This simple one-pot meal has been in my repertoire for a long time now – it’s easy, nourishing, and freezes really well. The combination of lentils and rice make it a complete plant-based meal that’s loaded with fiber, protein, iron, and calcium, to name a few!
Onions get cooked with a little bit of coconut sugar to speed up the caramelization, which adds a subtle sweetness that pairs wonderfully with all of the warming spices. It all gets topped with a bright garlicky yogurt, fresh cilantro, and some pickled red onions, if you’ve got ‘em!
Ingredient highlight
Lentils! My favorite small but mighty pulse! They are packed full of protein, fiber, folic acid, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. One half cup of uncooked lentils contains 24g of protein, that’s more than you get in 3 oz of steak!
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cook Time 45 minutes 
Total Time 50 minutes Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion sliced into half moons
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp ground coriander*
- 1 ½ tsp ground allspice*
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon*
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin*
- ½ tsp ground turmeric*
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup short grain brown rice
- 1 cup dried green lentils
- 1 ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Pickled red onions (optional)
For the Garlicky Yogurt:
- 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced** (optional)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- *If you don’t have some of these spices, just substitute more cumin or coriander.
- **If making ahead, skip the garlic and add it to serve. The yogurt sauce won’t keep for as long with fresh garlic in it. If you don’t like raw garlic, just skip it!
Instructions
- Pickle your onion, if using.
- In a large pot, warm 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and coconut sugar and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until they are softened and caramelized.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and black pepper. Stir to coat the onions and toast the spices, about 10 seconds. Stir in the water, brown rice, lentils and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, stirring halfway.
- Taste the rice and lentils to make sure they are cooked. If there is still water left in the pot, remove the lid and turn to heat up to boil it off. You want a bit of liquid, but not a pool. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce by mixing together all of the ingredients in a small bowl (leave out the garlic if making ahead). Taste and add more salt or lemon if needed.
- Serve the lentils generously slathered in the yogurt sauce and top with cilantro and pickled red onions (if using).
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make spiced lentils and rice
- Make yogurt sauce
- Pickle red onions (if using)
Substitutions:
- To make vegan: skip the yogurt sauce and top with plenty of lemon or lime juice and avocado slices.
- Use parsley instead of cilantro.
- Stir in some spinach at the end for a dose of greens.
Storage:
- Store leftover lentils and rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up the lentils and rice. Top with plenty of yogurt, herbs, and a squeeze of lemon or lime. Pickled red onions make everything taste better!
Servings 4 People Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes Total Time 50 minutes Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion sliced into half moons
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp ground coriander*
- 1 ½ tsp ground allspice*
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon*
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin*
- ½ tsp ground turmeric*
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup short grain brown rice
- 1 cup dried green lentils
- 1 ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Pickled red onions (optional)
For the Garlicky Yogurt:
- 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced** (optional)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- *If you don’t have some of these spices, just substitute more cumin or coriander.
- **If making ahead, skip the garlic and add it to serve. The yogurt sauce won’t keep for as long with fresh garlic in it. If you don’t like raw garlic, just skip it!
Instructions
- Pickle your onion, if using.
- In a large pot, warm 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and coconut sugar and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until they are softened and caramelized.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and black pepper. Stir to coat the onions and toast the spices, about 10 seconds. Stir in the water, brown rice, lentils and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, stirring halfway.
- Taste the rice and lentils to make sure they are cooked. If there is still water left in the pot, remove the lid and turn to heat up to boil it off. You want a bit of liquid, but not a pool. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
- Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce by mixing together all of the ingredients in a small bowl (leave out the garlic if making ahead). Taste and add more salt or lemon if needed.
- Serve the lentils generously slathered in the yogurt sauce and top with cilantro and pickled red onions (if using).
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make spiced lentils and rice
- Make yogurt sauce
- Pickle red onions (if using)
Substitutions:
- To make vegan: skip the yogurt sauce and top with plenty of lemon or lime juice and avocado slices.
- Use parsley instead of cilantro.
- Stir in some spinach at the end for a dose of greens.
Storage:
- Store leftover lentils and rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up the lentils and rice. Top with plenty of yogurt, herbs, and a squeeze of lemon or lime. Pickled red onions make everything taste better!
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