Mujaddara Hamra with Lamb — Bulgur, Lentils, and Lamb

Middle Eastern Non Fasting Published April 21, 2026

Non-Fasting Recipe: This dish contains meat, dairy, or eggs and is intended for feast days and non-fasting periods.

A heartier, meat-enriched cousin of the classic lentil-rice mujaddara — bulgur and brown lentils
simmered with caramelised onions and pieces of braised lamb shank, giving the dish a deep, savoury
richness. Comfort food with serious credentials.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (lamb)

SERVINGS: 6
TIME: 2 hours 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kg lamb shank or neck, on the bone, cut into 4 cm pieces
- 300 g coarse bulgur wheat
- 250 g brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced (for caramelising)
- 2 medium onions, finely diced (for the pot)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- Salt and black pepper

For serving:
- Thick Greek yogurt
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
- Chopped tomato and cucumber

METHOD:
1. Pat lamb dry. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a large Dutch oven. Brown lamb pieces on all sides, 8-10 minutes. Remove to a plate.
2. In the same pot, add diced onions. Cook 7 minutes until soft. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, and Aleppo. Cook 1 minute.
3. Return lamb to the pot. Add 1.5 litres water. Bring to a simmer, skim foam. Cover and simmer gently 75-90 minutes until lamb is fork-tender. Remove lamb; shred meat off the bones. Reserve broth.
4. Add lentils to the broth. Simmer 25 minutes until tender but not mushy.
5. Add bulgur and shredded lamb. Stir well. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, caramelise the remaining onions: heat remaining ghee in a large skillet. Cook sliced onions slowly over medium-low heat, stirring, for 20-25 minutes until deeply golden brown and sweet. Set aside.
7. Fluff mujaddara with a fork. Taste for salt.
8. Pile onto a platter. Top with caramelised onions. Serve with yogurt, parsley, lemon, and fresh vegetables.

NOTES:
- The caramelised onions are the soul of any mujaddara. Take the time to caramelise them properly — do not rush.
- The bulgur version (mujaddara hamra, "red") is distinct from the rice version (mujaddara safra, "yellow"). Both are classic.
- For a deeper flavour, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the pot with the spices.
- Mujaddara is weekend food. Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of water.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 580 | Protein: 36 g | Carbohydrates: 58 g | Fat: 22 g | Fibre: 12 g