Mujadara Recipe
This Middle Eastern Mujadara recipe combines lentils and rice with simple seasonings cooked until tender then topped with plenty of caramelized onions! The result is a hearty side dish or main packed with flavor that’s naturally vegan and gluten-free!
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 5 small-medium (500 g) onions sliced
- 1.5 cups (300 g) green or brown lentils
- 1 cup (180 g) brown rice or white rice (see notes)
- 5-5 1/2 cups water divided (see instructions)
- 1 tbsp veggie bouillon powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt divided
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.If using brown rice, I recommend soaking it for 20 minutes before you start making the recipe, then drain. Read the notes below for the white rice method.
- Method for using brown rice: Add the soaked brown rice and 2 1/2 cups of water to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Stir in the veggie bouillon powder, 1 tsp of salt, black pepper, and 2 bay leaves. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, you can soak the lentils in a bowl with cold water, then drain. I recommend this step because it cooks the lentils more evenly and a little faster.
- Also, slice the onions while the brown rice cooks. I used 2 yellow onions and 3 red onions, but you can use just yellow or red ones.
- After 20 minutes of cooking the brown rice, add the drained lentils to the pot, along with 3 cups of water, stir to combine, and cover the pot with a lid. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and set the timer to 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the sliced onions. Stir, then reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook the onions for about 10 minutes, then uncover the skillet and stir thoroughly. Add the cumin, and 1/2 tsp of salt and continue to cook the onions without a lid for about 5-10 minutes. You can increase the heat for a crispier result.
- Once the cooking time for the lentils is up, check if the rice and lentils are tender, if not, let them simmer for a few more minutes, then turn off the heat and set the pot aside, still covered, for some minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves, then add about 2/3 of the caramelized onions to the lentils and rice pot and reserve the remaining 1/3 for garnish. Serve in bowls, top with dairy-free yogurt, caramelized onions, and fresh herbs of choice like parsley or cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- Method for using white rice: Soak the lentils and rice in separate bowls for about 20 minutes, then drain the water and add the lentils to a large pot with 3 cups of fresh water, the veggie bouillon powder, 1 tsp of salt, black pepper, and 2 bay leaves. Simmer covered for about 7-10 minutes. Then add the white rice along with 2 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cook covered for about 18-20 minutes, until both the rice and lentils are tender. If there is any water left after cooking the rice and lentils, simply drain it.
- Lentils: Use brown or green lentils. The cooking time (when soaked beforehand) is about 25 minutes. Please do not use yellow or red lentils, otherwise, they will turn out mushy.
- Rice: The cooking time really depends on the type of rice. Regular brown rice needs about 45 minutes (this was also mentioned on the rice packaging that I used), white rice takes about 20 minutes, and white basmati rice about 15 minutes. I recommend checking the packaging of your specific rice and time it accordingly. You will need 2 1/2 cups of water for each cup of brown rice and 2 cups of water for each cup of white rice.
- The total time doesn't include soaking time.
Nutrition Facts
Mujadara Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
360
% Daily Value*
Fat
6.7
g
10
%
Saturated Fat
1.3
g
7
%
Carbohydrates
60
g
20
%
Fiber
17.3
g
69
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
16
g
32
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.