AI-generated photo.
Levantine · Lebanon
Mujadara
Also called Lentils and Rice
Brown lentils, rice, and a pile of dark, sweet onions.
Pai editors’ mark 5 / 5
Plan, list, and collections
The onions take longer than the lentils and they are not optional. Cook them until they are properly brown. That is the dish.
Health
How this plate sits
Counted from the ingredient table. The score, richness, and badges describe one serving as written. The ring and the nutrient table follow the serving count above. This is general information, not medical advice.
85
Health score
Light & nourishing
Healthy
Richness
Light
Light to very rich, from fat, saturated fat, sugar, and the cream or butter in the plate.
- Protein 15%
- Carbs 67%
- Fat 18%
Watch · Diabetes-friendly
It misses a gentler mark: sugar, fiber, the starch mix, or the richness of the plate.
Suits · Heart-friendly
Saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium stay modest, with some fiber.
Watch · Weight loss
Calories, protein, or richness make this a fuller plate than a light day wants.
Watch · High protein
Protein is about 10.3 g, under the 25 g mark.
Suits · Low sodium
About 270 mg of sodium, under the 450 mg mark.
Suits · Gluten-free
No wheat, barley, or rye in the required list. Still read labels on sauces and oats.
Suits · Dairy-free
No milk ingredients in the required list.
Suits · Vegan
No meat, fish, egg, dairy, honey, or gelatin in the required list.
Suits · Pregnancy
No alcohol, liver, or caffeine in the required list. Cook meat, eggs, and seafood through.
Suits · Gentle when sick
Mild, not fried, and not a very rich plate. Comfort, not a treatment.
Suits · Kid-friendly
Heat stays mild, and the required list has no alcohol or liver.
Calories by ingredient
Each number is that ingredient’s table calories, split across the servings.
- Dry brown lentils106 kcal
- Dry basmati rice97 kcal
- Olive oil44 kcal
- Yellow onion27 kcal
- Ground cumin2 kcal
- Flat-leaf parsley1 kcal
Glycemic load
Estimated glycemic load for this count: 22. The bands come from the ingredient table.
Portion
One serving is about 276 kcal. Two portions would be about 552 kcal if you want a fuller plate.
Allergens. None flagged in the required list.
Make it healthier
Serve three-quarters of the plate
The ingredient mix stays the same. Calories are three-quarters of the counted serving.
About 207 kcal after the change.
Use brown rice and add 10 more minutes and a splash of water.
A chewier grain. The onions still carry it. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
Serve with yogurt or without.
Yogurt is traditional for many tables and turns it vegetarian rather than vegan. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
| Nutrient | Amount | % daily value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 276 kcal | 14% |
| Protein | 10.3 g | 21% |
| Carbohydrate | 46.8 g | 17% |
| Fiber | 4.9 g | 18% |
| Total sugars | 3.5 g | 7% |
| Fat | 5.7 g | 7% |
| Saturated fat | 0.8 g | 4% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 270 mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 349 mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 34 mg | 3% |
| Iron | 3.7 mg | 21% |
| Magnesium | 18 mg | 4% |
| Zinc | 0.5 mg | 5% |
| Vitamin A | 7 mcg | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 7.2 mg | 8% |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0.8 mg | 5% |
| Vitamin K | 31 mcg | 26% |
| Thiamin (B1) · estimate | 0.3 mg | 23% |
| Riboflavin (B2) · estimate | 0.1 mg | 5% |
| Niacin (B3) · estimate | 1.8 mg | 11% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 8% |
| Folate · estimate | 89 mcg | 22% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0% |
Low-confidence marks sit on glycemic load or on vitamins the USDA row left blank. Those vitamins are filled from a food-group reference and labeled as estimates. Reported USDA values, including zeros, are kept. 50 g is the daily value for added sugar. This figure is total sugar, including fruit and milk.
- A serving stays under about 420 calories, so it can sit inside an ordinary day.
- Sodium stays in a comfortable range.
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.
Equipment
- Heavy pot
- Scale
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
Each line is stored in grams. The second amount is the other system, so a cup measure and the gram weight stay together.
Dry brown lentils, rinsed1 cup180 g
Dry basmati rice, rinsed0.85 cup160 g
Yellow onion, sliced3 onions400 g
Olive oil2 tbsp32.97 ml
Ground cumin1 tsp3 g
Kosher salt1 tsp4 g
Water4 cups900 ml
Flat-leaf parsley0.25 cup10 g
The first amount follows the unit toggle. The second is the other system. Both follow the serving count.
If you need to swap
- Use brown rice and add 10 more minutes and a splash of water.. A chewier grain. The onions still carry it.
- Serve with yogurt or without.. Yogurt is traditional for many tables and turns it vegetarian rather than vegan.
Method
AI-generated photo.
1Cook the onions in olive oil, low and slow, until deep brown.
Onions 25 min
AI-generated photo.
2Simmer the lentils in the water for 10 minutes.
Lentils 10 min
AI-generated photo.
3Add rice, cumin, salt, and half the onions. Cover and cook until the rice is tender.
Rice 15 min
AI-generated photo.
4Rest off the heat.
Rest 5 min
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5Fluff and cover with the remaining onions and parsley.
How you know it is done
Mujadara is done when the thickest piece is tender and the liquid is quiet, not at a hard boil.
If it goes wrong
- Mujadara looks done on top and is still raw in the center. Trust the cue in the method, not the color alone. Give it a few more minutes and check the center.
- Mujadara spread, sank, or turned out dry. Measure by weight next time, heat the oven fully, and stop when the doneness cue appears rather than when the timer ends.
Storage
Cool Mujadara, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for a month if the dish reheats in a pot or oven, not a raw salad.
How this dish helps your daily life
- A cheap, filling plate that is mostly pantry.
- Lentils and onions make a meatless dinner that does not feel like a compromise.
Notes
Pregnancy. Fully cooked, vegan, and mild. A steady bowl. No alcohol.
Low appetite. Leave the onions a little less dark if a rich sweetness feels heavy. The lentils and rice are soft.
From the kitchen. Pale onions make sad mujadara. Give them the time.
Allergens in the required list: none flagged.
Your stars and note
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.