This Instant Pot Mujadara Recipe is a delicious and healthy lentils and rice dish, perfect for anyone looking for a quick and easy healthy meal or side. It combines Middle Eastern spices with tender lentils, fluffy rice, and caramelized onions. Stovetop instructions are also provided.
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I serve mujadara as a main dish if I’m craving a comforting, easy one pot meal. I also serve it as part of a Middle Eastern-themed meal, with shawarma, batata harra, hummus, muhammara, mutabal (baba ganoush), Turkish green beans, and falafel.
Lentil and rice pilaf is very simple to make and common in many cuisines. One popular version is mujadara, a simple Middle Eastern dish made with lentils and rice, and garnished with crispy onions.
Mujadara is both nutritious and delicious. Lentils are high in protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals, while rice is a good source of carbohydrates.
I love making this recipe in the Instant Pot because it’s easy and hands-free.
The Instant Pot is a game-changer when it comes to cooking lentils and rice. Pressure cooking ensures that the lentils and rice are cooked evenly and retain nutrients, resulting in a perfectly cooked one-pot meal.
Try Another Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipe
- A Delicious Chickpea stew, this Moroccan chickpea stew with butternut squash, carrots has a zesty lemon flavor. This is a family favorite recipe.
- Inspired by Misir Wot, my Ethiopian lentils recipe is a healthy vegetarian comfort food that can be made in the Instant Pot or stovetop.
- Coconut Risotto is a super easy Indian vegetarian curry risotto that’s creamy, spicy, and healthy.
- Rigatoni Bolognese is an Instant Pot vegetarian pasta that’s not only healthy but also a crowd-pleaser, even for meat-lovers!
❤️ WHY THIS IS THE BEST INSTANT POT MUJADDARA RECIPE
- This recipe is an approachable, easy one-pot meal that’s ready in less than half an hour.
- It’s a vegetarian/vegan protein-packed recipe if you’re looking for a delicious plant-based meal.
- Mujadara is pretty inexpensive and can be made with simple pantry ingredients like lentils, rice, onions, and basic spices.
- You can make mujadara ahead of time, which is perfect for busy weeknights.
- You can make it even healthier by using brown rice instead of white rice.
Ingredients and Tips
🧂 Mujadara Ingredients
- Broth or water can be used as a liquid. I use chicken broth or water, but vegetable broth works great too.
- Brown lentils are also known as masoor dal in Indian recipes. They cook at about the same time as the rice once they’ve soaked for 45 minutes to an hour in hot water or been par-cooked, so they are perfect for this recipe.
- Basmati rice is a better choice than Jasmine rice because the grains tend to stay separated.
- Olive oil is prominent in this recipe. You can use more or less than what I suggest.
- Onions are very important in this recipe. They are added in two stages. Sliced onions are caramelized to deep golden brown and used as a topping. This is a very important step. Chopped onions are briefly sauteed with garlic and cooked with the rice and lentils.
- Cumin and coriander are optional, but I do like the flavor they add. Traditional Lebanese versions of the dish do not include either spice.
- Allspice, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper are used in Lebanese and other versions of the recipe.
More details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post
💡 Tips for perfect rice and lentils
🫘 Lentils: Best with whole brown lentils. For white basmati rice, par-cook or soak lentils first. Green lentils, black lentils, puy lentils, French lentils, and red lentils may work, but you’ll need to experiment.
Variation: cook the lentils separately and stir them in after the rice is cooked. In this case, you’ll only need about a cup of broth or water if cooking in the Instant Pot.
🍚 Rice Options:
- White basmati: Perfect for this recipe.
- Jasmine: Use a 4 min cook time; it will have a softer texture.
- Brown basmati: Use a 15 min cook time + 10 min NPR; perfect with unsoaked lentils!
🇱🇧 Lebanese Style: Skip cumin and coriander. Use only salt, pepper, optional cinnamon, and allspice. Focus on caramelized onions.
🧅 Onion Tips:
- You can make the fried onions in the Instant Pot (using the Saute function), on the stovetop in a frying pan, or in the air fryer, oven, or microwave. See my recipe for 4 ways to make fried onions for the topping.
- The onions used for garnish should be sliced thin.
- Make sure they caramelize to a deep golden brown color. This will take some time, so plan accordingly.
- You can fry the onion slices ahead of time and store it in the fridge. This saves a lot of time on busy nights.
🍚 Prevent Mushiness:
- Turn off Keep Warm mode after cooking.
- Natural release for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with rice paddle using gentle folding motion away from sides.
❓ FAQS
Yes, you’ll double the ingredients, but follow the recipe as written, using the same cooking times.
I have only tested this recipe with brown lentils. You’ll need to experiment with other types of lentils, possibly changing the cooking time and soaking time.
It can be served at room temperature or heated. You can add some yogurt over it and top it with pomegranate seeds. A squeeze of lemon over the finished dish adds a fresh, zesty flavor.
It can be made a couple of days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat in the microwave, and top with fried onions before serving.
How to Make Mujadara
⏲️ Instant Pot Method
- Pressure cook the lentils to par-cook them.
- Caramelize onion slices.
- Saute onions, garlic, and spices, and add rice and lentils.
- Pressure cook and release pressure.
- Stir the mujadara and top with sauteed onions.
- Place the lentils in the Instant Pot and add enough water to cover the lentils by an inch. Close the lid and pressure cook the lentils for 1 minute on high pressure. Do a 10-minute natural release of pressure.
- Open the lid, drain the lentils, and set aside.
Alternatively, you can soak the lentils in a bowl with very hot water for about an hour.
- Set Instant Pot to Saute mode and add oil. Once hot, add thinly sliced onion to oil in Instant Pot and fry until brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes or more.
- This is an important step. The onions need to be a deep golden brown. If they start burning, deglaze by adding a tablespoon of broth or water to incorporate the brown bits. Set aside till rice and lentils are done cooking.
This step can be done ahead of time, even a couple of days beforehand.
- Heat the Instant Pot in Saute mode and add oil. Once oil is hot, add onion and stir until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute briefly. Turn off the Instant Pot. The spices in the next step will cook in the residual heat, to avoid burning.
- Add the coriander, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. If anything starts sticking to the bottom, deglaze with a tablespoon of broth or water.
- Rinse the rice and add the lentils and rice to the Instant Pot.
- Add the broth or water and briefly stir everything together.
- Cover the Instant Pot and set the sealing valve to Sealing.
- Program the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
- The display will go from On to 6:00. The float valve will go up after a few minutes, and the display will count down to 00:00.
- Do a 10 minute natural release of pressure. Once the float valve goes down, the lid can be opened.
- Carefully stir the rice and lentils. Don’t overmix, as this can make them mushy. Use a lift-and-scoop method, similar to folding in batter.
- Add the crispy onions and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Instant Pot Tips and Tricks
Delay Start
Learn about how to use the Instant Pot Delay Start feature, which allows you to begin pressure cooking at a future time.
Pot in Pot
Find out how to use the Instant Pot pot in pot cooking method, which allows you to cook multiple foods together.
Cooking Times
Find out Instant Pot Cooking Times and what method of pressure release to use.
♨️ Stovetop Directions for Mujadara
- Soak the lentils in hot water.
- Saute onions and garlic in olive oil.
- Add the spices.
- Add the rice and stir to coat.
- Stir in broth and drained lentils.
- Cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until rice is cooked through.
- Serve garnished with crispy fried onions and chopped cilantro.
See the recipe card for detailed instructions
✅ Why Trust Neena at Paint the Kitchen Red?
I’m Neena, and I have a lifetime of experience working with pressure cookers. I know how to maximize the potential of a pressure cooker to consistently produce delicious and easy meals. With my Instant Pot expertise, I can provide valuable insights, troubleshooting advice, and innovative recipe ideas so you can trust me on all things Instant Pot!
➡ New to the Instant Pot? Get my Instant Pot instructions for beginners.
More Instant Pot Rice Recipes
Do you love the ease of cooking rice in the Instant Pot but are looking for new recipes? Here are a few of my favorite Instant Pot rice recipes that are easy, delicious, and fast to make.
- Instant Pot Arroz con Pollo
- Instant Pot Jambalaya
- Instant Pot Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Wild Rice Pilaf
For more rice recipes, be sure to check out my list of amazing Instant Pot rice recipes!
Instant Pot Lentils and Rice Recipe (Mujadara)
Equipment
Ingredients
Lentils and Rice
- 1 cup brown lentils (See Note 1)
- water for parcooking lentils
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onions chopped
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste (I use 1¼ tsp)
- 2¼ cups water or broth (more for stovetop version)
- 1 cup Basmati rice rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Caramelized Onions (See Note 2)
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onions. Once the onions start browning around the edges, stir them every 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust the temperature as needed.
- Saute the onions until they've reached a deep golden brown color. If they stick to the bottom, deglaze with a tablespoon or two of broth or water. The whole process can take 20 to 30 minutes. Make sure the onions don't burn because that can add a bitter taste to the dish.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the onions to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle the onions with a dash of salt and set aside.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Rinse the lentils and drain. Add lentils to the Instant Pot. Add enough water to cover the lentils by about an inch.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 1 minute. Wait for 10 minutes and release pressure using the 10 minute natural release method. Drain the lentils and set aside.
- Press Saute and add olive oil to the Instant Pot.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute briefly. Press Cancel. The spices in the next step will cook in the residual heat.
- Add the coriander, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, and salt. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. If anything is stuck to the bottom, deglaze with some water or broth.
- Stir in water or broth, drained rice, and drained lentils.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes. Make sure that Keep Warm mode has been turned off.
- Do a 10 minute natural pressure release. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- Open the Instant Pot and carefully stir the rice by lifting and scooping to fluff it up. Don't overmix as this can lead to mushy rice. Let the rice rest open for 7 to 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced caramelized onions and cilantro.
Stovetop Instructions
- Parboil the lentils: Boil 2 cups water in a large saucepan. Add the lentils, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer the lentils for 7 to 10 minutes. They should be almost cooked, but still firm. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute briefly. Turn off the heat.
- Add the coriander, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, and salt. Stir till fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in drained rice and stir briefly until the grains are coated with oil.
- Stir in 2½ to 3 cups of hot water. Stir in the drained lentils.
- Turn on the heat and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer undisturbed for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. (If there's too much water, put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.) Turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 5 minutes, with the lid on.
- Serve garnished with caramelized sliced onions and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- NOTE 1: This recipe is for whole brown lentils. If you use another type of lentil, you’ll need to adjust the cooking times.
- NOTE 2: See my recipe for how to make fried onions four different ways. You can also do it in the Instant Pot.
- The rice may appear wet when you open the Instant Pot lid. Allow it to rest open, and it should dry up.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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More Instant Pot Middle Eastern Recipes
Celine says
Neena, thank you for posting this recipe. I made it with green lentils and they were slightly al dente, which was perfect for me. I’ll try brown lentils next time. Thank you!