• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Hungry Bites
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Categories
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef and veal
      • Chicken and Poultry
      • Lamb and Goat
      • Pork
      • Fish and seafood
      • Other Meats
      • Legumes
      • Salad Meals
    • Side Dishes
    • Appetizers and Meze
    • Pasta and rice
    • Soups and stews
    • One pan - One pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Salads
    • Desserts and Sweets
      • Cakes
      • Cheesecakes
      • Cupcakes and muffins
      • Cookies
      • Chocolate
      • Ice Cream
      • Pies Bars and Tarts
      • Puddings, jams and creams
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Bread Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Dietary
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Gluten-free
      • Healthy
  • The Mediterranean Diet
  • About me
    • Contact me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Fall Favorites
  • Recipes
  • MDiet
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Fall Favorites
    • Recipes
    • MDiet
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Gluten-free

    Lebanese Rice and Lentil Pilaf (Mujadara) - Vegan

    Published: Mar 6, 2019 by Makos

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This rice and lentil pilaf is an easy and wholesome recipe based on the traditional Lebanese Mujadara. Some added spices, raisins and nuts make it extra warm and cozy.

    Lebanese Rice and Lentil Pilaf (Mujadara) - Vegan

    The combination of rice and lentils is not uncommon in many countries of the Mediterranean.

    In Greece there's a recipe called fakorizo, which means lentil rice, and is usually made with the leftover Greek lentil soup of the precious day, following the same philosophy as fasoulorizo, the traditional Greek white bean risotto.

    In Cyprus there's a similar dish with rice and lentils called Mujendra and in Lebanon there's Mujadara.

    Lebanese Rice and Lentil Pilaf (Mujadara) - Vegan 2

    Mujadara uses a lot of caramelized onions for texture and flavor, but that can be time consuming since you'll need some time to properly cook the onions until they rich a deep brown color.

    In an effort to make this recipe more quick and easy, I've skipped the caramelization of the onions and instead I cooked them until soft, translucent, and light brown. Also, in the same spirit as this moroccan rice/pilaf, I added some spices, raisins, and pistachios.

    The raisins and the spices pair really well with the rest elements of this dish making it suitable not only for an everyday dinner but also for a more festive occasion.

    Lebanese Rice and Lentil Pilaf (Mujadara) - Vegan

    The proportions

    Usually, most of the recipes call for one part rice and one part lentils. If you want to serve Mujadara for dinner then this ratio is ideal. However, when I want to serve it as a side, I prefer to use 2 parts rice to 1 part lentils. You can experiment and decide your favorite ratio.

    The cooking times

    The thing is, you never know exactly when the lentils will be ready. Depending on their age, size, type, even the hardness of the water in which they're cooked, cooking times can vary.
    That's why here the rice and the lentils get cooked separately. This also stops the rice from getting to dark colored, something that can happen when you cook it in the same pot with the lentils.

    Lebanese Rice and Lentil Pilaf (Mujadara) - Vegan 3

    Some notes/tips:

    • Use roasted hazelnuts or almonds instead of pistachios
    • A couple of tablespoons of Greek yogurt (or a vegan yogurt) next to this pilaf are a great addition.
    • Cooking the lentils and the rice separately ensures perfect cooking for both the main elements of the dish.
    • The addition of spices, raisins, and nuts lends this recipe a festive character.

    You may also like these similar recipes:

    Meatless Greek Stuffed Vegetables (Gemista)
    Healthy brown rice salad with lemon – tahini dressing

    Share this post if you liked it (share buttons at the top!) and don’t forget to subscribe for new recipes or follow me on Instagram,   Pinterest,   Facebook

    Recipe

    Lebanese Rice and Lentil Pilaf (Mujadara) - Vegan feat

    Lebanese Rice and Lentil Pilaf (Mujadara) - Vegan

    Makos
    This rice and lentil pilaf is an easy and wholesome recipe based on the traditional Lebanese Mujadara. Some added spices, raisins and nuts make it warm and cozy.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 50 minutes mins
    20 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Main Course, Side
    Cuisine gluten-free, Healthy, Lebanese, Mediterranean, vegan
    Servings 4
    Calories 524 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • ¾ cups brown lentils
    • 1 ½ cups basmati rice
    • 2 ½ cups water
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 ½ cups chopped red onions (about 2 large onions)
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
    • ⅓ cup golden raisins
    • ½ cup roasted pistachios
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare the lentils: Rinse them well and transfer them to a small pot. Fill with enough water to cover them by 2-3 inches and cook over medium heat for 30-40 minutes (taste to check for doneness. They should be cooked through but al dente). Drain well and set aside.
    • Prepare the rice: Soak the rice in a bowl filed with cold water for 15 minutes.
    • In the meantime, transfer the oil, the onions, the bay leaves, and the cinnamon stick to a pot and cook over medium/high heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly until the onions are soft and light brown. Rinse and drain the rice very well and add it to the pot with the 2 ½ cups water, the cumin, and the paprika. Let it come to a boil and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes.
    • Add the lentils, the raisins, and the pistachios and stir gently with a fork. Cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let the pilaf rest for 20 minutes.
    • Fluff it gently with a fork and serve. Eat!

    Notes

    Serve with strained Greek yogurt or a vegan yogurt
    This recipe serves 4 as a main course and about 8 as a side

    Nutrition

    Calories: 524kcal
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you like this recipe, Pin it!

    Lebanese Rice and Lentil Pilaf (Mujadara) - Vegan 5

    More Gluten-free Mediterranean Recipes

    • Featured image for spaghetti sauce with ground beef.
      Best spaghetti sauce with ground beef (ragu Bolognese)
    • Espresso coffee chocolate ice cream served in a bowl. Featured image.
      No-churn chocolate coffee ice cream (mocha ice cream)
    • Coffee ice cream frappe featured image.
      Coffee ice cream frappe recipe (homemade frappuccino)
    • Featured image of a strawberry milkshake without ice cream.
      Best strawberry milkshake recipe without ice cream




    Vegan mixed berry smoothie without yogurt - featured image.

    Healthy mixed berry smoothie without yogurt (vegan)

    Greek yogurt substitute featured image.

    19 best Greek yogurt substitutes and how to use them

    See All Recipes →

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    author profile image.

    Hi, I’m Makos. I make traditional Mediterranean recipes more accessible to modern people. Sometimes I'll add a twist. Take a look!

    More about me →

    Fall Recipes

    • Easy red lentil and pumpkin velvet soup (Vegan) feat
      Creamy pumpkin soup recipe with red lentils (Vegan)
    • Light & creamy butternut squash risotto with mushroom chips featured
      Light & creamy butternut squash risotto with mushroom chips
    • Balsamic roasted vegetables featured image.
      Easy honey-balsamic roasted vegetables recipe
    • turkey chili thumbnail
      Turkey Chili (Mediterranean style recipe)
    • Creamy mushroom risotto without wine, featured image.
      Best creamy mushroom risotto recipe without wine
    • arugula-goat-cheese-green-apple-salad-1
      Arugula, goat cheese and green apple salad
    • homemade cinnamon rolls recipe with the best icing feat
      Homemade cinnamon rolls recipe with the best icing
    • whole wheat, olive oil & grated apple pancakes
      Best whole wheat, olive oil & grated apple pancakes

    Popular Recipes

    • Pastitsio recipe featured image
      Authentic Pastitsio recipe (traditional Greek lasagna)
    • Oven baked swordfish featured image.
      Oven baked swordfish recipe with lemon vinaigrette
    • israeli couscous salad with feta, featured image.
      Best Israeli couscous salad recipe (with feta)
    • Featured image for creamy Greek pasta salad.
      Creamy Greek pasta salad (with healthy yogurt dressing)
    • Easy spanakopita recipe featured image.
      Easy Spanakopita recipe (homemade Greek spinach pie)
    • Cooked Pearl couscous in a bowl - featured image.
      3 ways to cook Israeli couscous (pearl couscous recipe)
    • Italian almond cookies featured image.
      Easy Italian almond cookies recipe - soft amaretti
    • Featured image for Aperol Spritz cocktail.
      Aperol Spritz recipe (classic + 2 easy variations)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    As Seen In

    GREATIST, Buzzfeed, Saveur, wellandgood, verywellfit, popsugar, everydayhealth, brit.co, Health.com, Livestrong, Thefeedfeed, Marie Claire, Thepappaspost.

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2016-2023 The Hungry Bites