Mujadara (Lentils & Rice with Golden Onions)
Lentils and rice under a pile of deep golden onions.
Adapted from a recipe by Capital Area Food Bank. Mujadara has been cooked across the Middle East for centuries, and it's built from almost nothing: lentils, rice, and onions cooked slowly until sweet and dark. The onions are the whole point, so give them their time.
Steps
- 1
4 cups broth, or water + bouillon
1 cup brown or green lentils
Bonus, if you have it:
1 bay leaf
Bring the broth to a boil in a pot and add the lentils. Lower to a simmer and cover.
- 2
1 cup brown rice
½ tsp salt
Add brown rice right away, or white rice after 15 minutes, and simmer until both are tender, 30–40 minutes total. Drain any extra liquid, stir in the salt, and let it rest covered.
- 3
2 tbsp oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
While that cooks, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onions, stirring often, 10–15 minutes until deep golden brown. Add a splash of water if they start to scorch.
- 4
½ tsp garlic powder
Bonus, if you have it:
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Stir in the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes more.
- 5
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp oil
Bonus, if you have it:
Chopped fresh parsley
Stir half the onions, the cumin, and the oil into the lentils and rice.
- 6
—
Bonus, if you have it:
Chopped hard-boiled egg
plain yogurt
Serve warm with the rest of the onions piled on top.
Make it yours
Don't rush the onions. That's really the only rule here. Let them go slow until they're deep brown and sweet, because that's where all the flavor comes from. If you have plain yogurt, a spoonful on top is perfect, and a chopped hard-boiled egg turns it into a full meal. Green lentils work just as well as brown.