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–+ servings
lentil and rice mujadara.

Mujadara (Lentils and Rice)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Nico Pallotta

Caramelized Onions

  • 4 large (500 grams) onions white or yellow
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) salt
  • 1 cup (250 grams) water
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) vinegar apple cider or balsamic

Other Ingredients

  • 1 cup (200 grams) dried lentils green or brown + 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to cook them
  • ½ cup (100 grams) basmati rice + 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt to cook them
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 (4) scallions finely chopped (reserve green tops for garnish)
  • 2 cloves (2 cloves) garlic pressed or grated
  • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) paprika
  • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) coriander
  • ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) cumin
  • ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) turmeric powder optional, not traditional
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt or more to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) cilantro chopped, optional

Serving Suggestions

  • CARAMELIZE ONIONS: Slice 4 large onions thinly (1/5 inch or 1/2 cm).
    Sauté in 1 tablespoon olive oil with ¾ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar for 5 minutes.
    Add 1 cup water, reduce heat to medium-low, simmer for 20 minutes until liquid evaporates.
    Increase heat to high, add 1 tablespoon vinegar, and stir for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
    caramelized onions after cooking for 25 minutes.
  • COOK LENTILS: Boil water (4 cups per 1 cup of lentils). Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 cup dried lentils (rinsed).
    Simmer for 15-30 minutes until tender but intact. Drain and set aside.
    COOK RICE: Boil water (3 cups per 1/2 cup of rice). Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
    Add ½ cup basmati rice (rinsed). Boil on low heat for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  • MAKE FLAVOR BASE: Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet.
    Add 4 scallions (chopped, save the tops for garnishing) and sauté for 2 minutes.
    Add 2 cloves garlic (pressed), 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and sauté one more minute or until fragrant.
    Stir in lentils, rice, ½ of the caramelized onions, 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, and 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped), ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
    Sauté in the pan for a few minutes until everything is warm and well combined. Taste and adjust for salt.
    How to make mujadara in a skillet
  • SERVING SUGGESTIONS: We recommend serving it as a centerpiece dish on a large platter, topped with the remaining caramelized onions, scallion tops, and parsley.
    mujadara lentil and rice topped with scallions
  • Also, add lemon wedges and a bowl of Greek-style yogurt or yogurt tahini sauce to pair it with.
    As a side, you can have a refreshing salad like fattoush, Shirazi salad, or cucumber-tomato salad.
    Mujadara served on a spread of labneh on a plate with a fork
Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving of mujadara out of 4 servings without yogurt tahini sauce.
TIP
You can cook the onions, lentils, and rice (steps 1 and 2) up to 3 days in advance and store them in airtight containers in the fridge.
SUBSTITUTIONS
  • Basmati rice: substitute brown basmati rice, long grain rice, short grain rice, jasmine rice, or regular brown rice.
  • Lentils: You can use brown, green, black, and French lentils. You can substitute canned lentils for dried ones. They don’t need to be cooked. Drain and rinse them before adding them to the skillet with the spices.
  • Caramelized onions: Substitute store-bought crispy fried onions.
  • Scallions: Substitute one onion.
  • Spices: Add or remove spices based on your preference, and if you have it in your pantry, substitute the Lebanese seven-spice mix (Bahārāt) for our recommended spices.
  • Cilantro (fresh coriander): Substitute fresh mint.
STORAGE
  • Make ahead: The dish is suitable for meal prep due to its good storage properties. Lentils, rice, and caramelized onions can be prepared 3 days in advance.
  • Refrigeration: Keeps for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
  • Freezing: Can be frozen for up to 3 months after cooling.
  • Thawing: Defrost in refrigerator, then reheat as above.
  • Reheating: Use microwave (2 minutes) or stovetop with olive oil.
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