Mujadara really impresses me — I can’t believe how easy it is! I love how I can bring lentils, rice, and fried onions together to make a dish that is SUPER simple yet incredibly delicious.
Mujadara Recipe
Mujadara is basically a lentil and rice dish that is not only popular in Lebanon but also in all of the Middle East.
It is an easy, flavorful meatless dish, seasoned with cumin and topped with crunchy fried onions.
I highly recommend serving it with Haydari (Turkish Yogurt Dipping Sauce), Sriracha Carrot Hummus or Egyptian Tahini Sauce.
You'll Need
Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Lentils. I used brown lentils, green lentils also work fine in this recipe.
- Rice. I use long grain rice because it stays fluffy after cooking.
- Ground cumin.
- Olive oil. frying onions in olive oil give this dish a rich flavor.
- Onions. The more onions in the recipe, the better it tastes. For that reason, in addition to adding diced onion to the rice and lentils, I also topped it with fried sliced onions.
- Fresh parsley (optional): To garnish.
How To Make Lebanese Mujadara?
First, you need to know that the process of frying the onion is a little bit long; it may take more than 15-20 minutes on medium heat.
Now, let's break down the process:
One: Rinse both lentils and rice separately. Make sure to rinse them well.
Two: Put the lentils in a large pot with 5-6 cups of water and bring them to a boil. Simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the lentils are not fully cooked, then drain.
Three: Now, add the chopped onions to a large pot, add half of the oil and saute over medium heat until softened (for 1-2 minutes).
Four: Add the rice and lentil to the onions in the pot and season with salt and cumin.
Five: Add the water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 18-20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside, covered.
Six: In a skillet, heat the remaining oil on medium heat and add the sliced onions; fry for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.
Pro Tip: If you prefer softer caramelized onions, sauté them over medium heat for about 10 minutes, then reduce to low heat and cook for another 10–15 minutes until golden and tender.
Seven: Serve the cooked rice and lentil mixture on a serving plate, top it with fried onions, garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy.
Pro Tips
- The most common way in which people make the flavor of Mujadara vary is by changing the ratio of rice to lentils. I use 1:3; for every part rice, I use 3 parts lentil, which I find perfect. You may change that to your liking.
- Rinse the rice well to remove excess starch so it stays fluffy.
- Avoid red lentils. Their softer texture will make this dish mushy.
- For a deep flavor, fry your onion on low-medium heat and absolutely avoid high heat.
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Lebanese Mujadara Recipe
Equipment
- Pot
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups brown lentils
- ½ cup long grain rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 4 onions, 3 chopped, and 1 sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse both lentils and rice separately and rinse well. Also, chop3 onions and slice one.
- Put the lentils in a large pot with 5-6 cups of water and bring to a boil, simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the lentils ( not fully cooked), then drain.
- Now, add the chopped onion to a large pot, add half of the oil and saute over medium heat until softened (for 1-2 minutes).
- Add the rice to the onion in the pot and season with salt and cumin.
- Add the lentil and water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 18-20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside covered.
- In a skillet, heat the remaining oil on medium heat and add the sliced onions; fry for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve the cooked rice and lentil mixture on a serving plate, top it with fried onions, garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy.
Carol says
delicious Lebanese food! Thanks for sharing this recipe.