thank you so much for the thoughtful feedback! I love the idea of using the seasoned lentil water for the rice.
When we tested cooking the rice and lentils together, the lentils lost their al dente bite and rice became too musshy, so I can’t confidently recommend it.
So happy you enjoyed Nico’s version, we are really happy you are here cooking with us.
Kindest,
Louise
I prefer Beluga or the French lentils.. neither of which breakdown when cooked. For spicing I like avatar.
going on a ten day canoe trip in sept , I made this and dehydrating it for a couple of backcountry meals
This dish has amazing flavor using simple ingredients. I am new to cooking so it takes me much longer than the estimated times. I love this recipe and the plant based site, in general . Yum!
How many cans of cooked lentils should I use and how much cooked rice is needed? I have leftover rice from another meal and would like to use that.
Hi Amy!
If you’re using shortcuts, I’d actually recommend following our Mediterranean Lentils and Rice recipe instead, as it’s designed for 2 cans of lentils and 1½ cups cooked rice.
It has the same flavors but is made specifically with pre-cooked ingredients, so it’s a perfect fit for what you have. The recipe is right here: https://theplantbasedschool.com/mediterranean-lentils-and-rice/
Enjoy 🙂
Maybe my onions are just very sweet? But I deeply regret adding the sugar. The resulting dish is entirely too sweet and it overpowers everything but the cinnamon.
I used regular yellow onions (not vidalia which are very sweet), but maybe should have used white onions which are less sweet.
Or cut it to a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon.
This is….not good. The idea seemed good. So if you’re feeling doubt about the sugar…..skip it or do a teaspoon. You could more later if you truly felt it was needed, but you can’t take it out once it’s in there and now I have to figure out how to eat it.
Hi Meli, thanks for sharing your experience.
I’m sorry the mujadara turned out sweeter than expected. The tablespoon of sugar is traditionally used to help caramelize the onions and balance their savory flavor, but sweetness can vary quite a bit depending on the onions and personal taste. You can absolutely reduce it to 1 teaspoon or omit it altogether next time and still get good results. I appreciate your feedback!!
This was really delicious! My children devoured it! It warms you from the inside due to the spices; it feels healthy AND delicious. Thank you!
This was absolutely delicious.
Whoever was saying the seasonings are too much, probably didn’t even try the recipe. The caramelized onions add a great twist and flavor. Who is to say there is only one way to make mujadara. This varioution was absolutely mouth watering. Even my kids loved it and we will absolutely make it again and try more of your recipes which all look delicious.
Hi Noreen, thank you for taking the time to write this. I’m especially glad your kids enjoyed it too.
And I agree, there isn’t just one way to make mujadara—this is simply our version 😉
Have a great rest of your day. Kindest,
Louise
My house smells so delicious and fragrant.
The taste was an explosion of flavours and warmth!
I added spinach and grated carrot so I can make these into wraps for meal prep.
I’m always looking for tasty and lip smacking recipes using lentils and this one will be added to my rotation and Pinterest board!
Love this recipe! So comforting and hearty. I made it with red lentils by mistake and it was still amazing, a bit more creamy – and I kinda like it better that way! It’s an amazingly forgiving dish with wonderful flavors I keep going back to.