This easy and delicious lentil rice pilaf is studded with caramelized onions and warm spices for an easy and versatile side dish. It’s perfect served up with some grilled lamb for a middle eastern inspired dinner!
Table of Contents
The Easiest Vegetarian Rice Side Dish
Middle Eastern cuisines are some of my absolute favorite, and this easy lentil rice pilaf is a staple! I was first introduced to lentil rice pilaf at my favorite local Lebanese restaurant, and since then I’ve been hooked. If you know me, you know I eat tons of rice and this has been a great way to jazz up steamed rice with more protein, flavor, and texture.
This recipe is modeled after the classic Mujadara–a middle eastern rice dish made with lentils, caramelized onions, and warm spices, like cumin and cinnamon.
Normally, it takes quite a long time to caramelize onions, so this is a quicker, abbreviated version of Mujadara making it easy to get on the table even on a busy weeknight.
Lentil Rice Pilaf Ingredients
full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- lentils–I prefer using French green lentils here, but brown also work!
- red onion
- long grain white rice–basmati works best here
- stock–you can use chicken (my preference), or vegetable to keep it vegan.
- cinnamon stick
- cumin, coriander, and turmeric
- bay leaf
Helpful Cooking Tools
How to Make Lentil Rice Pilaf
- Rinse the rice. This is a key step to having the fluffiest rice! Rinsing the rice in cool water rinses off the extra starch that makes rice sticky so that you have perfectly fluffy rice every time.
- Parboil the lentils. Because lentils and rice cook at different rates, I like to give the lentils a bit of a head start by simmering them quickly before cooking the rice. Not to worry, we’re going to use the same pot that we used to boil the lentils to cook the rest of the rice!
- Brown the onions. You really want to cook them here until they’re deeply brown, this gives the rice pilaf so much flavor. Try not to jostle the onions too much as they cook so that they can evenly brown.
- Toast the rice. Once you add the rice to the caramelized onions and spices, you want to let it cook for a couple of minutes. This adds flavor but also coats the rice in the oil so that it stays fluffy and the grains stay separate as they cook.
- Simmer the rice. The cooking happen in two parts: on the heat and off the heat. Letting the rice continue to cook (without removing the lid) off the heat ensures that it’s fluffy and that all the liquid has been absorbed.
What to Serve with Lentil Rice Pilaf
This lentil rice pilaf is super versatile and great with so many dishes. It’s just begging to be served at your next backyard BBQ or dinner! Here are some of my favorite main dishes to serve it with:
- Grilled Lamb Chops
- Beef Kofta Kebabs
- Chicken Gyros
- Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken
- Chimichurri Shrimp
- Grilled Greek Salmon
Storing & Freezing Instructions
Lentil rice pilaf stores and freezes very well! Any leftover rice can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze leftover rice pilaf, spread it out on na parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer safe ziplock bag. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Rice Side Dishes to Try
Lemon Dill Rice
Ham Fried Rice
Stovetop Mexican Rice
Arroz Verde
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Lentil Rice Pilaf (Mujadara)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/4 cups basmati rice
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups chicken stock or water
Instructions
- Parboil the rice. Bring a medium 2 quart saucepan of water (about 4 cups) to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and add the lentils. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the lentils are slightly tender but still hold their shape. Drain the lentils into a strainer over the sink and then transfer them to a small bowl to cool slightly.
- Rinse the rice. Rinse the rice with cold water through a fine mesh strainer and set it aside to drain.
- Caramelize the onions. Heat the same pot that you used for the lentils over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and once the oil is hot, add the onions and let them cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they're starting to brown. Add the cumin, coriander, and turmeric and cook for another minute, until the spices are fragrant.
- Cook the rice. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring often, to toast the rice. Add in the lentils, stock or water, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick and season everything with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat as low as it can go and cook for 18 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat but leave it covered for an additional 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper, as needed.
Nutrition
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Rate & Review This Recipe
Made for my family and was a big hit! Super flavorful and would definitely recommend.
So happy you enjoyed it! I love this recipe as an alternative to plain rice for so many recipes!