The mujadara – or mujaddara, mudardara, or mejadra – is a hearty dish made with spiced rice, lentils, and fried onions. This dish is known throughout the Arab world, a comfort food that’s especially prevalent in Lebanese and Israeli cuisines.
With its simplicity and complexity, mujadara demonstrates how a few basic ingredients can transform into a dish with rich and enveloping flavor.
In this simplified version, I’ve only used cumin, but the original version includes many more spices. Having used rice flour for the onions, the recipe is naturally gluten-free, so if you are celiac, you can read on without worry!
At the end of the article, in the FAQ section, I’ve answered some questions about the recipe. If you have any other doubts or curiosities, leave a comment or use the appropriate form.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Lebanese
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 280.28 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 43.82 (g) of which sugars 7.44 (g)
- Proteins 12.35 (g)
- Fat 5.73 (g) of which saturated 0.75 (g)of which unsaturated 0.76 (g)
- Fibers 7.71 (g)
- Sodium 512.76 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 230 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 6.3 oz dried lentils (green or brown)
- 2 yellow onions
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1.4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools
- Pot
- Pan
- Bowls
- Ladles
Simple Mujadara Recipe
Disclaimer: there are affiliate links in the “Ingredients” and “Tools” sections.
Start preparing the mujadara by soaking the lentils in water for 30 minutes.
Drain and rinse them under running water, removing any stones.
Put them in a saucepan and cover with water: cook from boiling for 15-18 minutes, they should be rather al dente.
Peel and finely slice the onions. Toss them in a bowl and add a tablespoon of rice flour and a pinch of salt.
Mix until the onions are completely coated in flour.
Cook them in a deep fryer or pan in plenty of peanut oil until golden and crispy.
Heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil in a pot or saucepan with a lid. Add the cumin and fry for a minute.
Add the rice to the pot and stir well until it is completely coated with oil.
Add the sugar, salt, and lentils and mix everything with a ladle.
Finish with the water and close with the lid. Cook at a low heat without opening for 15 minutes.
Move the rice to an unlit burner and, still without opening, let it rest for another 10 minutes.
After the resting time, add the fried onion to the rice.
Mix with a ladle to incorporate the onions with the other ingredients.
Serve the mujadara immediately, decorating the dish with a tuft of fried onion set aside.
You can find this and other recipes in the collection Easter Monday Picnic Recipes.
Simple Mujadara
Consult this section to clarify your doubts; if you don’t find the answer to your question, comment or write to me using the form below.
Also try CHICKPEA HUMMUS, HOW TO MAKE IT AT HOME.
FAQ
How long does it keep?
You can store mujadara in the refrigerator in an airtight container for no more than 72 hours.
Can other spices be used?
Absolutely! The great chef Yotam Ottolenghi uses in his recipe ground cumin along with coriander seeds, allspice, and cinnamon.
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Enjoy your meal!
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