Lebanese Mujaddara Soup with Caramelized Onions

Name: Lebanese Mujaddara Soup with Caramelized Onions
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 25 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 3 whole (900 g) large yellow onions (about 2 lb / 900 g total), halved and thinly sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; ½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice; 1 cup (200 g) brown lentils, rinsed and drained; ½ cup (95 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed until water runs mostly clear, drained; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 5 oz (140 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped; 2 whole (200 g) lemons, juiced (about ¼ cup / 60 ml juice), plus wedges for serving; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional); ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, for dolloping (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

All the flavors of classic mujaddara (lentils, rice, cumin and deeply browned onions) in a hearty, lemony soup finished with wilted spinach and crisp onion topping.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 1 hr 25 min
Total: 1 hr 40 min
Makes: About 2 quarts (1.9 liters), 6 bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the caramelized onions
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
3 whole (900 g) large yellow onions (about 2 lb / 900 g total), halved and thinly sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
For the soup
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice
1 cup (200 g) brown lentils, rinsed and drained
½ cup (95 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed until water runs mostly clear, drained
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
5 oz (140 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped
2 whole (200 g) lemons, juiced (about ¼ cup / 60 ml juice), plus wedges for serving
To serve
¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, for dolloping (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 liter) wide, heavy-bottomed soup pot with lid
Wooden spoon
Fine-mesh strainer
Sharp knife and cutting board
Citrus juicer
Small plate lined with paper towels

Steps

Before you start

Slice the onions as evenly as you can, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, so they brown at the same rate.
Rinse the lentils and rice separately in a fine-mesh strainer, and pick through the lentils for small stones.
Plan on about 40 minutes of onion caramelizing; the soup simmers afterward, entirely on the stovetop (no oven needed).
Use a wide pot so the onions spread out and brown rather than steam.

1
Start the onions
- Heat the olive oil in the soup pot over medium heat for 1 minute until it shimmers.
- Add all the sliced onions and ½ tsp salt.
- Stir to coat in the oil.
- The onions will fill the pot at first, but they shrink a lot.
- Cook, stirring often, for about 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onions have softened, released liquid and shrunk by about half.
Tip: Salt draws out moisture and speeds up the early softening.
2
Caramelize deeply
- Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring every 2–3 minutes and scraping up any browned bits, for 30–35 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low if the onions start to scorch.
- Add a splash of water (1–2 tbsp) if the pot looks dry or sticks.
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Ready when: Onions are deep mahogany brown, jammy and very soft, with some crisp edges.
Tip: Don't rush with high heat; scorched onions turn bitter.
3
Reserve crispy topping
- Scoop about one-third of the onions (roughly ½ cup) onto the paper towel-lined plate and set aside as the topping.
- Leave the rest in the pot.
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Ready when: About two-thirds of the onions remain in the pot.
Tip: For crispier topping, spread the reserved onions out in a single layer so they dry as they cool.
4
Bloom the spices
- Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and allspice to the onions in the pot.
- Stir constantly for 45–60 seconds until fragrant and the garlic smells sweet, not sharp.
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Ready when: Strong, toasty spice aroma; garlic is pale gold, not brown.
Tip: Lower the heat if the spices stick; burnt spices taste bitter.
5
Add lentils and broth
- Stir in the rinsed lentils for 30 seconds to coat.
- Pour in the broth, 1½ tsp salt and the pepper.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot to release the browned bits.
- Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
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Ready when: Broth reaches a full rolling boil.
6
Simmer the lentils
- Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the lentils are just starting to soften but still have a firm bite.
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Ready when: A lentil is tender on the outside with a slightly firm center.
7
Add the rice
- Stir in the rinsed rice, cover partially, and keep simmering on low for 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rice doesn't stick.
- If the soup becomes thicker than you like, add up to 1 cup (240 ml) hot water.
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Ready when: Rice grains are tender and swollen, lentils are soft but still hold their shape.
Tip: The soup keeps thickening as it sits, so keep it a little looser than you want to serve.
8
Wilt spinach, add lemon
- Stir in the chopped spinach a handful at a time and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted and bright green.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
- Taste and add salt, about ¼ tsp at a time, until the flavors are bright and balanced.
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Ready when: Spinach is dark green and silky; soup tastes lemony and well seasoned.
Tip: Add lemon off the heat to keep its flavor fresh and the spinach green.
9
Serve
- Ladle into bowls.
- Top each with a spoonful of the reserved caramelized onions, a dollop of yogurt if using, a sprinkle of parsley and a lemon wedge on the side.
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Tip: Serve hot; a drizzle of olive oil on top is lovely.

Good to know

Tips

Take your time with the onions; their deep sweetness is the signature flavor of mujaddara.
Rinse the rice so the soup doesn't turn gluey from excess starch.
Brown lentils hold their shape; red lentils will break down and make a different, mushy texture.
Always taste after adding lemon; acid changes how salty the soup seems.

Make ahead

The soup can be made through the rice step (step 7) up to 3 days ahead. Cool and refrigerate, then reheat with a splash of water or broth and add the spinach and lemon juice just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days; the soup thickens, so loosen with water or broth when reheating gently over medium-low heat, stirring often. Freezer: up to 3 months (without yogurt); thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Substitutions

baby spinach → Swiss chard or kale, stems removed, finely chopped. Cook 5–8 minutes until tender, longer than spinach.
low-sodium vegetable broth → Water plus an extra ½ tsp salt. Flavor will be lighter but still good thanks to the onions.
long-grain white rice → Coarse bulgur (¼ cup / 45 g less). Traditional variation; cooks in about 15 minutes.
plain whole-milk yogurt → Dairy-free plain yogurt or omit. Keeps the soup vegan.