If you’ve never heard of Mujadara, you’re in for a real treat! This traditional Mediterranean dish is anything but fancy. It’s affordable, easy to make, and so, so comforting. Super satisfying and filling this vegan and gluten-free recipe makes a perfect weeknight dinner! The ingredient list is short and simple, but the bold flavors will transport you right to the bustling cities of the Mediterranean without ever leaving your kitchen. Let’s go!
What is Mujadara?
Mujadara is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made with rice, lentils, and fried onions. While it was originally made in Iraq, it’s now served all over the Middle East...and beyond, since it’s so delicious! Mujadara is a flavorful vegan dinner of lentils and rice cooked together and topped with thinly sliced fried onions. We grew up eating Mujadara, but we always found the fried onions to be overly greasy, that's why in our Mujadra recipe we sauté the onions and cook them with the rice and lentils. We also use parboiled rice for a fluffier dish. We are so excited to share this Mediterranean recipe with you.
The Best Lentils for Mujadara
Black, Pardina, or green lentils keep their shape better while cooking, we prefer them over regular brown lentils. Since it seems like we are experiencing a shortage of lentils lately ( at least in our area), we made our Mujadra using regular brown lentils, so it would be easier for you to replicate the recipe if all you can find is brown lentils. If you don't want to take the time to cook dry lentils and prefer to use canned lentils, rinse them first before adding them to the cooked rice. One great thing about dry lentils is that they don't need to be soaked before cooking. Let’s talk about the different types of lentils…
- Black Lentils - Black lentils, also called beluga lentils because they resemble caviar once cooked. They are small, black and are great for meal prepping since they store so well and they keep their shape once cooked. They’re high in fiber and protein, making them a great, healthy lentil option!
- Pardina Lentils- These have a distinct, nutty flavor that sets them apart. They’re smaller than regular brown lentils with a reddish tint and have a gorgeous yellow color on the inside. Since they are smaller, they cook slightly faster than brown lentils.
- Green Lentils - Green lentils or French green lentils have a slightly peppery flavor they are a bit more firm than other varieties, so they hold their shape well during cooking and they also take the longest to cook. They have a slight green tint with black specks.
- Brown Lentils - These are the most common lentil variety you'll find in markets in the US. and have probably the mildest flavor. We like these when we want our lentils to best absorb the spices we’re using!
- Yellow / Red Lentils - Red lentils are not good for Mujadara. Red lentils are actually orange in color, they cook very quickly, they fall apart while cooking and their color changes to yellow once cooked. They cook quickly and they are great for soup and Indian dishes.
What is Parboiled Rice?
You’ll want to use parboiled rice for perfect mujadara every time. Parboiled rice has been partially boiled with the husk on. It’s not precooked, but rather processed differently than traditional rice! It doesn’t get mushy or overcooked like other kinds of rice.
Tips on Making the Best Mujadara
- Use parboiled rice
- Make sure to inspect the lentils and pick any small rocks or debris that may be present.
- Rinse lentils before using
- Use 3 cups of water to cook 1 cup of dry lentils
- Make it fluffy, for the fluffiest mujadara cook the lentils and rice separately and then combine them together. You don't feel like dirtying 2 pots, we also give you the options to cook it all in one pot.
- Use sweet onions
What to Serve with Mujadara
We grew up eating Mujadara in two different ways. Our father likes it with a simple tomato-cucumber salad, our mom served it with plain yogurt mixed with cucumber, lemon, salt, and a little dried mint. You could also add pomegranate molasses for some tanginess, or make it a bit fancy with sauteed fennel or leeks.
More Middle Eastern Recipes
- Watermelon Feta salad
- Tabbouleh (Tabouli) Salad
- Classic Homemade Hummus
- Deconstructed Hummus
- Cheese Borekas (Sambusek)
- Maamoul: Nut-Filled Cookies
- Fattoush Salad
- Semolina Orange Blossom Borekas
- Knafeh
Did you like our mujadara recipe?
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Mujadara - Rice and Lentils
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 5.5 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Mujadara is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made with rice, lentils, and fried onions. It's a simple and easy vegan dish, but still filling and delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large sweet onions, diced
- 1 cup of lentils, picked and rinsed (see note 1)
- 1 cup parboiled rice
- 2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
To cook Lentils and rice separately for a fluffier mujadara:
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pot. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until golden, stirring frequently. If you see that the onions are starting to burn or stick to the pan, add 2 tablespoons of water and continue cooking. Add more water ( 2 tablespoons at a time), if necessary
- Add 3 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Add the lentils and 1 tsp of the salt
- Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a low boil. Cook, covered, until tender about 20-25 minutes. Depending on which type of lentils you're using, they might need more cooking time. Lentils should be tender, but not mushy
- While the lentils are cooking, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a separate pot. Add 1 tsp of the remaining salt. Add the parboiled rice and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked
- Once both rice and lentils are cooked, let them cool slightly and gently combine them into a large bowl.
- Serve with a tomato-cucumber salad or any salad of your choice
- You can also serve it with some plain yogurt seasoned with salt and lemon to taste and sprinkled with some dried mint or oregano (optional).
To cook the Mujadra in one pot. Please note that the Mujadra will be a little mushier.
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until golden, stirring frequently. If you see that the onions are starting to burn or stick to the pan, add 2 tablespoons of water and continue cooking. Add more water ( 2 tablespoons at a time), if necessary.
- Add 2 ½ cups of water, and bring to a boil.
- Add the lentils and 1 tsp of the salt. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and boil for about 7-10 minutes or until all the water is almost absorbed and the lentils are about half cooked
- Add an additional 2 ½ cups of water, bring to a boil, add rice and the remaining 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 20 -25 minutes
- Turn off the heat and let the mujadara sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff it up with a fork
- Serve with a tomato-cucumber salad or any salad of your choice
- You can also serve it with some plain yogurt seasoned with salt and lemon to taste and sprinkled with some dried mint or oregano (optional).
Notes
- You can use regular brown lentils if that’s all you have, but we really recommend black, pardina, or green lentils, since they keep their shape better while cooking.
- If you don't want to take the time to cook dry lentils and prefer to use canned lentils, rinse them first before adding them to the cooked rice
- Make sure you pick the lentils and remove any little stones or debris. Rinse your lentils before using.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Entree
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ⅓ cups
- Calories: 451
- Sugar: 9.3
- Sodium: 1181.2
- Fat: 7.9
- Saturated Fat: 1.2
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 80
- Fiber: 7.2
- Protein: 16.4
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: Vegan, gluten-free, mujadara
frugalfeeding says
Nothing worse than a lazy vegan :D. Only joking. This looks really yum !
mayihavethatrecipe says
LOL... Thanks!! Give it a try, it's budget friendly too 😉
Lee says
Hey, I am the husband, Lee, and I am sure I used to make more things than that. I am just too old to remember. But why even bother cooking when you marry a Lebanese, Spanish, Jew who is an amazing cook. Thanks for 18 years of incredibly delicious and healthy food. Mission accomplished! 🙂
suzie suzie says
Sounds delicious and simple enough to make on the busiest of days. Thank you. I look forward to seeing your emails . I love the ingredients, the variety, and the beautiful photos. I often learn something new, too. Happy cooking
Lee is funny.
★★★★★
Vicky and Ruth says
AWW! Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment.
emmycooks says
That looks great. An extreme improvement on lentil loaf!
mayihavethatrecipe says
Thanks!!! Now THAT, is a compliment!!! Glad you like it!
blima says
Excellente trabajo chicas! felicidades me encanta!
Great jobs sakal girls! the web looks fantatastic, i love it! good luck!
Lee: you are so right,.... jijijiji
mayihavethatrecipe says
Muchas gracias!!! Esperamos que lo disfrutes. Un beso muy fuerte!!!
Laurie Kaufman says
I've started following your blog and have been making your amazing recipes. My husband is quite happy! BTW, I tried your lentil soup with cilantro and lemon. I added parve chicken soup mix to the pot, as the soup didn't have enough flavor for me. It was wonderful. Last Shabbos I made it with a tad too much lemon for my taste, but hubby loved it . No accounting for taste! Keep blogging. I'm really enjoying it!
mayihavethatrecipe says
Thank you so much!! We love the fact that people try our recipes and put their own spin to them. Please keep sharing!!!
mayihavethatrecipe says
Thank you so much! Keep giving us your recipe variations. We love that!
rebeca says
YOU CAN ADD AS A TOPPING YOGURT AND CUCUMBERS, SOME SALT AND IT IS DELICIOUS!!!!!!
mayihavethatrecipe says
Yes, we love that!!!!
Michelle says
What should I do differently if I use uncooked rice, rather than parboiled?
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Michelle, cook the rice separately and the lentils separately and then put them together at the end. Enjoy!
Patty Drews says
I ate munjarda at my grandparents house as a child and cook it for my family now. This recipe is missing the authentic spices. Cumin and garlic give it the real Lebanese flavor. Lots of cumin added to the lentils.
Vicky & Ruth says
If you have been following us for a while you know that we love spices, but our mom always served Mujadara without any garlic and cumin. We will add your suggestion to our notes. Thank you!
Helen says
Can I assemble it the day prior and serve at room temp? I’ll also add some garlic and cumin I like that idea
Vicky & Ruth says
Yes, assembling a day ahead is fine. Garlic and cumin sound very yummy!
Denise Shehab says
A very different mjadra to the one I was taught. I am Lebanese. I never use cumin, as it has a bitter taste. I also use uncooked short-grain rice or basmati which I mix with the lentils and half of the slowly fried onion, (I use two). The second onion I place on top when it is ready. I boil the brown lentils a second time in chicken stock, then ad the uncooked rice, never heard of it being parboiled rice. I only ad salt, pepper, 7 spices, a dash of allspice and a dash of cinammon. This is a peasant's dish It comes out creamy and delicious.
Vicky and Ruth says
Thank you for sharing your family's way of making mujaddara. Our recipe is a variation of the Mujadara recipe from our Lebanese mother and grandmother. We don't use cumin either. Our family fried the onions and made them crispy and place them on top before serving. We always found the onions to be too oily, so we modified the recipe and we sautée, and incorporate them into the recipe. We learn over the years that sometime Mujadara came out perfectly fluffy and other times mushy, mainly because of different types of lentils and rice. By cooking them separately, it comes out perfectly every time.
Andrea says
I like that they recommended cooking the lintels and rice separate. It made a big difference. Delicious!
★★★★★
Vicky and Ruth says
Yes, it is so much easier, since different types of rice and different types of lentils cook require differents amounts of water.