Mujadara is a famous middle eastern dish of lentils and rice with caramelized onions, and I loved this from the very first time I tasted it! This is definitely not a low-carb recipe, but it’s something I’d enjoy once in a while as an occasional treat.

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Mujadara (pronounced moo-jha-druh) is a humble middle eastern dish of lentils and rice with caramelized onions, and this is a recipe where the flavor is so much more than you’d expect from the simple ingredients used. Years ago I started ordering Mujadara at a now-closed Salt Lake restaurant where they served it with Middle Eastern Tomato Salad around the the edges plate, the perfect way to eat it if you have tomatoes and fresh herbs on hand.

Then that restaurant closed, and I never found another place in Utah where I liked it as much. So recently I decided to get serious about making Mujadara myself, and I adapted this classic lentils and rice recipe from Paula Wolfert’s version in The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean (affiliate link).

After waiting years to re-create this dish, I experimented a few times until I loved how it turned out! For sure Mujadara is a splurge on carbs for me, but I’m sure it’s something I’m going to be making every now and then when I just need a treat!

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

  • long-grain white rice (see notes)
  • brown lentils
  • yellow onions
  • olive oil (use high-quality olive oil with good flavor for this dish)
  • ground cumin
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

How do you spell Mujadara?

The SLC restaurant where I learned to love this dish spelled it Mujadarra, so I had it imprinted into my brain with that spelling. But after looking online I decided that although that’s an acceptable spelling, it’s most commonly spelled Mujadara. And I’ve also seen it spelled Mujadarah and Mujadarrah in recipes and articles around the web!

What kind of white rice did I use for Mujadara?

It’s definitely not authentic for this dish, but I used Benโ€™s Original Converted Rice (affiliate link) because the converted rice is lower on the glycemic index than the traditional middle eastern rice.

How did I get the lentils and rice cooked at the same time?

Even after several tries, I couldn’t manage to cook the lentils and rice together without one or the other getting overcooked. What worked for me was to cook the rice separately and mix it into the cooked lentils and caramelized onions.

How high in carbs is Mujadara?

Lentils, rice, and onions are all relatively high in carbs but they do have some fiber so this favorite middle eastern side dish has about 29 net carbs and 8 grams of protein.

How to make Mujadara even more delicious!

Even though this definitely is not a low-carb dish, I tried to use a moderate amount of onions in my version, since onions are relatively high in carbs. But if that isn’t an issue for you, I would recommend using more onions, since it’s the caramelized onions that deliver the amazing flavors here!

Process shots photo for Mujadara.

How to Make Mujadara:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Cook 3/4 cup long grain rice, either following the directions on the package or using a rice cooker like I did. I used Ben’s Original Converted Rice, and cooked the rice in my Zojirushi Rice Cooker (affiliate link). Keep the rice warm until you need it.
  2. Rinse lentils, then add water and cook at a low simmer 20-30 minutes, until lentils are soft. Cover the cooked lentils and let sit so they absorb most of the water.
  3. Peel onions, then cut into quarter-slices to make 3 cups sliced onions. (I would increase the onion if you’re not that concerned about carbs.)
  4. Heat olive oil in large heavy pan, then add onions and start to brown the onions over low heat, stirring every few minutes. I cooked the onions for nearly 40 minutes browning time. (Don’t rush the browning step; you want the onions to slowly get golden brown.)
  5. Remove about half the onions to a paper towel, and let them drain and crisp while you finish the dish. These crispy onions bits are served on top of the cooked lentils and rice. Add cumin to the rest of the cooked onions and saute 1-2 minutes. (Missed taking a picture of that!)
  6. Transfer the cooked lentils to the pan with the onions, leaving behind any liquid that hasn’t been absorbed. Season lentils with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook 2-3 minutes.
  7. Then gently mix the cooked rice into the lentils and onions, heating for a minute or two if needed.
  8. Serve the Mujadara hot or warm, with some of the crisp onions topping each serving.

Make it a Middle Eastern Meal:

Mujadara is great as a meatless meal served with Middle Eastern Tomato Salad on the side, which is the way I always order it in a restaurant. It would also make a great side dish with Falafel. If don’t care if it’s a vegetarian meal you could serve it as a side dish with Middle Eastern Turkey Burgers, Kabob Koobideh, or Middle Eastern Ground Beef Bowls.

Finished Mujadara shown in serving dish, with napkin and serving spoon.

Mujadara (Middle Eastern Lentils and Rice)
Yield: 4 servings

Mujadara (Middle Eastern Lentils and Rice)

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Mujadara is a famous middle eastern dish of lentils and rice with caramelized onions, and I love this served with Middle Eastern Tomato Salad!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup long-grain white rice (see notes)
  • 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
  • 3 cups yellow onions, cut into quarter slices (or more)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (use high-quality olive oil with good flavor for this dish)
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cumin (or more)
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook rice in water following package directions, or cook in a rice cooker. I used my Zojirushi Rice Cooker (affiliate link) which makes it so easy.
  2. When rice is done, cover and keep warm until you add it to the lentils.
  3. Rinse lentils, then place in heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, add 1 quart water, and let lentils simmer over very low heat uncovered until they are soft (about 20-30 minutes, but cooking time will depend on how fresh the lentils are so keep checking until they are soft but still have a slight bite to them.)
  4. When lentils are cooked, cover and let water them absorb any leftover water.
  5. While lentils cook, cut onions into short slices.
  6. Heat olive oil in heavy frying pan, then add onions, reduce heat to medium-low and start to brown onions, stirring every few minutes.
  7. Continue to cook onions, stirring often, until they are deeply browned and caramelized, about 40 minutes total time. Don't rush this step; the onions can be bitter if they're cooked at too high of heat.
  8. When onions are browned, remove half the onions to drain on a paper towel to crisp.
  9. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp cumin into the rest of the onions in the pan and saute 1-2 minutes.
  10. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked lentils to the pan with the onions, leaving behind any water that's not absorbed.
  11. Season the cooked lentils and onions with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook 1-2 minutes to blend flavors.
  12. Gently mix cooked rice into the lentils and caramelized onions, heating for a minute or two if the rice is not hot.
  13. Put Mujadarra on a serving dish, top with crispy caramelized onions, and serve hot or warm.

Notes

I used Ben's Original Converted Rice (affiliate link) which is a low-glycemic type of white rice.

Recipe adapted from Paula Wolfert's The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean (affiliate link).

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 330Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 0mgSodium 152mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 7gSugar 9gProtein 8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
If Mujadara is made with a low-glycemic type of white rice such as Ben’s Original Converted Rice, this dish would be approved for phase 2 or 3 of the original South Beach Diet. It’s probably too high in carbs for a strict low-carb diet, but I would eat it as a side dish for an occasional treat.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Side Dishes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalynโ€™s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes Iโ€™m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
My attempt to duplicate the Mujadara I loved and ordered for years at the original Cafe Med in Salt Lake City was first posted in 2010. The recipe was last updated with more information and better photos in 2025.

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