Lentil and Rice Pilaf with Caramelized Onions
🍚✨ Cozy, comforting, and packed with flavor — this Lentil & Rice Pilaf with Caramelized Onions is your new go-to one-pot wonder! Vegan, gluten-free & totally adaptable
Ingredients
Grains & Legumes:
- 1 cup brown or green lentils
- 1 cup long-grain white rice or basmati
- Onions & Aromatics:
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 2 –3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 –4 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
Spices:
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Liquid:
- 2.5 cups vegetable broth or water
- Optional Add-ins:
- Lemon wedges
- Chopped parsley
- Allspice or sumac for variation
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions + pinch of salt. Cook for 25–30 min, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and soft. Reduce heat if they brown too fast.
- Cook the Lentils
- Rinse lentils. In a pot, combine with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 15–20 min until just tender. Drain.
- Toast the Rice & Spices
- In the same skillet, push onions aside or remove half. Add 1 tbsp oil, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon. Stir in rice and toast for 2–3 min until fragrant.
- Simmer Everything
- Add cooked lentils, broth, salt, and pepper. Stir gently. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15–18 min until rice is tender.
- Rest & Serve
- Remove from heat, rest covered 5–10 min. Fluff with a fork. Top with reserved onions. Drizzle with oil and serve with lemon wedges or parsley.
Notes
- Mujadara Style: Add a pinch of allspice, serve with cucumber yogurt.
- Coconut Curry Twist: Use coconut milk + curry powder + fresh cilantro.
- Stuffed Peppers: Use as filling for halved bell peppers, then bake.
- Winter Bowl: Top with roasted squash, pine nuts, tahini.
- Spring Herb Medley: Stir in leeks, dill, peas toward the end.
- Protein Boost: Add tofu, chickpeas, or rotisserie chicken.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 13gFat: 7gFiber: 8gSugar: 3g
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