Description
A traditional Lebanese dish of lentils, rice, and caramelized onions – simple, hearty, and deeply flavorful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
- Yogurt or labneh (optional for non-vegan version)
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils under cold water and set aside.
- Thinly slice the onions for caramelizing.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 20–30 minutes. Remove half of the onions and set aside for garnish.
- In a large pot, add the rinsed lentils and 4 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Add the rinsed rice to the pot with lentils. Stir in caramelized onions (reserve some for garnish), cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, or until rice is fully cooked and flavors have melded. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Fluff Mujadara with a fork. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve with reserved caramelized onions on top and garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
Notes
For deeper flavor, cook the onions slowly over medium heat until deeply caramelized. Use vegetable broth instead of water for extra richness. Rinse the rice thoroughly to avoid a gummy texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: mujadara, lentils, Lebanese, rice, vegan, gluten-free