Name: Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Deeply Browned Onions
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 generous servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 pounds yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed; 4 cups water; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained; 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Deeply Browned Onions

This is the sort of dinner that turns onions, lentils, and rice into something far more convincing than their résumé suggests. Brown the onions patiently; the pot does the rest.

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 75 minutes

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

VeganVegetarianGluten free

Major allergens listed: None in the authored ingredients

Based on the authored ingredients. Check packaged ingredient labels and cross-contact information if allergies matter.

Ingredients

Servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed

4 cups water

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Equipment

Heavy pot or Dutch oven with lid

Chef's knife

Cutting board

Fine-mesh strainer

Wooden spoon

Fork

Instructions

Temperature

Brown the onions. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring every few minutes and scraping up browned bits, until the onions are deeply browned, soft, and substantially, 30 to 35 minutes. Lower the heat if they threaten to scorch; blackened onions are not a personality trait.
Reserve some onions. Transfer about one-third of the browned onions to a small bowl for topping. Leave the remaining onions and any oil in the pot.
Start the lentils. Add the lentils, water, cumin, black pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady . Cover partially and cook until the lentils are beginning to soften but still firm in the center, 18 to 22 minutes.
Cook the rice. Stir in the drained rice. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes. Do not keep lifting the lid; the steam has a job.
Rest and serve. Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes. gently with a fork, then spoon the reserved browned onions and parsley over the top. Taste and add salt if needed.

Lentil timing

Brown lentils vary in age and can take longer to soften. If yours remain quite firm after the first simmer, add 5 to 10 minutes before stirring in the rice, adding a small splash of water if the pot looks dry.

Leftovers

Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Reheat until steaming hot, reaching 165 F before serving.

Add warm spice

Add 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice with the cumin for a warmer, more aromatic pot.

Use green lentils

Use green lentils in place of brown lentils, checking them as they simmer because their cooking time can vary.

Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Deeply Browned Onions

Instructions

Lentil timing

Leftovers

Add warm spice

Use green lentils

Ratings & reviews

Rate this recipe

Instructions

Lentil timing

Leftovers

Add warm spice

Use green lentils

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