Mujadara Recipe (Lebanese Rice)
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Feb 2, 2025 
This hearty vegan dish, also known as Lebanese Rice, is a favorite classic meal from the Middle East. Authentic mujadara is an easy and flavorful make-ahead meal, loaded with vibrant spices and topped with crispy fried caramelized onions!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
The best comfort foods make magic out of the simplest, no-frills components. Combinations like beans and rice are perfect for cooking hearty dishes that are loaded with goodness, as well as making satisfying vegan and vegetarian dinners. Classic Middle Eastern Mujadara Lentils and Rice (also known as Mejadra or Majadra Lebanese Rice) is a delicious recipe that’s super simple, terrifically rich, comforting, and even quite healthy!
This is a FABULOUS vegetarian dish that’s popular all throughout the Middle East… Especially in Lebanon and Israel. Mujadara is a dairy-free vegan meal consisting of hearty rice, tender lentils, and spices, and is always topped with crispy, delightfully crunchy fried caramelized onions.
Why You’ll Love This Lentils and Rice Recipe
- Diet-friendly – Mujadara is already vegetarian and vegan. You can easily create a gluten-free version to make a delicious meal that accommodates nearly any dietary needs.
- Amazing flavors and textures – This savory dish packs in tender rice and lentils, a vibrant combination of Middle Eastern seasonings like coriander and turmeric, and crispy fried onions. It is SO good!
- Great to make-ahead – The flavors of the Lebanese Rice get even richer as all of the ingredients sit together. Mujadara Lentils and Rice is a great make-ahead dish for your meal prep menu!
Plus, it comes together in only 45 minutes but eats like a hearty, cozy and satisfying dinner that took hours to prepare.
Ingredients and Tips
- Lentils – Green or brown lentils work well.
- Rice – Basmati rice is traditional to make Mujadara, but white rice or brown rice are also fine.
- Vegetable broth – Or water.
- Olive oil – Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.
- Seasonings – We’re using a classic combination of coriander seeds, cumin seeds (or ground cumin), salt, allspice seeds (or ground allspice), cinnamon, turmeric, and black pepper.
- Onions – Choose large white or large yellow sweet onions.
- All-Purpose Flour – See note below for gluten-free variation.
- Vegetable Oil – Or other neutral-tasting and high heat cooking oil for sautéing the onions.
Recipe Variations
- Gluten-free – To make this a completely GF-friendly dish, simply substitute the all-purpose flour with your favorite alternative GF baking mix to make the crispy fried onions.
- Hearty & Protein-Packed – Add 1 can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed) when adding the rice for extra protein. Swap quinoa for rice for a high-protein, gluten-free option.
- Spicy – Add ½ teaspoon cayenne or 1 chopped chili when sautéing the spices for a kick.
- Roasted Garlic & Herb – Add roasted garlic cloves (mashed) to the lentils while they cook. Stir in fresh parsley and dill at the end for a herby boost.
- Sweet & Savory – Caramelize the onions with a pinch of brown sugar for a deeper sweetness. Add golden raisins or chopped dates for a hint of sweetness.
We recommend chopped cilantro and lime wedges for garnishing the Mujadara.
How to Make Mujadara
- Sauté the aromatics in a large pot for a few minutes until fragrant. This releases the flavors of the spices so they can fully penetrate the lentils and rice.
- Next, add the dried lentils and vegetable broth. Stir well, then cover the pot and simmer the lentils.
- After 15 minutes, stir in the dried rice. Cover and boil again for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is soft.
Meanwhile, make the Crispy Fried Onions:
- Set a cast iron skillet or large sauté pan over medium heat, and add the oil.
- While the oil is heating, toss the sliced onions with the flour. Once hot, add the onions to the oil.
- Stir and sauté the onions until they are soft, with dark crispy edges, about 15 minutes. You want to shoot for a medium brown color. Be sure to not let them get too dark, or they will have an unpleasant burnt taste.
Find the full Lebanese Lentils and Rice recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Serving Suggestions
Once the rice is cooked and the onions are brown and crispy, move the lentils and rice to a serving bowl or individual bowls. Top with the caramelized onions, and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.
Serve Mujadara Lentils and Rice warm as the main meal alongside a refreshing salad, like our Chopped Israeli Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. And this Fattoush Salad with Grilled Vegetables or Horiatiki tomato salad with cucumbers is incredibly hearty to enjoy with this dish.
We also recommend you try Zesty Roasted Beet Hummus as a tasty appetizer or side dish with Lebanese Lentils! Or serve it with a simple side of Greek yogurt, tahini sauce, and tomato slices.
Storage Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend keeping the fried onions separate, however, to avoid sogginess.
Frequently Asked Questions
This dish is quite nutritious, packed with protein-rich lentils and spices like turmeric, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also totally plant-based! But note that there are a lot of carbohydrates in here, so not the best option if you are eating low carb.
Either is fine! We are using green lentils here, which tend to be a bit firmer versus brown lentils. I prefer green because they hold up better and get less mushy when cooked with the rice.
Mujadara Recipe (Lebanese Rice)
Video
Ingredients
For the Lentils and Rice:
- 1 ½ cups green lentils or brown
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 6 cups vegetable broth or water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds or 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons smashed allspice seeds or ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Caramelized Onions:
- 3 large sweet onions peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour or GF flour mix
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Garnishes:
- chopped cilantro and lemon wedges
Instructions
- Set a large 6 quart pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and all spices. Sauté the spices for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the dried lentils and vegetable broth. Stir well. Then cover the pot and simmer the lentils for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, stir in the dried rice. Cover and simmer again for 15 minutes, or until the rice is soft.
- Meanwhile, set a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil.
- While the oil is heating, toss the sliced onions with the flour. Once hot, add the onions to the oil.
- Stir and sauté the onions until they are soft, with dark crispy edges, about 15 minutes. (Shoot for medium brown. Not too dark or they will taste burnt.)
- Once the rice is cooked and the onions are brown and crispy, move the lentils and rice to a serving bowl and top with the caramelized onions.
- Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.
I LOVE this recipe! I have made it several times. I use it as a side dish with falafels. I’ve also halved this recipe as it’s for two ppl but I love the leftovers. I don’t do the onions cuz I can’t be bothered. It’s great without them. It’s very flavourful!
I’ve tried this recipe and it turned out marvelous! My family loved it. I will always cook this from now on.
Great dish! I used Jasmine rice, ground all of the whole spices in a spice grinder vs. adding them whole, and finished the dish in the oven for the last 15mins (rice cook). The crispy onions are terrific on top and this dish paired very well with pan seared duck breast. Thank You!
This recipe was a smash. I was impressed with not only the flavors but all the info above was on point, will make again hands down. Thank you.
Yum, will be making this again
this recipe is so good! between the spices and the lentils, this has become my most favorite vegan recipe
Love this recipe. Wonderful flavors. We top with poached eggs for a great meal.
Recipe makes a large quantity. What is your advice for best way to reheat? (skillet stovetop? Oven ? Microwave?)
The flavor is good, but my rice and lentils are cooked but there’s a lot of liquid still left in the pot. It doesn’t fall apart easily like most majudrah does. Next time I’ll try cooking it uncovered for the last 15 minutes instead.
Amazing flavors and its vegan, score!