Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add sliced onions to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 20 - 25 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bring 2 ¼ cups water to a boil in a large saucepan and add the lentils.
Simmer uncovered, for 15 minutes, then add the rice and ⅔ of the cooked onions.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer covered, over very low heat until the lentils and rice are tender, about 20 minutes more.
I had to add more water toward the end, check after 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let rest, covered for 5 minutes.
While the rice and lentils are cooking, return the remaining onions to the skillet and continue cooking over low heat, stirring often, until dark brown and nearly crisp.
Serve with crispy onions sprinkled on top. Recipe inspired by Epicurious
