Description
Mujadara is a traditional Middle Eastern dish featuring a hearty combination of lentils, rice, and caramelized onions. This comforting meal is easy to prepare and packed with flavor from cumin and bay leaves, making it a wholesome, vegetarian-friendly option for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Main 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
- 5-5 ½ cups water, divided
- 1 tbsp veggie bouillon powder
- 1 ½ tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare Brown Rice: If using brown rice, soak it for 20 minutes, then drain. Add the soaked rice and 2 ½ cups water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir in veggie bouillon powder, 1 tsp salt, black pepper, and bay leaves. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Soak Lentils and Slice Onions: While rice cooks, soak lentils in cold water and drain. Slice the onions, using a mix of yellow and red onions if desired.
- Add Lentils to Pot: After 20 minutes, add drained lentils and 3 cups water to the pot. Stir, cover, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Caramelize Onions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions, stir, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover, add cumin and ½ tsp salt, and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until onions are deeply caramelized, increasing heat if a crispier texture is desired.
- Check Doneness: Once lentils and rice have cooked for 25 minutes, check if tender. If not, simmer a few more minutes. Remove bay leaves, turn off heat, and keep covered.
- Assemble and Serve: Stir about two-thirds of the caramelized onions into the lentil and rice mixture. Reserve remaining onions for garnish. Serve in bowls topped with dairy-free yogurt, reserved onions, and fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro.
Notes
- White Rice Method: Soak lentils and rice separately for 20 minutes. Drain, then add lentils, 3 cups fresh water, veggie bouillon powder, 1 tsp salt, black pepper, and bay leaves to pot. Simmer covered for 7-10 minutes. Add rice and 2 cups water, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook 18-20 minutes until tender. Drain any excess water.
- Lentils: Use brown or green lentils only; red or yellow lentils will turn mushy.
- Rice: Cooking times vary: brown rice needs about 45 minutes, white rice 20 minutes, and white basmati 15 minutes. Use 2 ½ cups water per cup of brown rice and 2 cups water per cup of white rice.
- Soaking Time: The total preparation time does not include soaking times for rice and lentils.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
