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Mejadra Recipe - Vegan Rice with Lentils and Fried Onions

  • Español
Portions: 6 portions

Calories: 682kcal

This mejadra recipe (also known as mujaddara) is a humble dish but pure comfort food. It's simple in its preparation, inexpensive in its ingredients, but with very complex flavors, some very familiar to me (like rice and lentils), and some lovely spices (cumin and turmeric) to improve on some old favorites.

Why I ❤️ it • Recipe • Ingredients • Video • Preparation

Mejadra rice.

Mejadra rice with lentils and onion.

Why I ❤️ it

The name of this tasty dish is mejadra, and is very popular in the Middle East, where I got to try it the first time. This rice with lentils and fried onions dish looks a lot like moro rice a dish that every Spanish Caribbean native or visitor knows.

The good thing is that all of its ingredients are available from any decent local supermarket, so you can make it and enjoy it without having to chase anything exotic or expensive.

Mujaddara or mejadra recipe

This free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, and I receive a small commission when you purchase, at no cost to you. Thank you!

Learn how to make mejadra or mujaddara, a marvelous Middle Eastern rice with lentils and fried onions dish that you'll be making many times more.

Course: Dinner, Lunch
Inspiration: Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern
Category: easy mejadra recipe, mejadra reddit, mejadra rice, yotam ottolenghi mejadra
Author: Clara Gonzalez

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time55 mins
Total Time1 hr 5 mins

Utensils and tools

  • Medium-sized dutch oven
  • Small saucepan
  • Paper towels
Mejadra rice with lentils and onion.
Mejadra rice with lentils and onion.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of dry brown lentils
  • 5 large of red onions, 3 chopped into tiny pieces, 2 sliced into thin rings
  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
  • 2½ teaspoons of salt
  • 1½ teaspoon of pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground), divided
  • 2 cups of long-grain Carolina rice or Basmati
  • 1 cup of sliced okra (optional)
  • ¼ cup of boiled chickpeas, or from a can (optional)
  • ¼ cup of vegetable oil, (corn, peanut, or sunflower oil)
  • 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt, for the onion rings
  • Cilantro, for garnishing

Video

Preparation

Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.

Step 1: Boil lentils

Boiling lentils.
Boiling lentils.

In a medium pot, boil the lentils in plenty of water (enough to cover it plus an inch [2.5 centimeters]), cooking over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, counting from when it starts to boil vigorously. Remove from the heat.

With a colander, separate lentils from the liquid. Set both aside, but keep the liquid simmering.

Step 2: Brown chopped onions

Browned onions.
Browned onions.

Heat the olive oil over low heat in a heavy skillet. Add the cumin turmeric, coriander seeds, cinnamon, salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper, and cook and stir for a minute to toast lightly.

Increase heat to medium and stir in the chopped onion (set aside the onion rings for later use) and continue cooking and stirring until they are cooked through and have a golden-brown color (but not burnt).

Step 3: Cook the rice

Cooking the rice.
Cooking the rice.

Add the rice and the boiled lentils, and stir, mixing until the grains are coated with oil. Add 3 cups of the liquid in which the lentils boiled (include water if you don't have enough of it).

Simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, stirring often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Mix in okra and chickpeas. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and lower heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.

Uncover the rice and stir; the rice should be cooked through but firm and with a little bite. If needed, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.

Step 4: Season the onion rings

Seasoning the onion rings.
Seasoning the onion rings.

While the rice simmers, mix the flour and coarse salt, and coat the individual onion rings with it.

Step 5: Fry the onion rings

Frying the onion rings.
Frying the onion rings.

Heat the vegetable oil over high heat in a small saucepan. Lower a small batch of onions into the oil using a slotted spoon.

Fry the onions until they turn golden brown. Rest on a paper towel to absorb excess grease. Repeat with the rest of the onion rings until you have fried them all.

Step 6: Serve

Serving mejadra.
Serving mejadra.

Serve the rice on a shallow serving bowl or large flat plate, and garnish with fried onions sprinkled with plenty of black pepper (to taste) and cilantro.

Top tips

Mejadra is great for reheating next day if you have any leftovers (reheat in a pan with 2 tablespoons of water to rehydrate the rice). The fried onions, however, are better eaten freshly-fried.

Serving suggestions

You can also garnish with lemon wedges, or add some pomegranate seeds to it for extra fanciness.

Make a cucumber salad to go with it if you wish.

Variations

If you want to use brown rice, soak the rice for two hours before starting, and drain all water beforehand. You can use this water if you don't have enough from boiling the lentils.

To use basmati rice, substitute long grain rice for 2¼ cup basmati rice.

If you're looking for another vegan rice and lentils dish, you will love this Instant Pot kitchari, an Indian creamy yellow rice dish with lentils.

Mejadra.
Mejadra.

Inspiration

Claudia Roden, author of The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, writes: "[Mejadra] is such a favorite that, although it is said to be for misers, it is a compliment to serve it."

Clearly, there isn't just one recipe for mejadra. This recipe is a mixture of several recipes and ideas. The idea for the chickpea and okra addition came from a restaurant I visited in the Middle East, although theirs was different from mine. This mejadra recipe was also inspired by the recipes in the books Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi, and Fresh Flavors from Israel by Oliver, Pely-Bronshtein, and Lipa-Angel.

Nutritional information

Calories: 553kcal - Carbohydrates: 23g - Protein: 36g - Fat: 35g - Saturated Fat: 14g - Cholesterol: 116mg - Sodium: 1642mg - Potassium: 765mg - Fiber: 2g - Sugar: 13g - Vitamin A: 1030IU - Vitamin C: 9.1mg - Calcium: 587mg - Iron: 2.2mg

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See more: beans recipes rice recipes meatless recipes

FAQs

How to make mejadra?

Mejadra is made by cooking rice with browned onions and lentils. It is then served topped with crispy fried onions.

What to serve with mejadra?

You can serve a salad with mejadra. A simple cucumber and yogurt salad is my preferred one.

How to fry onions for mejadra?

The thinly-sliced onions are coated in seasoned flour, then deep fried in hot oil until they are crispy and golden brown.

Print card

This is just a printer-friendly summary; some useful details are found in the recipe above.

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How to Make Mejadra

Ingredients

  • 2 cup dry brown lentils
  • 5 large red onions 3 chopped into tiny pieces, 2 sliced into thin rings
  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
  • 2½ teaspoons of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of pepper freshly-cracked, or ground
  • 2 cup long grain Carolina rice or Basmati (see notes if you want to use brown rice)
  • 1 cup sliced okra (optional)
  • ¼ cup boiled chickpeas or from a can (optional)
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil  (corn, peanut, or sunflower oil)
  • 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt for the onion rings
  • cilantro for garnishing

Instructions

Step 1: Boil lentils

  • In a medium pot, boil the lentils, in plenty of water (enough to cover it plus an inch [2.5 centimeters]), cooking over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, counting from when it starts to boil vigorously. Remove from the heat.
    With a colander, separate lentils from the liquid. Set both aside, but keep the liquid simmering.

Step 2: Brown chopped onions

  • Heat the olive oil over low heat in a heavy skillet. Add the cumin turmeric, coriander seeds, cinnamon, salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper, and cook and stir for a minute to toast lightly.
    Increase heat to medium and stir in the chopped onion (set aside the onion rings for later use) and continue cooking and stirring until they are cooked through and have a golden-brown color (but not burnt).

Step 3: Cook the rice

  • Add the rice and the boiled lentils, and stir, mixing until the grains are coated with oil. Add 3 cups of the liquid in which the lentils boiled (include water if you don't have enough of it).
    Simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, stirring often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Mix in okra and chickpeas. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and lower heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.
    Uncover the rice and stir; the rice should be cooked through but firm and with a little bite. If needed, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.

Step 4: Season the onion rings

  • While the rice simmers, mix the flour and coarse salt, and coat the individual onion rings with it.

Step 5: Fry the onion rings

  • Heat the vegetable oil over high heat in a small saucepan. Lower a small batch of onions into the oil using a slotted spoon.
    Fry the onions until they turn golden brown. Rest on a paper towel to absorb excess grease. Repeat with the rest of the onion slices until you have fried it all.

Step 6: Serve

  • Serve the rice on a shallow serving bowl or large flat plate, and garnish with fried onions sprinkled with plenty of black pepper (to taste), and cilantro.

Notes

If you want to use brown rice, soak the rice for two hours prior to starting, and drain all water beforehand. You can use this water if you don't have enough from boiling the lentils.

Nutrition

Calories: 682kcal

Published by Tia Clara - Feb 6, 2015

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  1. Regine

    February 24, 2021 at 2:00 pm

    5 stars
    You use white rice (like Jasmine or Basmati) or parboiled (I call it yellow rice 😄) rice? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Tia Clara

      February 24, 2021 at 6:48 pm

      Carolina, or long grain rice. I hope that helps.

      Reply
  2. Sean

    February 24, 2021 at 1:45 pm

    5 stars
    Very tasty dish, very filling and vegan!

    Reply
  3. Tosin

    April 23, 2015 at 8:48 am

    I love trying different foods, this Majadra looks really good.

    Reply
  4. Aliza Hausman

    March 19, 2015 at 5:53 pm

    As both a Dominican and a Jew, I cannot get enough of majadra! I have a favorite Israeli restaurant in Los Angeles that knows me by name...especially when I'm pregnant. My mom used to make a morro with lentils that is so similar, it tastes like home. I hope you had some kibbeh/kubbeh in Israel. I couldn't believe when I visited that they were basically quipe by another name!

    Reply
    • Tia Clara

      March 20, 2015 at 3:16 pm

      You can about my trip here: https://www.dominicancooking.com/21066-gastronomic-tour-of-israel.html

      I did eat kibbeh, as well as tabouleh and something very much alike our niños envueltos (though the ones in Israel didn't have meat).

      Reply
  5. Kate

    March 01, 2015 at 10:50 am

    What an amazing trip. Traveling is such an eye-opening, exciting experience. I can't wait to see more recipes from your journey.

    Reply
  6. Kelsey M

    February 15, 2015 at 11:01 am

    Wow what an amazing experience and adventure! This dish looks just as amazing 🙂
    -Kelsey

    Reply
  7. Mathew Bracken

    February 12, 2015 at 4:41 am

    I appreciate your work & recipe. Sure, I will try it on this valentine day for someone 🙂

    Reply
  8. Lindsay

    February 09, 2015 at 12:00 pm

    When do you add the lentils?

    Reply
    • Tia Clara

      February 09, 2015 at 6:17 pm

      It's on the same step as the rice.

      Reply
  9. Jael

    February 06, 2015 at 5:09 pm

    A lovely post about your visit here and great pictures:)

    Reply
    • Tia Clara

      February 06, 2015 at 10:19 pm

      Thanks a lot, Jael. I truly enjoyed it.

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Tía Clara! I have been a recipe developer, and recipe writer for 20+ years, and here I share my easy recipes you'll love.

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