Today I made mejadra, a Middle Eastern recipe with brown rice, lentils and raisins.
Mejadra is a typical dish of Middle Eastern tradition, also called mujadara or mudardara, with variations from country to country. It’s a very simple and appetizing dish.
It is made with brown rice, small lentils, raisins, caramelized onion and a hint of cinnamon and cumin. An easy vegan one‑dish meal that you will surely enjoy.
This Middle Eastern rice and lentil recipe is well known both in Lebanon and in Israel.
You can also make mejadra with leftover ingredients from your fridge. Just add some extra brown rice, cooked lentils, caramelize an onion and add raisins, toss everything with spices and it’s ready to serve.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 2 Hours
- Cooking time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the mejadra recipe
For this recipe I used an Italian semi‑whole Apollo rice (organic).
- 1 cup long‑grain rice (Apollo (Italian))
- 3/4 cup lentils (small)
- 2 onions
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup raisins (organic)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
Mejadra recipe steps
First, soak the lentils for at least one hour; if you’re in a hurry, rinse them well instead.
Drain and cook the lentils in water with a bay leaf for about 25 minutes — it depends on the type of lentil; if they are very small they will be ready sooner.
In the meantime, rinse the rice and cook it in water for about 30 minutes (the exact time depends on whether it’s whole or semi‑whole and on the grain type). Taste to check doneness.
Soak the raisins for ten minutes.
Slice the onions thinly, put them in a pan with a drizzle of oil and cook over medium‑low heat. After about ten minutes add a splash of water and a little sugar, and continue cooking for another ten minutes until they caramelize. Watch and stir often to prevent sticking.
When everything is cooked, rinse and squeeze the raisins, add the rice and lentils to the pan with the onions, sprinkle with cumin and cinnamon, and sauté for a few minutes to combine the flavors.
Serve hot or warm with pita bread.
Daniela’s Tips
I recommend serving mejadra with Greek or soy yogurt on the side and pita bread.
Remember that mejadra is a complete one‑dish meal, so it’s also great to take to work.
If you don’t like cinnamon and cumin, leave them out — you can add a pinch of paprika instead.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use white rice instead of brown?
Sure, but remember that brown rice (organic) is richer in fiber and nutrients.
Can it be prepared in advance?
Yes, you can prepare it a day in advance, but be sure to refrigerate the rice once it has cooled, in a well‑sealed container.
How can I store mejadra?
You can store mejadra for one day in a well‑sealed container, even vacuum‑sealed, in the refrigerator.
