Looking for a lentils and rice recipe so simple it practically makes itself? This is the one! No fussy steps or long list of ingredients—just the classic, cozy combo done exactly right.
This one comes straight from my mom’s kitchen, and it goes to show: an easy recipe does not have to be boring.
With just four main ingredients, lentils and rice can either turn out bland and mushy or absolutely perfect. The difference? It comes down to technique, and this recipe walks you through exactly what to do.
What makes this recipe the easiest
It’s made with just 4 simple ingredients
You probably have all 4 on hand: rice, lentils, olive oil, and onion. (And also salt and water, but do those even count?)
You don’t have to caramelize the onions
Just a quick sauté adds a ton of flavor. Don’t get me wrong, I love mujadara too, but a long caramelization process is not weeknight-compatible.
It only uses one pot!
Cutting down on dishes is always good. And this recipe only uses one pot! The downside of using one pot is that the scum from the lentils sometimes mucks things up. But my mom taught me a great technique for eliminating the lentil scum, while still just using one pot.
Tips for lentils and rice sucess
1. Rinse it like you mean it
I’ve done everything possible to eliminate any redundant steps in this recipe. But the rinsing step? That’s totally essential. Without it, you end up with a mucky mess. This is the difference between fluffy and gunky.
So rinse the lentils after boiling them. Rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking. And wipe down the sides of the pot before combining everything.
The good news is that you can reuse the same strainer for all of this, so don’t throw it in the sink just yet!
2. Nail the timing
Lentils and rice don’t cook at the same pace. This recipe staggers the cooking times so each component turns out just right. And I include tactile cues in case your lentils are a little different than mine.
The lentils might take longer to par-cook, but the key is to catch them when they’re “unpleasantly al dente”—technically cooked through with a little bit of a bite, but pretty gross and raw-tasting on the inside. At this point, they should cook right alongside the rice to perfect doneness.
3. Do not peek. Do not stir.
While the lentils and rice are cooking, do not peek inside the pot. Having said that, I know some people will not listen to my instructions. That’s not ideal, but not the end of the world.
However: if you do not listen to my instructions and happen to peek, for the love of all that is good in this world, do not stir them. Once you’ve stirred and shaken the pot into an even layer and placed them over heat, you should not stir them again. Stirring leads to a pot of lentils and rice that is somehow gloopy and undercooked at the same time. It’s truly the worst of both worlds.
Likewise, once the pot comes off the heat, do not peek while it rests for 10 minutes. They need the residual steam to coast to doneness, and they’re actually cooking under there. If you lift the lid, they may not finish cooking through all the way.
4. Use the right kind of lentils.
This recipe will work with a variety of different lentils. That’s why I give tactile clues about how to par-cook lentils instead of relying on time alone. That way, it will work with most any brown or green lentils you might find at the supermarket.
However, if you’ve got red lentils, those will not work in this recipe. Red lentils are a split variety, so they cook extremely quickly. They’re just not the right kind of lentil to use here. But if you want an idea of something equally delicious to make with red lentils, check out my red lentil soup recipe.
All that said, this recipe is super easy if you follow the instructions. All of the above advice is baked into the recipe below. Hope you enjoy this recipe and that you do something fun with all that time you saved not having to caramelize the onions. 😎
PrintEasiest Lentils and Rice
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound lentils (brown or green)
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cups boiling water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils and sort through them for little pebbles. Add enough water to cover the lentils and rice by about 3 inches.
- Turn the heat to high. Once the pot of water and lentils comes to a boil, turn the heat to medium and boil uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- While the lentils are cooking, rinse the rice until the water runs clear and set it aside.
- Start testing the lentils for doneness before the 10 minute mark. The lentils are ready once they are unpleasantly al dente. You should be able to chew one (it should be somewhat soft and no longer hard in the center), but it should still be gritty and mealy.
- Once the lentils are ready, strain them and rinse them until the water runs clear. *
- Use a damp paper towel to wipe down the sides of the pot that you cooked the lentils in until the scum is completely gone.
- Add the olive oil to the pot, turn the heat to medium and add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens (about 5 minutes).
- Add the lentils back into the pot, along with the rinsed rice, kosher salt, and 3 cups boiling water. Stir together and shake everything out into an even layer.
- Turn the heat to high. Once the water comes back up to a boil, cover, lower the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Do not look inside the pot while the lentils and rice are cooking. If you do look, absolutely do not stir.
- Once 15 minutes have passed, open the lid, do not stir the lentils and rice, and take a taste. If they taste done, cover, continue to heat for another 30 seconds, and then turn the heat off, keeping them covered.
- Keep the pot covered for another 10 to 15 minutes after you’ve turned off the heat.
- After 10 minutes of resting, fluff the lentils and rice with a fork and serve.
(If video does not appear below, please disable ad block)
Is there a typo in step 1?
Rinse the lentils and sort through them for little pebbles. Add enough water to cover the lentils and rice by about 3 inches.
The video just shows the lentils in the pot?
Do you add the raw rice in step 8?
Thanks!
The video is more of a quick overview of the recipe—I show rinsing them very quickly (1 second or so) but don’t describe it in as much detail as the written recipe. That step isn’t an accidental inclusion. And yes, add the raw rice in step 8.
It’s such an easy recipe and healthy. I like to serve it with crusty bread and a tossed salad.
🥰
I made this recipe twice so far and it’s always a winner! Instead of rinsing the lentil pot, I just use another pot since I figure it’s the same amount of water either way. I also made it with 1/8 cup of oil the second time and didn’t notice any difference. Even though it’s only 4 ingredients, this dish definitely tastes like it has a lot more. Thank you for sharing!!
Oh for sure, totally feel free to use another pot instead! I’m just "allergic" to doing dishes and always try to help people cut back on the number of things dirtied in pursuit of food haha. And that’s so perfectly put (only 4 ingredients, but tastes like more!). Hope you keep enjoying and experimenting w/ variations!
Any adaptation recommendations for using brown basmati rice?
Yes absolutely! Just make sure you par-cook the rice too (like you did with the lentils). Unfortunately, I haven’t developed a recipe this way, so it’ll take a bit of experimenting to get the timing right. You want to boil the brown rice separately until it’s "pleasantly al dente" kind of like the lentils. Then strain and steam everything together as in the recipe. Wish I could give you exact times and everything, but if you taste everything as you go, it should work out great. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, can replace the basmati rice with jasmine rice?
Yes absolutely! Any long-grain rice will do.
I greatly appreciate your attention here to texture. When reheating this dish, as I don’t have a microwave, what method would you suggest?
Ooh that’s a great question! Microwave is definitely easiest/best (for anyone else reading this answer and wondering), but you can totally reheat them on the stove too.
Just take a very small saucepan, place a couple tablespoons of water in it, and bring to a simmer (careful not to let it evaporate dry). Then add a couple servings of lentils and rice on top of the little bit of water, do not stir, cover, and cook over medium-low heat just for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, keep it covered, and let it coast for 5 more minutes.
Hope that helps! 🙂
Always wanted to make lentils and rice at home! I grew up without it, discovered it in a Mediterranean restaurant, and my life hasn’t been the same since. Twenty one years of waiting! Now I’m going to try your recipe! My kitchen smells heavenly. So excited. Thank you!
Aw I’m so, so glad!! No one should be without lentils and rice for 21 years haha
How would I just cook the lentils with your method so that it is tender and “fluffy”? to throw on greens etc?
That’s a wonderful question! Actually, when it comes to preparing lentils, I prefer to boil and then strain/rinse them. It depends on the variety you’re cooking with, but it should take about 20 minutes total (package instructions aren’t always accurate, so make sure you test them often). Cook them until they’re fluffy on the inside and no longer mealy, but before they start falling apart. After about 10 minutes, they’ll soften but they’ll still be mealy on the inside, and eventually they’ll become almost fluffy on the inside (like with the lentils and rice). The key is to stop cooking them at this point, or they’ll eventually get soggy and overcooked. Hope that helps! <3
Hi Katie! This is the first recipe I’ve tried of yours. I love your explanations of why a particular ingredient is cooked in the way it is, in the order it is, as well as the “hard knocks experience” tips you give for those new to the kitchen (i.e., wipe out the lentil scum). Congrats again and always on making such an incredible resource of your skills and passion for “the rest of us!” -Liz
Aw it’s so nice to hear from you Liz! I assume LR, since you called me Katie 😉
You’re so sweet to say such kind things, and I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! <3
My mother-in-law makes lentils and rice with small pieces of stew meat, and all-spice. Then she makes a thick tomato sauce with finely diced onions, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and a splash of white vinegar to top the lentils and rice. The sauce makes it!
Wow that sounds so good and unlike any lentils and rice I’ve had! Sounds absolutely delicious!