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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish

    Mujadara Msufaye Lebanese Lentils and Rice

    By Maguy・Published: Oct 23, 2020・Updated: Mar 20, 2025・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Mujadara is a deeply satisfying Lebanese recipe made with blended lentils, rice, and caramelized onions. Mujadara is vegan-friendly, very inexpensive to make, tastes delicious, and reheats really well.

    mujadara in a bowl and mint shredded cabbage salad in a bowl

    There are different types of mujadara, This version of mujadara, known as mujadara msufaye, has a texture similar to refried beans.

    I recommend eating this mujadara with a mint shredded cabbage salad and pita bread. The thing I love the most about mujadara is the caramelized onions. Sometimes, I double the onions just to make sure I have enough because I like to have some caramelized onions in every bite.

    ⭐️ For more authentic Lebanese recipes, check out our list of delicious Lebanese recipes. ⭐️

    mujadara msufaye in a bowl

    Ingredient Notes

    • Lentils: This mujadara recipe uses brown or green lentils. Any other type of lentil, including red lentils, is not a suitable substitute because they cook too quickly.
    soaked brown lentils in a bowl
    • Rice: I prefer short grain rice like Calrose rice for this recipe, however, medium grain rice is suitable as well. If using long grain rice, add an extra cup of water at the end of the recipe when the rice is added to the lentils.
    • Onions: I like to use white onions, brown onions, or sweet onions for this recipe. Green onions are not suitable, and I think red onions throw off the taste a tad bit.
    chopped onions and rice in a bowl
    • Olive oil: The best part of this dish is the caramelized onions, and they are made by slowly sauteing the onions in olive oil until they caramelize.
    • Spices: Ground cumin, allspice, and freshly cracked black pepper.
    allspice, ground cumin, and ground black pepper in a bowl

    How to Make Mujadara

    Boil the lentils until they are soft (about 45 minutes). Lentils vary in cooking time, so cook as long as needed for them to be tender.

    cooked lentils in a spoon

    While the lentils are cooking, prepare the caramelized onions.

    fried caramelized onions in a frying pan

    In a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat, add the oil. Once the oil heats up, add the onions. Cook until they begin to caramelize.

    adding rice to the caramelized onions

    Add in the rinsed and drained rice.

    a mixture of rice and caramelized onions

    Mix the rice and caramelized onions on the stove for about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

    using a hand immersion blender to blend the lentils and rice

    Once the lentils are done cooking, blend them with an immersion blender.

    adding the caramelizing onions to the blended lentils

    Add the caramelized onions and rice mixture. Make sure the stovetop is on a very low setting. Cover the pot and cook the lentils and rice until the rice is tender (about 25 to 30 minutes) stirring every 3 to 5 minutes so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.

    blended mujadara msufaye

    The consistency of the mujadara should be similar to refried beans when it's finished. Continue cooking the mujadara on low until the consistency reaches this thickness. Add in the ground cumin, ground allspice, salt, and pepper. Serve alongside a shredded cabbage salad and pita bread.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Make sure there's adequate water. When cooking the lentils, make sure there is always enough water so the lentils don't burn or stick to the bottom of the pot.
    • Water varies depending on the lentil. The easiest way to get the right texture for this recipe is to adjust cooking time on low heat.
    • After adding the rice, stir every 3 to 5 minutes. The rice can stick on the bottom of the pot, so it's important to stir frequently.
    mujadara in a bowl

    Substitutions and Variations

    • Top the mujadara with extra caramelized onions.
    • Use either green lentils or brown lentils.
    • Use a food processor in lieu of an immersion blender to blend the lentils. An immersion blender is the easiest, but a food processor works also.
    • Don't blend the mujadara at all which has a little more chunky consistency.

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    📋 Recipe

    mujadara and mint shredded cabbage salad

    Mujadara Msufaye - Lebanese Lentils and Rice

    Author: Maguy
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Lebanese
    Prep: 15 minutes mins
    Cook: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Total: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    4.41 from 10 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 8
    Mujadara msufaye is a vegan-friendly Lebanese comfort recipe made with lentils, rice, and caramelized onions.

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    • 5¼ cups brown or green lentils about 2 lbs
    • 15 cups water to boil the lentils, see note 3
    • ⅓ cup short-grain rice
    • 2 large onions or 3 medium onions
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 2 teaspoon ground allspice in Arabic behar helo
    • 2 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions

    Make the Lentils and Rice

    • Cook the lentils covered on medium-high heat in a large pot of water (about 15 cups) for about 45 minutes or until tender. Stir the lentils every 15 minutes.
    • While the lentils are cooking, prepare the caramelized onions. Peel and chop the onions. In a nonstick pan on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and vegetable oil. Add the onions. Once the onions start to brown, turn the heat to medium heat. Slowly cook the onions until they caramelize. Add the rinsed and drained rice. Continue to cook for one to two minutes. Set aside.
    • Once the lentils are soft, blend with a hand immersion blender.  Turn the heat on low. Add the rice and caramelized onion mixture, stirring every 3 to 5 minutes until the rice is finished (about 30 minutes). Keep the mujadara covered while cooking. The mujadara is finished when the rice is tender and the consistency is like refried beans.
    • Season with allspice, ground cumin, black pepper, and salt. Serve with pita bread and shredded cabbage salad.

    Equipment

    hand immersion blender.
    Immersion Blender
    frying pan.
    Frying Pan
    mercer cutting knife.
    Chef's Knife
    acacia wood cutting board.
    Cutting Board
    Large Pot

    Notes

    1. If using a food processor in lieu of a handheld blender, add the mixture to the food processor. Blend on high until smooth. Pour the mujadara into a large dish.
    2. To save time making this dish, caramelize the onions while the lentils are cooking.
    3. Depending on the lentils and cooking setup, this recipe may need more water (about 2 to 5 cups more water). Adjust as needed.
    4. Storage: If you keep mujadara in an airtight container in the fridge, it should be good for 5 days. The best way to reheat mujadara is in the microwave.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2 cups | Calories: 258 kcal | Carbohydrates: 44 g | Protein: 10 g | Fat: 5 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 143 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 1 g

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.41 from 10 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Robb

      October 30, 2023 at 1:37 pm

      I love this! The dry rice with lentils with fried onions version and soup may very well be my favorite foods to eat and I love trying every recipe for them i come across. i often make soup from the leftover fried rice and lentil if there is any left Ha Ha! Stay blessed!

      Reply
      • Lily

        October 30, 2023 at 2:50 pm

        Wow, thanks for the comment! Lentils and caramelized onions are so simple, yet so yummy!

        Reply
    2. Lina

      May 02, 2022 at 11:10 am

      5 stars
      Was simple and easy to follow

      Reply
    3. Mary

      April 09, 2022 at 12:12 pm

      5 stars
      Mujadara is made a lot of different ways and this is how we make it with my family. Although we don’t hand blend

      Reply
    4. Maureen

      March 26, 2022 at 5:01 pm

      I am of Lebanese descent and grew up on this dish. We however cook it all in one pan.. Caramelize the onions. Add the lentils, rice, water, salt and follow the same cooking instructions. Do not use a blender to mash the lentils. It will come out more like a porridge and can be eaten hot or cold. It will firm up as it cools. Can be stored for several days in the fridge.

      Reply
      • Lily

        March 26, 2022 at 8:44 pm

        Thank you so much for the comment and sharing tips for how you make it! Doing it in one pot cuts down on dirty dishes. Also, my mother makes Mujadara the same way without blending too!

        Reply
      • Nadeen

        June 12, 2025 at 5:45 pm

        Can you use a brown rice in this recipe? I also grew up with some Lebanese family, but my mother never made this. I’m on a heart healthy diet so wondering if I can use brown rice? Thanks so much!

        Reply
        • Lily

          June 12, 2025 at 6:07 pm

          Hi Nadeem, that’s a good question- yes you can use brown rice. I would parboil it first though before adding it to the recipe because brown rice takes a little longer to cook than white rice.

    5. Donut

      March 07, 2022 at 4:26 pm

      1 star
      This is not Mujadara. This is shourabet 3adas (lentil soup) Mujadara is a completely different dish!!

      Reply
      • Lily

        May 09, 2022 at 11:18 am

        This is how my family makes mujadara, which as we all know in Lebanese households can take on a lot of different meanings. There's a few lentil soup recipes on the blog if you want to check them out: adas bi hamod, Lebanese red lentil soup, Egyptian red lentil soup.

        Reply
    6. Neli Howard

      November 01, 2020 at 10:03 am

      5 stars
      And why haven't I tried this before ?! An interesting recipe and photo is really not bad. I like that it is vegan and I will definitely try your recipe!

      Reply
    7. Jovita

      November 01, 2020 at 9:10 am

      I am always up for authentic dishes from all over the world. Mujadarrah looks gorgeous, and only 4 ingredients?? Wow. Definitely trying this one!

      Reply
    8. Charla

      November 01, 2020 at 7:12 am

      I can't say I tried any Lebanese food but love the sound of lentils with caramelized onions because both are my weakness.

      Reply
    9. Toni

      October 31, 2020 at 11:32 am

      I love recipes like this. It's easy to make and so delicious. I love that it only needs 4 ingredients too.

      Reply
    10. Romina

      October 28, 2020 at 6:23 am

      5 stars
      A great dish. And with just 4 ingredients I will definitely be making this again and again.

      Reply

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    I'm Lily

    I'm an American Lebanese living in Texas. My kitchen, or matbakh, is a hodgepodge of recipes from the U.S. and Mediterranean region.

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