Mujadara (Lentils and Rice With Fried Onions)
Published May 14, 2025
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 1½ hours
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE MUJADARA
1 cup green, brown, black or Puy lentils, picked through and rinsed
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ cup olive oil
2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear and drained (see Tip)
FOR THE FRIED ONION TOPPING (OPTIONAL)
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
52 grams carbs; 443 calories; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 22 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 371 milligrams sodium; 11 grams protein; 4 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Start the mujadara: Place the lentils, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cumin and 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan, partially cover and bring to a boil over high. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are partially cooked (al dente), about 15 minutes, depending on the type of lentil. (Check often so the lentils don’t overcook.) Remove the pot from the heat, uncover and set aside.
- Step 2
While the lentils cook, in a large (12-inch) pan with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Stir in the chopped onions, then cook without stirring (to help encourage browning) until the onions start to turn golden at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium if necessary and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a rich golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes more. Season the onions with a little salt.
- Step 3
Stir the rice, 1½ teaspoons salt, remaining 1 teaspoon cumin and the black pepper into the cooked onions. Stir in the lentils and their cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Carefully taste the cooking liquid and adjust seasoning as needed; it should be pleasantly seasoned. Cover, reduce to low and cook until the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils and rice are fully cooked, about 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to steam, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Step 4
Make the fried onion topping (if desired): While the mujadara cooks, line a large plate or sheet pan with paper towels and set aside. In a medium pot, add enough oil to reach 1 inch high (about 3 cups) and heat over medium-high until the temperature reaches 350 degrees. While the oil heats, separate the onion slices by hand so they’re not clumped, and trim off any larger pieces so each slice has about the same thickness. Working in 2 to 3 batches, carefully add the onion to the hot oil. Fry, stirring with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the temperature. Remove with the slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towel-lined plate; repeat as needed to cook remaining onion.
- Step 5
Serve mujadara warm or at room temperature, topped with the fried onions (if using).
Basmati rice is a long-grain variety, but occasionally American basmati has shorter grains. When in doubt, look for imported basmati to ensure the mujadara has the right texture.
Private Notes
Comments
Grew up with this but seasoned with "Syrian pepper" equal parts black pepper, allspice and ground clove. Thanks for sharing this family favorite enjoyed hot, cold or room temp. My "Tata" is smiling....but more onions especially fried on top.
I don't see how the onions are "optional". Without the onions it's not mujadara
As the first commenter on this recipe I felt morally obligated to follow it *exactly* to give you all the best review I could. Unfortunately, I am me, so I had to deviate just slightly. Subbed one humongous red onion for the two yellow onions and cut the olive oil by just a bit, but otherwise followed exactly. It was yummy! could I have just cooked lentils and rice and mixed them in like half the time? Yes. But I think texturally this was delicious and the depth of flavor was also unparalleled.
Absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe exactly as written with a few changes. I subbed split green peas (simmered 20 minutes in step 1) as I didn't have lentils in my pantry. I also cooked the sliced onions for the topping in the oil before starting step 2, removed to drain on a plate with paper towels, then followed step 2 onward (all with the same oil). The idea of cooking the topping in a separate pan with more abundant oil seemed unnecessary, so that was my adjustment. Lastly, I doubled the recipe and am so glad I did as this was a hit with my family members. Into the rotation this goes!
Pulled this recipe up for a pantry staple weeknight meal and it was a winner! Added a bit of cayenne to the lentils and also put a cinnamon stick in when I combined the rice and lentils. And please forgive me, but I didn’t have enough onions to do the topping so I grabbed a bag of Funyuns from our box of beach snacks and crumbled some onto my serving also with plain yogurt. It worked!
Frustrating recipe. I only didn't realize I would be caramelizing onions, since the first step implies that you should start the lentils alongside the onions. Then the lentils sat for 30 minutes while I made the onions, the water evaporated/soaked in, and I had to guesstimate water for the rice. The finished dish was too wet and mushy yet completely black on the bottom. I'll try again because the flavor of the broth was excellent when sampled, but I'll caramelize onions first.
Update: realized I used red lentils instead of brown. Am colorblind and not the most observant. Will try again with the right kind of lentils and see if that fixes the problem!