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mujaddara
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Mujaddara (Middle Eastern Lentil and Rice Pilaf)

Mujaddara is a Middle Eastern dish consisting of rice, lentils and caramelized onions. This dish is delicious, healthy and budget-friendly
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern/North African
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 355kcal
Author: Mavis K.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown lentils
  • cups basmati rice
  • 4 yellow onions (sliced into thin rings)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt (to taste)
  • 4 cups water
  • Cilantro (chopped; for garnish; optional)

Instructions

  • Soak the basmati rice in water for 30 minutes.
  • Cook the lentils with 4 cups of water over medium heat until the lentils are parboiled (about 15 minutes).
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over low-medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the onions to the oil and cook the onions for 30 minutes or until they’re a caramelized, dark golden brown.
  • Strain the lentils of the water and set aside. Save the lentil water for cooking the mujaddara.
  • In a medium pot (you can use the same pot as the one you used to parboil the lentils), heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add half of the caramelized onions to the pot.
  • Add paprika, salt and cumin to the onions in the pot and cook for 3 minutes to release the fragrance of the spices.
  • Add the rice, lentils, and 3 cups of the lentil water to the pot. Cover and cook for 30 minutes over low-medium heat.
  • Once the mujaddara is done, garnish it with the remaining caramelized onions and some chopped cilantro. Serve with yogurt and a few drizzles of olive oil, if you'd like. You can also serve it with hummus.

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 6.8mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3.2mg