Ultimate Mujadara Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do lentils and rice make a complete protein? ›

Lentils can be combined with other ingredients like rice to form a “complete protein” with a full complement of amino acids.

After the mujadara cools, store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Lebanese Mujadara makes a delicious leftover served at room temperature or reheated. To freeze mujadara, simply store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Name and origin

The first recorded recipe for mujaddara appears in Kitab al-Tabikh, a cookbook compiled in 1226 by al-Baghdadi in Iraq. Containing rice, lentils, and meat, it was served this way during celebrations.

Literally means "pockmarked" in Arabic, Mujadara is a signature Middle Eastern dish made of three key ingredients: lentils, rice, and loads of onions! The seasoning is often very simple-a dash of kosher salt, pepper, and cumin.

Lentils and sweet potatoes, when combined, provide a complementary amino acid profile that can contribute to a more complete protein intake. While lentils are considered a good source of plant-based protein, they are not considered a complete protein on their own as they lack some essential amino acids.

Grains Grains, such as rice, oats, wheat, rye and corn, can act as complementary proteins for legumes such as lentils. They contain the cysteine and methionine that lentils lack, and lentils provide the lysine that grains do not contain enough of. Whole grains are a more nutritious option than refined grains.

Lentils are a nutritional powerhouse, because apart from being high in protein and fibre while being low in fat, they are also essential for weight loss, heart health, low cholesterol and many other nutritional benefits.

If you eat fiber-rich lentils regularly, they can cause gas and bloating. If you are sensitive to fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyol (FODMAP) foods, lentils can cause discomfort, as well as bloating and gas in the colon.

A bag of dried lentils can really last forever, but they are best used within a year of purchase (or by the date printed on the package). Once the bag is opened, store any remaining lentils in an airtight container and keep them in a cool, dry place.

Mujadara is referred to under several spellings (including mujaddara, majadra, moujadara, mejadra, megadarra, etc.). This refers to a Persian/Middle Eastern lentil and rice (sometimes bulgur) dish named after the Arabic word for 'pockmarked' because of how the lentils look amongst the rice.

What nationality is Mujadara? ›

What nationality is mujadara? While it's a popular dish in Levant countries like Israel and Lebanon, this Middle Eastern lentils dish actually originates from Mesopotamia a.k.a modern-day Iraq.

Those look to be radicles (embryonic stems, the part the root grows from) that have separated from the lentils. If you look closely at the less squished lentils in your soup, you'll probably see some with the radicles still attached.

Serve as a main or side. For such a simple dish, this lebanese lentils and rice packs a punch of health benefits, like a whopping 14 grams of protein, and is also an excellent source of fiber. Delicious enough to serve as the main dish for a plant-based dinner or alongside some a large salad.

It makes sense together because you get the carbohydrates from the rice while deriving your protein from the lentils. The thing that makes them delicious is proper cooking techniques. Adjusting the amount of salt and other seasonings alongside some acidity can make almost any combination of food taste good.

The combination of beans and rice creates a complete protein. Beans alone and rice alone both lack certain essential amino acids. If eaten together, however, each contributes what the other is missing to form a complete protein.

Combining incomplete proteins to form a complete protein

Whole grains with beans (beans and rice; hummus and pita bread; bean-based chili and crackers; refried beans and tortillas)

Yes, it is a complete protein, if you must know, but that'll be the last thing on your mind. You'll instead be thinking about this fortuitous coupling of brown rice and lentils: earthy, satisfying, warmed by the cumin, freshened up with herbs and yogurt on top.

THE RIGHT WAY AND AMOUNT: If you really want to consume lentils to get protein, have them just boiled and without curry. Even then, know that every bowl will just give you only 10 to 15 grams of protein, along with double the carbs.