Instant Pot Mujadara

Mujaddara made so much easier in an Instant Pot. Delicious and so healthy too! A Middle Eastern spiced brown rice and lentil pilaf.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Diet Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes

Servings people

Calories 277kcal

Author Farah Abumaizar

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 cup brown/green lentils
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 onions, sliced thinly
3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon seven spices or all spice
1 teaspoon salt, plus an extra pinch for sprinkling on onions
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups water
1 cup brown basmati riced, soaked and drained
8-10 whole garlic cloves optional but they cook into these sweet mushy pockets that are delicious!

Instructions

Place the lentils in a bowl, and cover with hot water. Allow the lentils to soak until it's time to use them in the recipe.
Set Instant Pot to sauté. Add the olive oil, then the sliced onions. Season with a sprinkle of salt, and cook for a good 8-10 minutes until caramelized and deep golden brown.
Remove half of the onions to a small plate to reserve for topping. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute or so until fragrant. Add the cumin powder, cinnamon powder, seven spices, salt and pepper, plus the water.
Drain the lentils, and add them to the instant pot along with the drained rice. Add the whole garlic cloves scattered into the mixture. Stir.
Set instant pot to normal pressure on high for 11 minutes. Make sure the valve sealed. Once the cooking time is over, naturally release the pressure for 10-15 minutes, then vent any remaining pressure before opening.
Gently fluff the mujaddara with a fork, being very careful because it's soft and might get too mushy if overmixed. Serve garnished with the caramelized onion you set aside, preferably with yogurt or a side salad.

Video

Notes

Cooking times and parts of the recipe adapted from Feasting at Home.

Make sure to soak lentils with hot water right before starting the recipe to start their cooking process. Check them thoroughly for small stones or debris, and also soak the basmati rice in room temperature water and rinse well and drain.

To make this with white rice: reduce water to 2.5 cups

To make this on the stovetop:

Boil the lentils in enough water to cover them for 15-20 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain the lentils and set aside.

While the lentils are boiling, caramelize the onions in another saucepan. Remove half and set aside, then to the caramelized onions still in the pan, add the crushed garlic for 1-2 min, then add the lentils, rice, water and all the spices, along with the whole garlic cloves. The water should cover the ingredients by an inch or so.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and simmer tightly covered 20 minutes, until water is absorbed and rice and lentils are cooked through.

Storing leftovers: Leftover mujaddara can be stored covered tightly for 4-5 days in the fridge, and be frozen for up to three months.

Nutrition