Mujaddara
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 364kcal
A Middle Eastern lentils and rice dish built on deeply caramelized onions, warm spices, and crispy onions on top. Served with yogurt.
Print Recipe
Add to Collection
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 large yellow onions halved and thinly sliced
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 cup brown lentils or green lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup long-grain white rice rinsed until the water runs clear
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup plain yogurt optional, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring every few minutes, until deeply browned and crisping at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Scoop out about a third of the onions and spread them on a paper-towel-lined plate to crisp up for the top.
- While the onions cook, simmer the rinsed lentils in water to cover by an inch until just tender but still holding their shape, about 15 minutes, then drain.
- Stir the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and allspice into the onions left in the pan and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained lentils, rice, salt, and water, and stir once.
- Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook undisturbed until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Off the heat, let it sit covered for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork, taste for salt, and top with the reserved crispy onions. Serve warm with yogurt.
Notes
- Brown or green lentils hold their shape here; red lentils turn to mush, so don't swap them in.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear so the grains stay separate instead of clumping.
- Substitute the water with vegetable broth for a deeper savory base.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat well with a splash of water.
- To make the onions ahead, caramelize them in a slow cooker overnight on low, 8 to 10 hours, then crisp a handful in a hot skillet just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 462mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg
