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A bowl of Mejadra, with spiced lentils and rice, served in a dark grey bowl on a blue/silver-grey table.
4 from 1 vote

Mejadra - Middle Eastern Rice and Lentils

Mejadra is a comforting Middle Eastern dish made with lentils, rice, and crispy fried onions. It’s rich in warming spices like cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, creating a delicious balance of flavors and textures. Naturally vegetarian and budget-friendly, it’s an easy meal using pantry staples. Serve it as a main with yogurt or as a side to grilled meats. Simple, satisfying, and full of flavor—this dish is a must-try!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main, Side
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Servings: 6
Calories: 505kcal
Author: Claire | Sprinkle and Sprouts
For more great recipes follow me on PinterestFollow @sprinklessprout

Ingredients

For the onions (see note 1)

  • 1 cup oil neutral
  • 4 onions thinly sliced

For the Rice

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 can lentils 15oz/400g can (see note 2)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1¼ cup cold water

Instructions

Start with the crispy onions

  • Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ¼ of the sliced onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until deeply golden. Remove the onions from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
    1 cup oil
    4 onions



  • Repeat in three more batches until you have fried all the onions.

To make the Mejadra

  • Rinse the rice in plenty of cold water (see note 3)
    1 cup basmati rice



  • Drain and rinse the can of lentils.
    1 can lentils



  • Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat (see note 4). Add the cumin, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, salt, sugar, turmeric, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
    1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    1 tsp ground cumin
    1½ tsp ground coriander
    1 tsp allspice
    1 tsp ground cinnamon
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp sugar
    ½ tsp turmeric
    ¼ tsp black pepper



  • Add the rice and lentils and stir to coat them with the oil and spices.
  • Add the water and bring to a boil without a lid. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 12 minutes.
    1¼ cup cold water



  • After 12 minutes, remove the pan from the heat, but don't remove the lid.
  • Let the rice rest for 10 minutes, then use a fork or silicone spatula (or rice paddle) to fluff the rice.
  • Taste and add more salt if needed.
  • Stir through ¾ of the fried onion and scatter the rest over the top of the rice.

Notes

  1. Feel free to substitute for store-bought crispy onions. They work really well as a shortcut. You don't get the same buttery sweetness, but the crunch and flavor are spot on.
  2. You can use canned brown or green lentils.
  3. How to rinse rice:
     Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Use your hand to turn the rice over in the bowl; be gentle, as you don't want to break the grains. Carefully drain the water away and repeat this process twice more. Once you have rinsed the rice three times, use a fine-mesh sieve to drain the rice. To ensure you have washed away as much starch as possible, place the sieve under the flow of running water for 10-15 seconds. Let the rice drain well.
  4. Use a pan with a lid. Ideally, you want a lid that doesn't have a steam hole or vent in it. The rice is cooked at low heat with a lid and then left to steam. So you need a good-fitting lid. A glass lid makes it easier to see what is going on.

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 405mg | Potassium: 837mg | Fiber: 24g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 6mg
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