When I was in college I used to eat a lot of these 5-minute ready-made dishes. Back then, the minute maid mujadara was the star of my kitchen.
Later on, when I travelled a bit and started working in the restaurant business, I actually noticed that this dish is not hard to make and it's very rewarding.
Wherever you go in the Middle East you'll surely stumble upon a regional version of the Mujadara.
It's a very popular side dish to accompany meat or chicken, and can even be the center of the meal.
Origins of the Mujadara
The first record of a dish containing rice and lentils appeared in the Kitab al-Tabikh in the 13th century — in that version, the rice and lentils were cooked with meat.
The word "mujadara" in Arabic means "spotted," because the lentils resemble spots in the rice. You can use either brown or green lentils — I usually go with the green version.
In Lebanon, this dish is called Mudardara and is usually served with onions on top. In Palestine, the Mujadara is often made with Burghul rather than rice. And there are many more variations out there.
Mujadara basics
I'll start by saying that there's a traditional way to cook mujadara: cook the lentils until they're half tender (about 15 minutes), fry the onion, add the rice to it, then cook the rice, onions, and lentils all together.
From my experiments with mujadara, this method doesn't always work. A lot of the time you end up with soggy, broken lentils, rice that's not cooked optimally, and soft, tired onion.
I much prefer cooking each ingredient on its own, then mixing it all in a large bowl and adjusting the seasoning as needed.
The lentils are cooked with cumin for extra flavor — no salt — for about 20–30 minutes. They need to be firm and hold their shape while still being tender. It's also recommended to soak them overnight.
I use a lot of onions for this dish. For 350 grams / 10oz. of rice, I use 4 medium onions. I know it sounds like a lot, but the onions give the rice its distinct flavor (along with the cumin) — so don't skimp on them.
The onions are cooked with 1/4 cup of olive oil. The idea is to create an onion-infused oil to add extra flavor to the dish. Remember, we're not cooking the onions with the rice and lentils, so the flavor needs to be intense for the onions to have their effect on the dish.
The last step is mixing the rice, lentils, and onion in a large bowl, then adjusting the seasoning by adding salt, pepper, and cumin.
Mujadara isn't complete without its yogurt dressing. I usually pour it right over the mujadara — it really makes the difference and adds a delicious freshness to the dish.
Method
1
Cooking the lentiles· 25 minutes
Drain the lentils and place in a small saucepan with 1 tbsp. of the cumin, cover with water and bring into a boil.
When it comes to a simmer reduce heat to low and cook with the lid off for 20 minutes.
2
frying the onions· 10 minutes
Heat a large pan until simmering and throw the diced onions inside cook without oil for 3 minutes.
Pour the olive oil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for another 5-10 minutes until reached a golden color.
3
Assembling the mujadara
In a large bowl, add the cooked rice, lentils and onions (with their oil).
Mix well, season with cumin, salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Jaron Kimhi — self-taught home cook from Tel Aviv, writing and cooking every recipe on this site himself. 20+ years of tinkering in the kitchen, leaning toward slow cooking, classic technique, and honest ingredients.
Can I use a different type of lentil if I don't have green lentils?▾
The recipe calls specifically for green lentils soaked overnight, so stick with those if you can — they hold their shape after 20 minutes of cooking. Other lentils have different cook times and may turn mushy.
Do I really need to soak the lentils overnight?▾
Yes, don't skip it — draining and rinsing soaked lentils before cooking is part of the process. It cuts down cook time and helps them cook evenly.
Why do you fry the onions without oil first?▾
Starting the onions dry for 3 minutes gets them moving before the olive oil goes in — it helps them soften and color up properly in that 5–10 minute window rather than just steaming.
Can I make this for fewer people?▾
This recipe serves 8, so just halve everything if you're cooking for 4. The lentil cook time stays at 20 minutes regardless of quantity.
What do you serve mujadara with?▾
The recipe says to serve it immediately after mixing, so have your sides ready to go. It's a hearty standalone dish on its own but works great alongside a simple salad or yogurt.
