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Greatest plates · Main
Lebanese Mujadara with Caramelised Onions and Herb Salad
A humble, deeply savoury Lebanese classic of brown lentils and rice crowned with slow-cooked, jammy caramelised onions. A generous amount of lentils makes it a genuinely high-protein vegan main, served with a bright lemon-and-herb salad to cut through the richness.
Serves 4Prep 20 minCook 55 minlentils
Containsno known allergens identified
Protein 15%Carbs 52%Fat 33%
About 598 kcal a serve — 22 g protein, 78 g carbs, 22 g fat. Each segment is that macro's share of the calories, within about 10%.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Method
Rinse the lentils
prepRinse the lentils under cold water and pick out any grit or stones. Set aside.
At the sinkprep →
Simmer the lentils
cookPut the rinsed lentils and the water into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, partly covered, for about 20 minutes until just tender but not falling apart.
In the potcook lentils →
simmer 20 min
Caramelise the onions
cookMeanwhile, heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown and jammy. Remove and reserve about a third for garnish, leaving the rest in the pan.
In the pancaramelise →
medium, 20–25 min
Add spices
cookStir the cumin, allspice, ground coriander and salt into the onions remaining in the pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
In the panseason →
1 min
Combine rice and lentils
cookAdd the rinsed rice and the spiced onions to the pot of lentils (the lentils should still have some water covering them; top up to just cover if needed). Stir, bring back to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 15–18 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed.
In the potcook rice →
low, 15–18 min
Rest
finishTurn off the heat and let the mujadara sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork.
rest 10 min
Make the salad
prepIn a bowl, toss the diced tomatoes, cucumber and parsley with the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.
In the bowlsalad →
Serve
serveSpoon the mujadara onto plates, top with the reserved caramelised onions and serve the herb salad alongside.
Cook's noteRinsing the rice well keeps the grains separate. For the best caramelised onions, resist stirring too often and let them brown between turns.
Estimated per serve
598 kcal · 22 g protein · 78 g carbs · 22 g fatestimates, within ~10%
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