Delicious Majadara (Spiced Lentils & Rice)

Jump to recipe now

Love lentils and rice? You’ll love them together in this easy one-pot meal.

Majadara, or Majaddara, is an ancient Arabic dish dating back to the 13th century, possible even older. It is one of the most popular dishes in the Middle East and it will become a favourite of yours too.

This dish consists of lentils and rice mixed together with aromatic and flavoursome spices such as cumin, coriander, and mint, before being garnished with sautéed onions on top. It is commonly served with plain natural yoghurt, other vegetables and side dishes, hot or cold.

This is a simple, vegan-friendly and express variant of Majadara, tasting just as good.

Majadara is a versatile dish using low-cost ingredients. You can pretty much add in whatever you want into this dish to make it uniquely your own.

Brown lentils:

Lentils are rich in vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate, and an excellent source of protein and fibre. Brown lentils hold their shape well during cooking and are delicious in stews and salads. Whole lentils take a bit longer to cook than white rice so the lentils will need to be cooked first, before the rice.

Cumin:

A warm, earthy, and mild spice that is high in antioxidants, contains vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, and manganese. It has numerous health benefits such as promoting digestion, regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

(Serves 2; Scale accordingly for less or more servings)

1. ¾ to 1 cup of dry brown/green lentils
2. 1 cup of long-grain rice (or any other long grain white rice variety, even brown rice but it takes longer to cook)
3. 1 Tsp of cumin
4. 1 tsp of salt
5. 1 tsp of black pepper
6. Cups of water

Optionals:

• 2-3 cloves of fresh chopped garlic or even powdered garlic; to add into the pot with the other ingredients.
• Vegetable stock powder to add into the pot for additional flavour.
• Natural plain yoghurt; for serving with.
• One chopped onion (in ring shapes, chopping from the root top/bottom); as a garnish on top.
• Chopped fresh parsley or coriander/cilantro; as a garnish on top.

1. Turn on the stove top to high heat and put on a pot with 3-4 cups of water.
2. Once the water is boiling, add in the lentils, cumin, salt and pepper.
3. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the lentils for around 15 minutes while on high-medium heat (you may need to leave the lid slightly ajar to prevent the pot from boiling over).
4. While the lentils are cooking, rinse the rice with water then drain the water.
5. After around 15 minutes, add the rinsed rice into the pot of lentils.
6. Fill up the pot with water to the point where the water level is just 2-2.5cm (1/2 inch) above the lentil and rice mixture.
7. Stir all the ingredients so they are nicely mixed together.
8. Let the pot come to a boil again.
9. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and reduce the temperature to a low simmering heat.
10. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. You can check after 10 minutes if the pot needs more water and add accordingly.
11. Optional step while waiting: Fry up some onions to be used as a garnish.
12. After 15-20 minutes, turn off the stove top and let the lentil and rice mixture steam for up to 10 minutes before serving.
13. Remove the lid and gently stir the pot mixture with a fork to break up and fluff it up.
14. Season with salt to taste before serving.
15. Enjoy!

Let us know what you think of this Majadara recipe – did you like it? Would you recommend it?

Got other similar recipe ideas or suggestions to add your own take on this recipe? Let others and ourselves know in the comments below!

Know someone who may like this easy and vegan-friendly recipe?

Share this blog post today.