Edit a year after original publication: I’ve updated the photos and added a few comments to the text. I’ve made mujaddara several times since and it’s always delicious. Most often I’ll use leftover lentils and cook the rice separately while I’m caramelizing the onions. (I’ve left the original photo in the recipe box.)
The best thing about last night’s dinner was the fact I had plenty of rice leftover. Yes, we have unremarkable meals in Lydia’s Flexitarian Kitchen on occasion. Anyway, I remembered seeing a lentils and rice dish with caramelized onions that looked delicious and decided to give it a try. A web search turned up a Lebanese style lentils and rice dish called mujaddara (moo-djah-darra) from Meatless Monday. Mujaddara is a humble dish with ancient origins. Rumor has it that mujaddara (or one of its many variants) is the very dish that Jacob traded for Esau’s birthright. (Wikipedia). I don’t know if I’d give up my birthright, but mujaddara is delicious and satisfying. I got an “mmmmm” from my son which is always a good sign.
I used leftover rice and canned lentils for this. The recipes I came across all cooked the lentils and rice separately, and then combined them with the caramelized onions. That may be the traditional preparation but it seems so unnecessary. However, it wouldn’t be difficult to cook from scratch considering that– depending upon the type of rice you use– it takes about the same amount of time to cook each component. I really enjoyed this dish, but it strikes me as one I would plan to cook from leftovers, perhaps for lunch the next day.
Like many spice blends, the actual components can vary. I liked cumin, cinnamon and coriander, along with a little red pepper flake when cooking the onions. Likewise, I used cilantro for the fresh green topping, but parsley and mint or a combination would also be is very good.
Tonight I served it as the main meal, with a green salad and some bread. It could easily be a side dish, perhaps with some lamb or beef kabob.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 large onions sliced into petals (about 3 cups)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking the onions plus extra for drizzling over the mujaddara before serving
- 1 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
- 2 - 3 cups cooked rice I used leftover jasmine rice…use your fingers to break up any clumpy bits
- 1 15 oz can lentils about 2 cups cooked
Instructions
- Mix the cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper and coriander powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a skillet large enough to hold the rice, onions and lentils (a Dutch oven would work well, too).
- Add the onions to the skillet and cook over high heat until they begin to change color a bit. Add half the spice mixture to the onions and stir well.
- At this point, reduce the heat to medium low and allow the onions to cook until they turn a beautiful golden brown color. Some of them will get really dark. It will take about 20 – 30 minutes, but they will be sweet and delicious. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
- While the onions are finishing up, drain and rinse the lentils. Also break up any clumps in the rice.
- Add the rice, lentils and the remaining spice mixture. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the lentils and rice are heated through.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in the chopped cilantro.
- Before serving drizzle olive oil over the mujaddara.
This is easily one of my favorite meals. It can be prepared very quickly if you’re willing to use the microwave rice and canned lentils…or some combination of leftovers and microwaved prepared food. Try it in a wrap, too!
Delicious! I made the mujaddara, falafel, tabouli and baba ganoush for dinner. Your recipe is excellent!
Sounds like an excellent meal! I’m glad it worked out for you and really appreciate your letting me know. Have a great week! 🙂
saved. I’ll cook it later.
Awesome! Hope you like it, and if you have a chance please come back and let us know if you made any changes.
I just tried your recipe last night and it was fabulous! I admit that I had to make a tweak because I thought that I had onions and I didn’t, instead I substituted diced carrots. It treated them the same as prescribed for the onions and it was delicious!
Thanks so much for letting me know, Jennifer. Great substitution! I like carrots and lentils together as a taco filling, so I’ll bet it was great with the seasoning 🙂
Made this for supper tonight, with the addition of some cubed chicken breast fried in olive oil with the same spice mix. I just mixed the cooked chicken in with the finished rice and lentils, and it was delicious! Even my hubby, a picky eater and a confirmed meat-and-potatoes man, finished a bowl in short order. I will definitely be making it again.
I’m so happy that you liked it Linda. Great idea to add the chicken to make it an even more satisfying meal 🙂
Love the spices in this, my kinda recipe!!
Mmm, this looks so good! I love lentils! They are one of my favorite proteins; so good for you! And the flavors you have here in this dish are just awesome!
It looks very easy and it is a great way to use leftovers! We make something similar in Greece called fakorizo!
Oooh! I will definitely look fakorizo up! Thanks, Katerina 🙂
With all the delicious spices you added with this rice dish, I can just imagine how flavorful this is!
This is a very hearty meal idea.
Lots of delicious flavors.
I love mujaddara and your version sounds wonderful!
Thanks! I’ve seen several variations and they all look good 🙂
Looks delish!
I love this recipe! It reminds me of a place next to my brothers house in Chicago
Food memories are usually happy ones, aren’t they?
This is one of my favoutire ever eats (although i tend to use black lentils). Thanks for reminding me to make some.
I’ll have to give other types of lentils and rice a try, too. 🙂
This sounds like proper, hearty, comfort food! Yum!
Yes, indeed 🙂
How interesting! I have never put rice together with lentils but we love both. I’ll have to try this out. Sounds like a great lunch!
You’ll love it, Diane 🙂
I love lentils and this is a flavorful dish, I must try this.
You’ll love it. There are so many variations for the spices, too 🙂
what a delicious recipe.
Thanks! Hope you give it a try, it’s so simple 🙂
I was sold on the rice part of this. It looks great and seems healthy too. I love different ethnic food. So I know I’d love this for sure!
There are many variations of mujaddara, feel free to tweak it to suit 🙂
This is totally my thing! I’m pinning this and can’t wait to taste all those flavors together!
Hope you enjoy it, Liz!
I need to branch out a little in my cooking. I tend to stick with the same types of cuisine. But these Lebense lentils & rice sounds like something I need to be eating.
I find I do so as well. These kinds of dishes are my way of shaking things up. Sometimes I find a keeper like this one!
It is rare that I even eat rice but I suppose I could use the pre-cooked variety (that come in the little cups) for this recipe as well. It definitely sounds interesting. I would more then likely use it as a side dish.
I buy a quinoa brown rice mix in cups that I like but my husband doesn’t. Makes life a little easier. 🙂
That sounds goooood. I have never had anything like this before, but it sounds awesome.
I hope you’ll give it a try. If you like the spice mix, you’ll love it 🙂
Delicious! I cooked the lentils and the rice together rather than using canned. It turned out very well and it’s very filling. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you liked it! I’m going to try cooking them together next time. Why not?
I often have leftover rice too. My family loves lentils this will be a win meal for us. I pinned this an your other recipes to a food of the world board. Thanks again for being part of this party.
Thanks for the kind words. I really enjoy the challenge of researching the food of a particular country and finding a recipe we would like.
These flavors work so well together. I’ll have to give this a try sometime. Pinned!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks
You’ll enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by 🙂