Mujadara is a simple Lebanese lentil and rice dish with crispy onions that's packed with flavor. This lentils and rice recipe calls for only a few ingredients and is very easy to make.
The recipes I have on this blog tend to be simple yet really delicious and this mujadara is no different. Just like Lebanese vermicelli rice, Turkish rice pilaf with orzo or Persian lentil rice, this dish is also made with a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand. It's an inexpensive dish that comes together in no time. Your whole family will love it!
Table Of Contents:
What Is Mujadara?
Mujadara, also known as mujaddara, , mujadarah, mejadra, mudardara and moujadara, is a lentil and rice dish of originating in the Levant. One of the first mujadara recipes was found in Iraq and included rice, lentils and meat.
Mujaddara used to be served as a celebration dish but when served without meat was considered a meal for poor people. This easy vegan recipe will amaze you by how simple yet outstanding it is. Once you give it a try, you will always go back for seconds and thirds!
Mujadara Ingredients
- Rice: This dish is made with white rice and you can use long grain or short grain. My preference is basmati rice because it gets nice and fluffy after cooking. If you prefer using brown rice, you need to adjust the cooking time as it will take longer to cook.
- Lentils: Traditionally, you need dark brown lentils for mujadara which are a bit difficult to find in regular supermarkets, but they are available online or at Middle Eastern shops. Here I used regular green lentils that you can find in every supermarket. Both green and brown lentils would work for this recipe but make sure not to use red lentils.
- Spices: You need a combination of salt, cinnamon and cumin. If you're not a fan of cinnamon you can just leave it out.
- Onion: All the flavor of this dish comes from the onions. Use at least 4 onions for this recipe. You need two to cook with the rice and lentils and two to fry and top the dish.
How To Make Mujadara
- Heat some olive oil over medium heat and start frying the sliced onions until they are golden brown. Fried onions are what bring so much flavor to this lentil and rice recipe.
- Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion and once it's golden, add in lentils and give it a nice stir for about two minutes.
- Add in the rice and cook for about a minute. Season with cumin, cinnamon and salt and then add the water.
- Bring to a simmer and then cover and cook until lentils and rice are fully cooked. If the water is completely absorbed but the rice and lentils are not fully cooked, add ⅛ cup more water and cook for some more minutes.
- Once the rice and lentils are completely cooked, let the lentil and rice sit for a few minutes. Fill a platter with mujadara and then top it with the fried onion. Serve warm.
Tips To Make Mujadara
- Fried onion: The key is to fry the onions on medium heat and keep a close eye on them. You don't want them to be super soft and mushy, you want them to keep their shape yet be all golden and brown. We will top our our dish with this fried onion.
- Quality ingredients: This recipe uses a handful of simple ingredients therefore its best to find use the best quality available to get the best flavor.
- Let it rest: This will allow the flavors to come together and the dish would taste better.
Serving Suggestions
Mujadara is a complete meal on its own and it would go so well with a bowl of yogurt (check out my instructions to make homemade yogurt) or fresh salad such as fattoush or salad shirazi. You can also serve mujaddara with some grilled chicken, lamb or beef. It even makes a great side dish for beef shish kabob with toum or chicken shish kabob.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the mujadara in a pan and add 2 tablespoons water. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until completely heated through.
Rice and lentil freezes so well. Therefore you can make a big batch and use some for your meal prep and freeze the rest. Simply transfer the rice and lentils into freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, you can either use a microwave or transfer the rice to a small pot and add ⅓ cup water, cover and heat over medium low until warm and heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
You sure can. Mujadara is typically made with long grain rice such as basmati rice but you can use jasmine or even brown rice. However, you should modify the cooking time and the amount of water according to the type of rice you use.
Absolutely! You can make mujadara ahead of time and simply heat it right before serving. However, I strongly suggest you make the caramelized onion fresh as it will taste so much better. You can make the caramelized onion as the rice is heating.
While some recommend doing so, I don't find it very necessary. If you have the time, soak them for 30 minutes or so, however, you will have equally delicious mujadara if you don't soak the lentils and rice.
More lentil recipes
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Mujadara Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Crispy Onions
Ingredients
Caramelized Onion
- 5 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions thinly sliced
Mujadara
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions chopped
- 1 ½ cup lentils
- 1 ½ cup long grain rice
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 cups water
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Caramelized onion
- Heat olive oil over in a pan over medium heat. Cook onions until brown and golden. Set aside.
Mujadara
- Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Saute onion until golden brown.
- Add in lentils and cook for two to three minutes.
- Add rice, cumin and cinnamon to the lentils. Stir well so everything is completely combined.
- Pour water into the pot with salt, bring to simmer and let it cook for about 30-40 minutes until the lentil and rice is completely cooked.
- Mix the lentils and rice with caramelized onion and serve with plain yogurt and salad.
Notes
- You can use jasmine or brown rice for Mujadara recipe but cooking time will be different.
- Check the rice after 30 minutes and if it's not cooked, add ¼ cup more water.
- You can use other kinds of rice such as medium grain rice or even brown rice. Remember the cooking time and the amount of water used would vary depending on the type of rice you're using.
- Freezing instructions: Transfer the rice and lentils into freezer safe containers and freeze for up to three months. To serve, you can either use a microwave or transfer the rice to a small pot and add ⅓ cup water, cover and heat over medium low until warm and heated through.
Rajma
This is a favourite of mine, which we have with leftover roast lamb, usually with shawarma spices. Great with a bit of hummus, shatta, toum, pita, pickles and a cucumber, tomato and red onion salad.
I would never chance the “if the rice and lentils aren’t cooked, add some water” method though. Rice and lentils cook at different rates and in different ways. I cook my rice (with vermicelli of course) by the absorption method, so no more than 10 minutes, and the lentils separately. You can use ready cooked lentils too I suppose.
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe alhamdullillah.
Marsha
Absolutely delicious! Loved the addition of caramelized onions.
Nellie Tracy
These is an amazing dish! Such a great blend of flavors. Will be making often
San
It sounds like you should mix the lentils with the onions and cook altogether but then in end days mix in onions. Didn’t read recipe entire way through and mixed everything together in beginning so not sure
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Please follow the recipe as instructed.
Daniel Danieli
To prevent gas from lentils, try avoiding canned lentils that are high in sodium. The salty brine in canned legumes is often the culprit of gas complaints. Instead, make your own lentils at home. You can buy dried lentils and soak them in water overnight prior to cooking. This is believed to make lentils easier to digest and therefore less likely to cause gas. Sprouted lentils may also be easier to digest.
Despite being one of the top foods that cause bloating and gas, lentils are a tasty source of vital nutrients. Rather than eliminating them from your diet, introduce them slowly and take digestive aids as needed. You will love to eat it but the side reaction might cause you to hate it. SOAK THE LENTILS AS IT WILL HELP WITH DIGESTION.
Zinat Bhanji
Which lentils did you use
Charlie Daniels
We transfered in into a rice cooker and it was soggy rice. Should we have reduced the water or only cook on stove? Thanks,
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
If cooking in the rice cooker, you need to reduce the water. On the stove, add the water as instructed. The final product will be somehow sticky.
Charlie Daniels
Do you need to soak the lentils first?
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
No need to soak the lentils.
Madeline
Are the rice and lentils suppose to cook without a lid?
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Yes, you need to cover the pot with a lid.
Augusta
What salad best goes with this meal? I plan to make it.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
A Fattoush or tabbouli would be best!
Justine
Such an easy meal and tastes delicious! Thanks for an awesome recipe!