Instant Pot Mujadara

4.72 from 7 votes

Mujadara (Mujaddara) is a popular Middle Eastern dish made with lentils and rice garnished with caramelized onions cooked in an Instant Pot or Stovetop

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword instant pot lentils rice, Instant Pot Mujadara

Diet Gluten-Free, Vegan

Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Soaking Time 5

Total Time 5 25

Servings

Calories 480kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

Equipment

Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

For The Caramelized Onions

2-3 tablespoons oil
1 large yellow onion sliced thinly

For Lentil Rice

1 tablespoon oil
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic minced
1 large yellow onion finely chopped
1 cup brown lentils/ whole masoor dal (or green lentils), soaked overnight
1 cup basmati rice rinsed
2 ¼ cups vegetable broth (or water)
salt to taste
¼ cup cilantro (or parsley)

Dry Spices

2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon red chili powder (or black pepper), optional

Instructions

Wash and soak the Brown/Green lentils overnight or for at least 5 hours in hot water.
Press Saute on Instant Pot. Add oil, and once it's hot add sliced onions and saute till they caramelize i.e. till they turn golden brown in color, takes about 8-10 minutes. Alternately you can saute onions on the stovetop pan. Once done take them out in a bowl.
Now heat 1 tablespoon of oil, then add bay leaf, garlic, chopped onions. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
Then add ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, red chili powder and salt. Cook for another 30 seconds.
Add Basmati Rice, soaked lentils, and water (or vegetable broth), salt, and give a quick stir.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure manually.
Open the lid, garnish with some fried onions and cilantro. You can enjoy mujadara with yogurt or Tzatziki sauce and some salad on the side.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

Follow the same steps from the instant pot instructions. Give 2-3 whistles on medium flame and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.

Stovetop Pot Method

Follow the same steps from the instant pot instructions. In a Heavy Bottom pan or Dutch oven cook mujdhara for about 12-15 minutes or until rice and lentils are cooked perfectly. You may have to increase to the water.

Notes

I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT

Tips & Variations

You can use either brown or green lentils for this recipe.
Tastes best on using long grain basmati rice.
You can make it with brown rice too instead of basmati rice. In this case, you do not have to soak the lentils. Increase the water ratio to 3 cups instead of 2 ¼ cups. Pressure cook on High for 22 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure manually.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition