Lebanese Mujadara Recipe
Lebanese Mujadara is a hearty, comforting dish made with tender lentils, fluffy rice, and sweet, crispy caramelized onions. This traditional Middle Eastern recipe combines simple ingredients into a flavorful, nutritious meal that’s perfect for a satisfying vegetarian option. The key to its deliciousness lies in slow-cooked lentils and the deeply browned onions that add a delightful crunch and sweetness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Lebanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Rice and Lentils
- 1 cup long grain or basmati white rice, rinsed
- 2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 4 ½ cups water, plus more for soaking the rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
Onions and Oil
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Soak the Rice: In a medium bowl, cover the rice with cold water and set aside to soak. This helps the rice cook evenly and results in a better texture.
- Caramelize the Onions: Line a plate with two paper towels. Heat olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring constantly, until they become deeply browned and start to crisp around the edges, about 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the onions to the towel-lined plate to drain and crisp further. Reserve the cooking oil for later.
- Cook the Lentils: In another pot, combine rinsed lentils with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Let cook for 15 minutes until lentils are partially tender.
- Add Rice and Salt: Drain and rinse the soaked rice. Add it to the pot with lentils along with the salt. Stir once, cover with the lid again, and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes, allowing the rice and lentils to finish cooking together.
- Rest and Fluff: Remove the pot from heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Add cumin and gently fluff the mixture with a fork to combine the flavors and separate the grains and lentils.
- Serve with Onions: Drizzle the reserved onion-cooking oil over the mujadara, then top with the crispy caramelized onions. Serve warm, optionally accompanied by cucumber yogurt sauce for added freshness and creaminess.
Notes
- Use basmati rice for a more fragrant and fluffy result.
- Cooking the onions slowly is key to developing the signature sweet, caramelized flavor and crunchy texture.
- Do not stir the rice and lentils once you start cooking them together to avoid breaking the grains.
- Leftover mujadara can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated with a splash of water to restore moisture.
- For a vegan option, serve without yogurt sauce or use a plant-based alternative.
Keywords: Lebanese Mujadara, Mujadara recipe, lentils and rice, caramelized onions, vegetarian Middle Eastern dish
Find it online: https://messykitchenmagic.com/lebanese-mujadara-recipe/
