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Vegetarian, Maghreb and Middle East

Mujaddara with fresh salad

Mujaddara is a Levantine dish made from lentils and bulgur, topped with deeply caramelized onions and served with yogurt and a fresh salad. For 4 people, it takes 50 minutes and is rated easy, at about €1.30 per serving. The key to success is letting the onions caramelize slowly without stirring them too often.

A mujaddara with nicely caramelized onions on top, a humble and deeply comforting Levantine dish, served with yogurt and a fresh salad.

Mujaddara with fresh salad
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.30
Calories per person
710 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring

Mujaddara looks humble but delivers a lot of flavor. Green lentils give it body, bulgur adds lightness, and the long caramelized onions bring a deep, sweet note that defines the whole dish. Cumin warms everything up without ever taking over.

It's a great weeknight dinner when you want something simple and filling without spending hours in the kitchen, since the lentils and bulgur mostly cook on their own while you put together the salad. It also works well for a casual weekend meal shared with others, with the fresh salad and yogurt balancing out the warm, hearty dish.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Green lentilsoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Bulguroften in the pantry 200 g
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 8 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 4
  • Cucumber 1
  • Tomatoes 3
  • Mint 1 bunch
  • Lemon 1

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt 4 cup

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the lentils in lightly salted water at a gentle simmer until almost tender. 20 min

    They should still have a bit of bite, since they finish cooking with the bulgur.

  2. Thinly slice the onions and cook them in oil over medium heat, stirring only occasionally. 25 min

    The darker they get, the more flavorful the dish, but don't let them burn.

  3. Add the bulgur, cumin and a bit of water to the lentils, then cook covered. 12 min

    Let it rest covered off the heat so the bulgur can finish swelling.

  4. Prepare the salad with tomatoes, cucumber, mint, lemon and olive oil.

    Cut the vegetables into small dice, it pairs better with the mujaddara.

  5. Serve the mujaddara topped with caramelized onions, with the yogurt and salad on the side.

    Set aside a third of the onions for the topping, that's the best part.

Our tips to get it right

  • Slice the onions into thin, even strips so they all caramelize at the same rate instead of some burning while others stay pale.
  • Taste the lentils before adding the bulgur, they should still be slightly firm since they keep cooking afterward.
  • If the lentil and bulgur mixture starts sticking near the end, add a splash of hot water rather than cold to keep the cooking even.

The variations

  • Swap the bulgur for rice for a version closer to some traditional recipes, adjusting the cooking time slightly.
  • For a dairy free version, serve the mujaddara with a squeeze of lemon and tahini instead of yogurt.
  • For a faster meal, make the salad and prep the yogurt while the onions caramelize, so everything is ready at once.

What to serve it with

  • Cold plain yogurt
  • Warm flatbread
  • Lemon water

Storage

Mujaddara keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well without the salad, and reheats gently in a pan or microwave with a splash of water. Make the fresh salad just before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can I use red lentils instead of green lentils?

Red lentils cook much faster and fall apart, which completely changes the texture of the dish. Stick with green or brown lentils, which hold their shape well during cooking.

How do you know when the onions are caramelized enough?

They should be brown and soft, almost jammy, with no black spots. It takes about 25 minutes over medium heat, mostly left alone.

Can mujaddara be made ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook it in the morning or the day before and reheat it gently before serving. Make the salad at the last minute so it stays fresh and crisp.

Is this dish good for kids?

Some kids love the sweetness of the onions and the simplicity of the lentils, while others prefer milder flavors. You can set aside a cumin free portion if needed.

How long does it take to make a mujaddara with fresh salad?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a mujaddara with fresh salad?

About 710 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a mujaddara with fresh salad cost?

About €1.30 per serving, or €5.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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