Lentil Mujadara Rice
A comforting Middle Eastern classic featuring perfectly spiced rice, tender lentils, and 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 cinnamon
- •1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- •1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- •2 cups water or vegetable broth (480ml)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer, place them in a medium pot with 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes until just tender but not mushy; drain and set aside.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the sliced onions, and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes until deeply golden brown and caramelized.
- 3
Remove about a third of the caramelized onions with a slotted spoon and reserve them on a paper towel for the final garnish.
- 4
Add the rinsed rice, cooked lentils, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt directly into the remaining onions and oil in the skillet, stirring gently for 2 minutes to toast the grains.
- 5
Pour in the 2 cups of water or vegetable broth, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- 6
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and let it simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes.
- 7
Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered, for 10 more minutes to steam the rice and lentils to perfection.
- 8
Fluff the mujadara gently with a fork, transfer to a serving platter, and top with the reserved crispy caramelized onions.
💡 Chef tips
- For extra depth of flavor, use vegetable or chicken broth instead of plain water.
- Make sure to caramelize the onions low and slow; burning them will cause a bitter taste.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat with a splash of water.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished dish should feature fluffy, aromatic grains mingled with tender lentils, crowned with sweet, rich caramelized onions that offer a delightful contrast in texture and deep savory flavor.