Mujadara a simple yet satisfying lentil and rice dish garnished with crispy caramelized onions. This easy meatless meal is also gluten free and budget friendly. Mujadara is one of the oldest dishes from the Levant area and is referred to as the cousin of Koshari.
Making mujadara easily done in one pan has been a game changer for me all you need is just 30 minutes, after soaking the lentils, and your dinner is ready. This Lebanese dish is full of flavor from the onions and ground cumin and makes a healthy and delicious dinner.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
- A classic Lebanese dinner idea.
- Budget friendly meal.
- Full of fiber so it's healthy and will fill you up.
- Delicious vegan dinner.
- All made in one pot so it is easy clean up.
If you're looking for a meatless dinner idea, mujadara is a good choice. Experience this Middle Eastern classic at home. Simple ingredients are combined but yet each bite delivers well-balanced flavor of the rice, lentils and onions and the pan fried crispy caramelized onions can't be beat!
📝 Ingredients
Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📋 Ingredient Notes
- Green lentils: Has a nice texture and holds up when cooked with the rice.
- Rice: Any kind of rice can be used such as Basmati or brown rice.
- Onions: Large yellow onions are a common onion and with a light mild flavor makes it perfect for many recipes.
- Salt: Brings out the flavor of lentils and rice.
- Cumin: Adds a nice seasoning mix with the salt.
- Oil: Used to sauté and pan fry the crispy onions.
🥄 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Rinse lentils, drain and place in a bowl then cover with hot water. Let lentils soak for 30 minutes.
- In a deep pot over medium-high heat, fry sliced onions in oil until golden brown.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate with a paper towel.
- In the same pot sauté the chopped onions until browned,
- Add in rice and stir to coat rice with oil.
- Drain lentils and add them in the pot with cumin and salt, stir to combine.
- Add hot water, mix well then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until cooked. Serve topped with fried onions.
💡 Amira's Tips
- Any type of rice will work in this recipe.
- You can also use brown but adjust the water level accordingly.
- Start with 2 ½ cups of water and check the doneness of the mixture. For a softer mixture, up the water to 3 cups.
⌛ Make Ahead
An hour before you start dinner, get the lentils soaking in hot water.
🍽️ Serve With
Mujadara is hearty enough to serve by itself or even better with a salad or side of Greek yogurt.
🧺 Storage
Place any leftover mujadara in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days.
💬 FAQs
I prefer green lentils or brown as they hold their texture much better when making mujadara. Red lentils tend to become very soft and it is recommend not to use them when making this recipe.
Lentils can be soaked up to about 3 days. Longer than that the beans will get soft and may start to rot. Also keep in mind, the longer you soak them, the quicker they may disintegrate and get mushy when cooked. Always follow the recipe recommendation for best results.
📣 Related Recipes
- Here is a roasted rice recipe garnished with toasted nuts and sweet raisins.
- Learn how to easily cook Basmati white rice in the instant pot.
- Another favorite rice recipe known as Lebanese rice or vermicelli rice, is a rice I grew up eating every day.
- Here is an authentic koshari recipe with all the tips and tricks to get the best koshari on the table.
I hope you'll like this recipe and please if you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #amiraspantry — I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter!
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Mujadara Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown lentils soaked in boiling water
- 4 Tablespoons oil
- 2 yellow onion sliced
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup rice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ to 3 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Rinse lentils, drain and place in a big bowl then cover with hot water. Let lentils soak for 30 minutes to one hour.
- In a deep pot over medium-high heat, fry sliced onions in oil until golden brown, remove from pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels. (10 minutes)
- In the same pot sauté the chopped onions until browned, add in rice and stir to coat rice with oil.
- Drain lentils and add them in the pot with cumin and salt, stir to combine.
- Add hot water, mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until cooked.
- Serve mujadara topped with crispy onions.
Notes
- Any type of rice will work in this recipe.
- You can also use brown rice but adjust the water level accordingly.
- Use any oil you have but olive oil is more traditional.
- Some people like to add freshly ground black pepper or a dash of cinnamon too.
- Start with 2 ½ cups of water and check the doneness of the mixture. For a softer mixture, up the water to 3 cups.
- Place any leftover mujadara in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
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👩🏫 My Personal Experience
I had my first Mujadara when I was maybe 10 years old at a Lebanese friend's home, it was so good and the onion was caramelized to perfections.
At that time we had another friend with us from Palestine and I remember they were arguing is mujadara better with bulgur or rice? Also my Palestinian friend liked it more when the spices included a dash of cinnamon.
So you see every part, or even family, of the Levant area has its own recipe and liking. So here is my take on the mujadara recipe so feel free to add more or less spices as you prefer.
Jennifer
This was so yummy!! My family is often wary when I try new vegetarian meals, but they loved this. My husband wants it to be on regular rotation. Thank you so much.
Amira
So glad your family liked it Jennifer. Thanks for the feedback
Anna Likousis
Lovely recipe
Laila Hosny
Hi Amira, this is amazing recipe. I like the way you browned the onions, it reminds me of my grandma and how we would gather just to taste these crunchy golden-brownish onions. Thank you for the recipe and detailed steps!