Chickpea and Spinach Mujaddara with Caramelized Onions

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-24 · Updated 2026-06-24

A comforting Syrian lentil and rice dish layered with tender chickpeas and topped with sweet, golden caramelized onions and fresh spinach. This Middle Eastern-inspired vegetarian recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs brown lentils, basmati rice, chickpeas (cooked or canned, drained) for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown lentils
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup chickpeas (cooked or canned, drained)
• 3 cups spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 cups water

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup brown lentils and place in a medium pot with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
2. Step 2: Add 1 cup basmati rice to the pot with lentils, along with 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes until rice and lentils are tender.
3. Step 3: While the rice and lentils cook, heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 large thinly sliced onions and cook slowly for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are deeply caramelized and golden brown.
4. Step 4: In the last 3 minutes of cooking onions, stir in 3 cups roughly chopped spinach and 1 cup drained chickpeas, cooking until spinach wilts and chickpeas are warmed through.
5. Step 5: Once rice and lentils are cooked, gently fluff with a fork. Season with 1/2 tsp salt as needed.
6. Step 6: To serve, layer the lentil-rice mixture on a platter and top generously with the caramelized onion, spinach, and chickpea mixture.