Description
A comforting and flavorful Lebanese dish, Mujaddara combines lentils and rice with caramelized onions and aromatic spices. This vegan and gluten-free recipe is easy to make and perfect for a satisfying main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Caramelized Onions:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
Lentils & Rice:
- 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 cup long-grain white rice (or basmati)
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions: In a large skillet or pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and caramelized. Remove half the onions and set aside for topping.
- Cook Lentils & Rice: To the remaining onions in the pot, add the rinsed lentils and 4 cups of water or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir in the rice, cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper. Cover and continue simmering for another 20 minutes, or until the lentils and rice are tender and the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5–10 minutes.
- Serve: Fluff with a fork and top with the reserved caramelized onions before serving.
Notes
- Serve with plain yogurt or a simple cucumber salad for a refreshing contrast.
- You can use brown rice, but increase the cooking time and liquid.
- Mujaddara tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 330
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
