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Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Crisped Onions (Mujaddara)
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Rice and lentils with caramelized onions is a much-loved food in the Middle East. This is our take on the version we tasted in Lebanon. The rice and lentils are simmered together in the same pot, with the lentils getting a 10-minute head start so both finish at the same time. Meanwhile, the onions are fried until crisp and deeply caramelized—almost burnt, really—to coax out a savory bittersweet flavor. Serve mujaddara hot, warm or at room temperature with a dollop of plain yogurt. It’s a delicious accompaniment to grilled or roasted meats, but it’s hearty enough to be the center of a vegetarian meal.
4
Servings
Tip
Don't use French green lentils (Puy lentils) in place of the brown lentils called for. Even when fully cooked, green lentils retain a firm, almost al dente texture, while brown lentils take on a softness that combines well with the rice. Don't worry if the onions turn quite dark at the edge of the skillet; deep browning is desirable. But do stir the browned bits into the mix to ensure the onions color evenly. However, if the onions brown deeply before they soften, lower the heat a notch or two and keep stirring until the pan cools slightly.
50 minutes
4 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
4 bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
Plain whole-milk yogurt, to serve
Ingredients
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4
medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
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4
bay leaves
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2½
teaspoons ground cumin
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½
teaspoon ground allspice
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Kosher salt and ground black pepper
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1
cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained
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1
cup basmati rice, rinsed and drained
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⅓
-
2
medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
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1
bunch scallions, thinly sliced
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Plain whole-milk yogurt, to serve
Directions
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01In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, combine 5 cups water, the garlic, bay, cumin, allspice, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir in the lentils and reduce to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer, until the lentils are softened but still quite firm at the center, about 10 minutes.
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02Stir in the rice and return to a simmer. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the lentils and rice are tender, about 25 minutes.
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03Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring only occasionally at the start then more frequently once browning begins at the edges of the pan, until the onions are deeply caramelized and crisped, 10 to 15 minutes; adjust the heat if the onions brown too quickly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a paper towel–lined plate and spread evenly. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and set aside; the onions will crisp as they cool.
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04When the lentils and rice are tender, remove the pot from the heat. Uncover and lay a kitchen towel across the pan, then replace the lid and let stand for 10 minutes.
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05Using a fork, fluff the lentils and rice, removing and discarding the bay. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in half the scallions, then transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the fried onions and remaining scallions. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with yogurt on the side.
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Reviews
February 11, 2023
Delicious but cooking directions were a bit off for me
This is delicious but I found the seasoning a bit off - too much cumin, not enough salt - and the cooking directions not spot on. Too much water, too little time for the lentils and too long for the rice. I added my rice after 15 min (as opposed to 10) and turned off the heat for the last 5. Be prepared to make some of these adjustments.
July 13, 2022
Mujaddara
Lebanese style rice and lentils. Your cooking temps are too high, especially for what were working with. The cook on the lentils is all wrong. Salt should never be added at the beginning (against my better judgement I did), this makes the lentil tough, NOT tender, and they cook unevenly. Salt should always be added at the end when it comes to lentils, and you should know that. It should all be cooked on LOW, not med-low, the water vanishes quickly, leaving the dish dry. The onions should never be cooked on med-high, this creates burning not caramelizing, they should be cooked med to med-low. I'm fairly certain this recipe is not cooked at high temps in Lebanon. My grandmother used to make this, and nothing is cooked on higher heat.
November 13, 2022
Family favorite
Love this recipe. It's very easy to make and has wonderful flavor
Really tasty and not too time-consuming to make, but wow, was it salty! We tried to cut it with some plain yogurt. I'll go with some of the other comments and reduce the salt by about half next time. Also, I don't see how onions would ever get crispy in that amount of time with that quantity of oil. They were still tasty, but they were caramelized and soft, not crispy.
tasty....l2 1/2 tsp salt....in cuckoo rice cooker, used long grain brown rice. Dump all together and set the steam time to 13 min...It is VERY brown so you need color somewhere else on plate. I added raisins which is a + addition. Ditto Laura S the onions are not crispy but tasty. Really needs the yogurt.
Used Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (measured with a light hand LOL) and it was seasoned perfectly for us. I didn't time my onions, I went by look and mine crisped up nicely. I was worried about the allspice, but I shouldn't have been. Adds to the aroma but was not an overpowering flavour at all.
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Your First Issue
I made this today and generally liked it, but I will have to make again with much less salt in the boiling liquid as the lentils/rice tasted too salty for my tastes.