A Middle Eastern vegan dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 30 min
Total time: 1 hr

Organic sourcing

Onions are on the Dirty Dozen, so sourcing organic is worthwhile. Parsley can also hold pesticide residues, making organic a good choice if possible.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown lentils
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• a handful fresh parsley

Method

1. Rinse the lentils under cold water and drain well.
2. In a pot, combine the lentils with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
3. While the lentils cook, thinly slice the onions.
4. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until deeply caramelized, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Drain the cooked lentils and set aside. In the same pot, combine the rice with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover until the rice is cooked, about 15 minutes.
6. Add the cooked lentils, caramelized onions, ground cumin, and ground cinnamon to the rice. Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Cover the pot and let the mixture sit off the heat for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
8. Chop the fresh parsley and sprinkle over the Mujadara before serving.

Notes

• Serve with a side of fresh salad or plain yogurt.
• For variation, add a pinch of crushed red pepper for heat.
• Use basmati rice for a fragrant version.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Middle Eastern recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.