Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe
Easy Mujadara Recipe: A comforting vegan dinner ready in 30 minutes. Crispy onions, tender lentils, and fluffy rice. Better than takeout! If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Iced Blue Tea Latte Recipe with Vanilla Cold Foam and Crispy Chipotle Honey Chicken Thighs with Gouda Mashed Potatoes.
Why This Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy onions add a delicious crunch
- Tender lentils and fluffy rice create a perfect balance
- Easy to make and ready in 30 minutes
- A comforting vegan dinner that's better than takeout
What You'll Need for Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- Optional: Fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional: Lemon wedges
- Optional: Tahini sauce
📝 Ingredient Notes
- green lentils: You can also use brown lentils, but they will take longer to cook.
- vegetable broth: You can substitute with water or chicken broth if you're not vegan.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Instant Pot — Saves time and energy by cooking lentils and rice simultaneously in half the time. → See on Amazon
- Good quality non-stick pan — Ensures even cooking and prevents lentils from sticking. → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe
- Step 1: In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook until golden and crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same pan, add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add lentils, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Step 3: Add rice and vegetable broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender.
- Step 4: Fluff the rice and lentils with a fork. Top with crispy onions, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges. Serve with tahini sauce if desired.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overcook the lentils and rice. They can become mushy and lose their texture. If this happens, add more liquid and cook for a shorter time.
- Pro tip: For a faster cooking time, you can soak the lentils for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Pro tip: To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free vegetable broth.
Storing & Reheating Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: You can make the lentils and rice ahead of time and reheat when ready to serve. The onions are best made fresh.
Freezing Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe
Freeze cooked lentils and rice in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: To make this recipe even faster, you can use pre-cooked lentils and rice.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the green lentils with brown lentils, but they will take longer to cook.
- Make-ahead: You can make the lentils and rice ahead of time and reheat when ready to serve. The onions are best made fresh.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If your lentils and rice are not cooking evenly, you may need to add more liquid or adjust the heat.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-quality cutting board — Provides a stable surface for chopping onions and prevents them from rolling around. → Check price on Amazon
Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Seasonings
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Optional Toppings
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon wedges
- Tahini sauce
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook until golden and crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Step 2: In the same pan, add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add lentils, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Step 3: Add rice and vegetable broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender.
- Step 4: Fluff the rice and lentils with a fork. Top with crispy onions, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges. Serve with tahini sauce if desired.
Notes
- Chef tip: To make this recipe even faster, you can use pre-cooked lentils and rice.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the green lentils with brown lentils, but they will take longer to cook.
- Make-ahead: You can make the lentils and rice ahead of time and reheat when ready to serve. The onions are best made fresh.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If your lentils and rice are not cooking evenly, you may need to add more liquid or adjust the heat.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked lentils and rice in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Make ahead: You can make the lentils and rice ahead of time and reheat when ready to serve. The onions are best made fresh.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 450
- Protein: 20g
- Fat: 10g
- Carbs: 70g
- Fiber: 15g
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sat. Fat: 1.5g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make the lentils and rice ahead of time and reheat when ready to serve. The onions are best made fresh.
If your lentils and rice are not cooking evenly, you may need to add more liquid or adjust the heat.
Yes, you can freeze cooked lentils and rice in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
No, Mujadara is best made on the stovetop. The air fryer is not suitable for cooking lentils and rice.
Mujadara is made with green lentils and Mejadra is made with brown lentils. The cooking time and texture will differ.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Mujadara Lentils and Rice Vegan Dinner Recipe and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
