Description
Mujaddara is a traditional Middle Eastern dish featuring tender brown or green lentils and long grain rice cooked together with fragrant spices and topped with deeply caramelized onions. This hearty and wholesome vegan main course offers a comforting blend of earthy flavors and textures, perfect for a nutritious meal served with a side of yogurt or fresh salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Lentils and Rice
- 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 3/4 cup long grain rice
- 3 cups water or vegetable broth, divided
Onions and Spices
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
To Serve
- Plain yogurt (optional)
Instructions
- Parboil Lentils: Place the rinsed lentils in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until lentils begin to soften but aren’t fully cooked. Drain and set aside.
- Caramelize Onions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes until they turn deeply golden and caramelized. Remove about one-third of the onions and set them aside for topping.
- Combine Ingredients: In the same pot used to parboil lentils, add the partially cooked lentils, rice, ground cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, cinnamon if using, and the remaining salt. Pour in the remaining 1 cup of water or broth and stir well.
- Cook the Rice and Lentils: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice and lentils are tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- Rest and Fluff: Remove from heat and let the dish sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and stir in the caramelized onions from the pan.
- Serve: Serve the mujaddara topped with the reserved caramelized onions and a spoonful of plain yogurt if desired.
Notes
- Cooking the onions slowly is essential to develop the authentic flavor in mujaddara.
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of allspice to the dish.
- Serve with cucumber yogurt sauce or a fresh tomato salad for a delicious accompaniment.
