Mujaddara
Mujaddara is comfort food at its best: earthy lentils and tender rice scented with cumin and a hint of cinnamon, crowned with sweet, deeply caramelized onions. The result is humble but richly savory, with contrasting fluffy grains and crisp onion edges in every bite.
Ingredients
For the lentils and rice
- 140 ggreen lentils
- 100 glong-grain rice
- 750 mlwater
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1/4 tspground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 tspfine salt
- 1/4 tspblack pepper
For the crispy onions
- 300 gonions
- 45 mlolive oil
- 1/4 tspfine salt
To serve
- 1 tspextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the green lentils under cold water. Rinse the rice in 2 to 3 changes of water until the water is less cloudy, then drain well. Peel the onions, halve them, and slice them thinly so they cook evenly and crisp at the same time.
- 2
Place the lentils in a medium saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to a steady simmer and cook for 12 minutes. The lentils should be partly tender but still holding their shape; this prevents them from turning mushy once the rice is added.
- 3
While the lentils simmer, heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and the fine salt. Cook for 14 to 18 minutes, stirring often at first and more frequently as they deepen in color, until deeply golden brown and crisp-edged. Do not rush this step with very high heat or the onions will burn before they sweeten properly.
- 4
When the lentils are ready, stir in the rice, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, fine salt, and black pepper. Return to a gentle boil, then reduce to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- 5
Reserve about one-third of the onions for topping. Add the remaining onions and any oil from the pan to the rice and lentil pot, cover again, and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes. This rest lets the grains finish steaming and makes the texture fluffier.
- 6
Fluff the mujaddara gently with a fork, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon onto plates, top with the reserved crispy onions, and finish with a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil before serving warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •If you have very old lentils, they may need a few extra minutes in the first simmering stage.
- •A wide pan helps the onions caramelize and crisp faster than a small deep pan.
- •Mujaddara is excellent with plain plant-based yogurt, a tomato-cucumber salad, or pickles.
- •Leftovers keep well for 3 days refrigerated and are delicious reheated or eaten at room temperature.
Background
Mujaddara is a beloved Levantine dish made from lentils, rice, and onions, with roots stretching back many centuries. It has long been valued as an affordable, nourishing staple across Lebanon and neighboring countries. Its deep flavor comes from careful onion caramelization rather than expensive ingredients.
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