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Lebanese Mujadara

Lebanese Mujadara

Lebanese Mujadara is a flavorful lentils and rice dish topped with crispy caramelized onions, perfect for a vegan and protein-rich meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Entree
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 8 servings
Calories 386 kcal

Equipment

  • Anodized Nonstick Cookware

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup long grain or basmati white rice rinsed
  • 4.5 cups water plus more for soaking the rice
  • 0.5 cup olive oil
  • 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
  • 2 cups brown lentils rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cumin

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, cover the rice with cold water. Set aside.
  • Line a plate with two paper towels. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are deeply browned and start to crisp around the edges, about 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the plate and set aside. They will continue to crisp as they cool. Reserve the oil from cooking the onions.
  • Add the lentils to another pot, add water and stir to combine. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 15 minutes.
  • Drain the soaked rice, rinse and transfer it to the pot with the lentils along with the salt. Stir once, then cover again with a tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the heat. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes longer. Add the cumin and fluff the rice and lentils with a fork to combine.
  • Pour the reserved oil on top of the mujadara. Then spoon the crispy onions on top. Serve warm, with cucumber yogurt sauce if desired.

Notes

Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 4-5 days in the fridge. You can freeze the mujadara for up to 3 months. To re-heat, thaw in the fridge overnight and microwave until heated through. You can chop the onions in advance up to a day before and even caramelize the sliced onions beforehand in order to reduce the prep time. You can find the brown and green lentils at Middle Eastern markets, natural-foods stores or even in large supermarkets, often located with other Middle Eastern ingredients. For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe: Instead of brown lentils, you can use green lentils. Instead of white rice, you can use brown rice or bulgur/cracked wheat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 14gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 534mgFiber: 15gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 26IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 4mg
Keyword carmelized onions, Lebanese Mujadara, lentils, protein-rich, rice, vegan
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