Description
Mujadara is a comforting Middle Eastern dish featuring a hearty combination of lentils, rice, and caramelized onions. This vegan and gluten-free recipe showcases tender green or brown lentils simmered with brown or white rice, seasoned with cumin, bay leaves, and vegetable bouillon, topped with sweetly caramelized onions for a rich, satisfying flavor. Perfect as a wholesome main course or side dish, it offers an easy-to-make, nourishing meal with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 5 small-medium onions (500 g), sliced
- 1.5 cups (300 g) green or brown lentils
- 1 cup (180 g) brown rice or white rice
- 5 ½ cups water, divided
- 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
- 1 ½ tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Soak and Prepare Rice and Lentils: If using brown rice, soak it for 20 minutes and then drain. Soak lentils in cold water separately and drain. If using white rice, soak both rice and lentils separately for 20 minutes and drain.
- Cook Brown Rice Base: Add soaked brown rice and 2 ½ cups water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir in vegetable bouillon powder, 1 tsp salt, black pepper, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
- Add Lentils to Brown Rice: After 20 minutes, add drained lentils and 3 cups water to the pot. Stir and cover. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Alternative White Rice Method: Add lentils to pot with 3 cups water, vegetable bouillon powder, 1 tsp salt, black pepper, and bay leaves. Simmer covered for 7-10 minutes. Then add white rice and 2 cups water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 18-20 minutes until tender. Drain excess water if any remains.
- Caramelize Onions: While the rice and lentils cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and stir. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, then uncover and stir. Add cumin and ½ tsp salt. Continue cooking uncovered for 5-10 minutes, increasing heat for a crispier texture if desired.
- Check and Finish Cooking: Ensure lentils and rice are tender after cooking time. If needed, simmer a few minutes more. Remove bay leaves from pot.
- Combine and Serve: Mix about two-thirds of caramelized onions into the lentils and rice. Reserve the remaining onions for garnish. Serve in bowls topped with dairy-free yogurt, reserved onions, and fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use brown or green lentils only; avoid yellow or red lentils as they can become mushy.
- Cooking time varies based on rice type: brown rice takes about 45 minutes, white rice about 20 minutes, and basmati white rice about 15 minutes.
- Adjust water quantity for rice type: 2 ½ cups water per cup brown rice, 2 cups water per cup white rice.
- The total time does not include soaking time for rice and lentils.
- You can substitute vegetable bouillon powder with vegetable broth if preferred.
- For a crispier texture on onions, increase heat during final frying stage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
