Lentil Mujadara Rice
A comforting Middle Eastern classic featuring perfectly spiced rice, tender lentils, and a generous topping of deeply caramelized onions.
Ingredients
- •1 cup brown or green lentils (200g)
- •1 cup long-grain white rice or basmati rice (200g)
- •3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- •1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (60ml)
- •1 teaspoon ground cumin
- •1 teaspoon ground coriander
- •1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- •1.5 teaspoons salt
- •1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- •1.5 cups water or vegetable broth (360ml)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the brown or green lentils in cold water, place them in a medium pot with 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until just tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
- 2
While the lentils cook, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat and add the thinly sliced onions.
- 3
Cook the onions, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes until they are deeply browned, sweet, and caramelized; transfer about one-third of the crispy onions to a paper towel-lined plate for garnish.
- 4
Rinse the long-grain rice thoroughly until the water runs clear.
- 5
Add the rinsed rice, cooked lentils, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, salt, and black pepper directly into the pot with the remaining caramelized onions and oil.
- 6
Pour in the 1.5 cups of water or vegetable broth, give everything a gentle stir, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 7
Once boiling, cover the pot tightly with a lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and let it steam undisturbed for 15 minutes.
- 8
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.
- 9
Fluff the mujadara gently with a fork and top with the reserved caramelized onions before serving.
💡 Chef tips
- For extra depth of flavor, use a rich vegetable broth instead of water to cook the rice and lentils.
- Store leftover mujadara in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat with a splash of water.
- Serve alongside a fresh cucumber and tomato salad and a dollop of tahini for a complete meal.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished dish features fluffy, fragrant grains of rice mingled with tender lentils, crowned with sweet, dark-brown caramelized onions that add a rich, savory depth.