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This plant-based, gluten-free recipe for Mujadara with Prunes and Yogurt Cucumber Sauce is based on the classic plant-based Middle Eastern dish featuring earthy lentils and rice topped with caramelized onions and served with a flavorful yogurt cucumber sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Mujadara:
- 1 cup brown basmati rice, dried
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup brown or green lentils, dried
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- About 1 cup water
- 2 medium white or yellow onions, sliced
- ½ cup California grown prunes from Sunsweet (D’Noir variety), sliced
Yogurt Cucumber Sauce:
- 1 (5.3-ounce) container cultured plant-based yogurt, plain, unsweetened (i.e., almond, soy, or coconut)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 small Persian cucumber, diced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Garnish (optional):
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Instructions
- Place the rice in a small bowl and cover with water. Let soak for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring to avoid burning.
- Add cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and black pepper to the pot and cook while stirring for an additional 1 minute.
- Add the lentils to the pot. Drain the rice and add to the pot. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the vegetable broth and bay leaves to the pot, stir well, and cover with a lid. Cook over medium heat for about 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice and lentils are tender yet firm. During the cooking process, add additional water to the pot (about 1 cup) as needed as mixture absorbs. Mixture should be slightly moist yet fluffy. When done, fluff with a fork, stir in California grown prunes from Sunsweet, and cover with the lid.
- While mujadara is cooking, caramelize onions. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sauté until golden brown and fully caramelized (about 20 minutes), stirring frequently.
- While mujadara and onions are cooking, prepare the Yogurt Cucumber Sauce by mixing yogurt, lemon juice, cucumbers, cilantro, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small dish.
- To serve the mujadara, transfer the rice-lentil mixture to a large serving bowl or serving platter (you can also serve it in the cooking pot or Dutch Oven), arrange the caramelized onions on top, garnish with cilantro and tomatoes if desired, and serve with the yogurt cucumber sauce on the side.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: American, Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 211
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 514 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 7 g
