Mujadara is a simple but exquisite Arabic dish of rice and lentils flavored with golden, crisp, caramelized onions. I amp up the deliciousness of my authentic mujadara recipe with the goodness of fresh leeks.
Mujadara: Flavorful lentils and rice with crispy onions
Mujadara is a delicious rice and lentil recipe eaten across the Arabic world (where it also goes by the names of mudardara or megadarra). It is topped with shards of crispy, caramelized onions and is delicious proof that the simplest of recipes can also be the most satisfying.
Most of mujadara's rich, deep flavor comes from the onions, which are smoky, sweet and savory. Despite being meatless, a mujaddara is hearty and satisfying and it's a great dish to serve to an omnivore. My friends love it when I make it for them: it's loaded with flavor and so satisfying. The rice and lentils together create a perfect protein combination, and the leeks add freshness and some veggie power.
This is also a wallet-friendly recipe and in my home it's a fallback option when we are looking for something easy, quick and delicious for dinner. It's perfect for the lunchbox and it is naturally gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free.
Recipe card
Mujadara Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups brown lentils
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large red onions (or yellow onions, finely sliced)
- 2 leeks (cleaned thoroughly of all grit. Trim the roots and slice the white and green parts into thin ribbons.)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced or finely crushed)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-inch stick of cinnamon
- 1 cup raw basmati rice (or other long-grain rice, raw)
- 4 cups vegetable stock (or water)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the lentils and place them in a saucepan. Cover with an inch of water. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat to simmer, and let the lentils cook for 8 minutes. Once the lentils are semi-tender, turn off the heat. Drain the lentils before adding them to the pot.
- In a large saucepan or sauté pan, add olive oil along with the thinly sliced onions, a pinch of salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Saute the onions over medium heat, stirring them frequently, until they are golden brown and crispy at the edges. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.
- To the same saucepan (with any remaining oil from frying the onions) add the thinly sliced leeks. Add a pinch of salt and sauté until the leeks caramelize and turn brown.
- Add the garlic to the saucepan and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the spices--ground allspice, ground cumin, bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Mix.
- Add the rice to the saucepan and saute for a couple of minutes until the rice turns slightly opaque.
- Stir in the cooked, drained lentils.
- Add four cups water or vegetable stock to the pan. Bring to a boil, stir once, then turn heat down to low. Cover and cook 25 minutes.
- Let the mujadara stand 10 minutes after cooking before you remove the lid. Stir in the caramelized onions. Fluff the rice and lentils with a fork before serving.
Nutrition Information
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Recipe FAQs
Traditionally brown lentils are used and this should be your first choice, but you can substitute with green lentils. I've even made mujadara with puy lentils, which are peppery, and it's fantastic.
Sauté the onions over medium or medium low heat until they are golden-brown and crispy. Don't rush by frying over high heat or you will burn the onions.
To make this recipe with brown rice, cook the rice separately in a large pot of boiling water with the spices added, until the rice is about 70 percent done. Strain out all the water before using.
If you want more vegetables in the mujadara you can add spinach or other quick-cooking greens. To do this, open the pot after the rice and lentils have been cooking for 15 minutes. Spread four cups of leafy greens (chopped if using larger greens) on top of the mujaddara. Cover and continue cooking for 10 more minutes.
Serve the mujadara with vegan yogurt or vegan labneh, or with a fresh salad, like this yummy beet salad.
Store the mujadara in the fridge up to five days. Freeze up to three months. Reheat the thawed mujadara on the stove or in the microwave - sprinkle some water over the top, cover with a lid, and let it steam until warmed through.
Clair says
I just made it and oh my goodness. Perfect. A served it with some unsweetened soy yoghurt. Loads left for lunch tomorrow, too!
PVR says
Tried this today and it came out perfect. Awesome taste and flavors. Definitely making it again and again.
Anonymous says
hello Vaishali,
Just tried this today; simply awesome. The flavors are so subtle but so flavorful. We host Thanksgiving every year; will be making it to feed our guests this year.
Thanks for your time and efforts in sharing the recipes with us; your extended family.
In gratitude,
God bless you,
Meena.
Ellie says
I just made this now and it's brilliant!
Wilma says
I look forward to making this recipe - filled with LOVE.
You are a blessing.
XO Wilma
Karen says
I cannot wait to eat this because tasting it was delightful! I followed the recipe as written. Only confused by how much olive oil to add for the leeks (it says add the rest) but there was not an amount for the onilns). If you cook, it's not a big deal, I just used the 1/4 cup and divided it up. Otherwise A+ and thank you.
LisaH says
Welcome back, Vaishali. Such a perfect recipe for your return, as Mujadara is one of my favorite comfort foods. I love that you added the leeks. I used brown basmati rice, which gives the dish a nice texture but still retains those beautiful long grains of rice. I’ll be thinking of you whenever I make this dish with every stir and wonderful smell you have brought into our home.
Tole says
Great to have you back <3
Would this recipe also work with Tinned lentils if I just skipped the first boiling step, or would you add them later with the greens?
Vaishali says
Thanks. And add the lentils later, with the greens.
Jo Peel says
Super tasty and healthy. Your recipes absolutely rock Vaishali. My husband is an awesome cook and with your tried, tested and perfectly explained recipes means my meals are a hit too!
Vaishali says
Thanks for your kind words, Jo, and so happy you loved the mujadara! ❤️
Renee says
So glad I bought those leeks and went looking for a way to use them today! This was definitely a comfort food on this cold, hungry day. My husband loves leeks all by themselves so I was thankful for a recipe that had some of them saved for the end, where the flavor is so very good. We ate them all today but have leftovers of the lentils and quinoa (I subbed it in for the rice) so next time we have this, all I'll have to do is fry another batch of leeks. Besides this being tasty and filling, I loved the way it comes together. With a few stages of uninvolved cooking time, It didn't matter so much that I was prepping along the way.
After dinner, I checked out your blog intro and will be visiting again to make a few other recipes I saw on the site. You have some interesting ideas.