Our chefs lift humble ingredients to new heights in this vegetarian meal based on mujadara—a popular dish in the Middle East that combines lentils and rice to form a complete protein. In this version, brown jasmine rice is cooked with cumin, cayenne, and just a pinch of cinnamon, then layered with green lentils, tahini-roasted carrots, and jammy red onions flecked with cumin seeds. A jolt of freshness comes in the form of zhoug, a spicy bright cilantro sauce that includes garlic, jalapeño, and lemon. Toasted pine nuts provide crunch while scallions and roasted red peppers add pops of color.

Ingredients: brown jasmine rice, lentils, carrots, red onions, olive oil, diced red peppers (red sweet pepper, water, citric acid), pine nuts, cilantro, green onions, lemon juice, jalapeños, tahini (sesame seeds), garlic, mirepoix concentrate (water, sea salt, vegetable stock (carrot, celery and onion stocks), carrot stock, tapioca starch, cabbage juice concentrate, celery stock, onion stock, natural flavors, mushroom stock, tomato paste), cumin, toasted sesame oil, date syrup (100% juice of organic medjool dates), sea salt, toasted sesame seeds, toasted garlic powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes