Print

Mujadara Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 120 reviews

Mujadara is a comforting Middle Eastern dish of tender lentils and rice topped with sweet, caramelized onions. This hearty, flavorful vegetarian meal combines brown or green lentils with brown rice and aromatic spices like cumin and bay leaves, simmered to perfection and garnished with crispy onions and fresh herbs. Perfect as a wholesome main or side dish, Mujadara offers a delicious blend of textures and warm, earthy flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 5 small-medium onions (sliced)
  • 1.5 cups green or brown lentils
  • 1 cup brown rice (or white rice, see notes)
  • 5 to 5 1/2 cups water (divided, see instructions)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt (divided)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare the rice: If using brown rice, soak it in water for 20 minutes, then drain. This helps the rice cook evenly. (For white rice, use a different method as noted below.)
  2. Cook the brown rice: In a large pot, add the soaked brown rice and 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil, then stir in vegetable bouillon powder, 1 tsp salt, black pepper, and bay leaves. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Soak the lentils: While the rice cooks, soak the lentils in cold water for several minutes, then drain. This step helps them cook more evenly and quickly.
  4. Slice the onions: Slice all onions while the rice is cooking. You can use a mix of yellow and red onions or one type according to preference.
  5. Add lentils to the pot: After 20 minutes of rice cooking, add the drained lentils and 3 cups of water to the pot. Stir well, cover, and bring to a boil again. Then reduce heat and simmer covered for 25 minutes.
  6. Caramelize the onions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and stir briefly. Reduce heat to medium, cover the skillet, and cook onions for about 10 minutes until softened. Remove lid, add cumin and remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and continue cooking uncovered for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are deeply caramelized and crispy. Increase heat if a crispier texture is desired.
  7. Check doneness of rice and lentils: When lentil cooking time is done, check if both the rice and lentils are tender. If needed, continue simmering a few more minutes. Then turn off heat and leave pot covered to rest for several minutes.
  8. Finish and serve: Remove bay leaves from the pot. Stir in about two-thirds of the caramelized onions into the lentil and rice mixture. Reserve remaining onions for garnish. Serve Mujadara in bowls with a dollop of dairy-free yogurt if desired, topped with the reserved caramelized onions and fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro for garnish. Enjoy!

Notes

  • White Rice Method: If using white rice instead of brown rice, add lentils and rice to the pot together with 5 cups of water, bouillon, salt, pepper, and bay leaves at the start, then simmer 30–35 minutes until tender.
  • Soaking rice and lentils before cooking helps achieve even cooking and reduces total cooking time.
  • You can adjust the amount of water slightly to achieve your desired texture — more water for softer lentils and rice.
  • Caramelized onions are key to authentic flavor; take your time for best results.
  • Serve with dairy-free yogurt and fresh herbs for a traditional and refreshing finish.

Keywords: Mujadara, lentils and rice, Middle Eastern recipe, caramelized onions, vegetarian dish, healthy lentil recipe

Find it online: https://tastybynova.com/mujadara-recipe/