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.
Jump to:
❤️ 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
📋 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
- Rinse lentils, strain and place in a bowl then cover with hot water. Let lentils soak for 30 minutes.
- In a deep pot over medium 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.
💡 Expert Tips
- Any type of rice will work in this recipe.
- You can also use brown but adjust the water level accordingly.
- Start with 2 1/2 cups of water and check the doneness of the mixture. For a softer mixture, up the water to 3 cups.
💬 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.
⌛ 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.
📣 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.
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!
Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for the FREE Amira's Pantry newsletter delivered to your inbox with lots of tips and surprises! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.
If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.
Mujadara Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown lentils soaked in boiling water
- 1 cup rice
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 yellow onion sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 4 Tablespoons oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Rinse lentils, strain and place in a big bowl and cover with hot water. Let lentils soak for 30 minutes to one hour.
- In a deep pot over medium 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 then bring the mixture to boiling. 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.
- Start with 2 1/2 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.
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!