Lentil Tacos

Use aromatic, flavor-packed lentil taco meat and fresh salad vegetables to make delicious, crowd-pleasing lentil tacos packed with fiber, plant-based protein, and several micronutrients. Plus, they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan—but no-one will miss the meat!

Super Satisfying, Protein-Dense Lentil Tacos Recipe

There’s absolutely no need for animal products to make simple, delicious, nutritious, crowd-pleasing tacos loaded with protein. In fact, along with tofu tacos, we love utilizing legumes for soy-free sources of plant-based protein, like black bean tacos, potato chickpea tacos, and these lentil tacos (which are the BEST plant-based alternative)!

Combined with garlic, onion, and a homemade spice blend, not only is this lentil taco meat loaded with aromatic flavor and complex flavor depth, but it’s super nutritious, too. Not only are lentils loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and several micronutrients like folate, but they contain very similar amounts of protein and iron to non-plant-based meats with just a fraction of the fat content!

Using dried lentils, pantry-friendly seasonings, and inexpensive, basic salad ingredients, these easy lentil tacos are a satisfying, filling, low-budget meal even meat eaters will enjoy—perfect for meat-free Mondays and taco Tuesdays.

Best of all, the versatile lentil taco meat is even meal-prep friendly, ready for 5 days’ worth of tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, salad bowls, and more!

The Ingredients and Substitutions

The Lentil Taco Meat

• Lentils: We recommend using uncooked brown or green lentils (though the latter takes longer to cook). Red lentils will break down too much and become ‘mash’-like.
• Vegetable broth: To help cook the lentils. You can use regular or reduced-sodium store-bought or homemade vegetable stock.
• Aromatics: The lentil meat filling combines onion (yellow or red) and garlic for a super aromatic flavor. We also use garlic powder and onion powder (or dried minced onion) to season the filling.
• Seasonings: The blend of pantry-friendly seasonings makes this lentil taco meat really delicious. We use:
  • Sea salt (or soy sauce for extra umami depth)
  • Chili powder (added to taste)
  • Cayenne pepper (adjust the amount to taste)
  • Smoked paprika
  • Ground cumin
  • Dried oregano

Alternatively, if your pantry isn’t stocked enough, use a packet mix of taco seasoning.

• Bell pepper: Use red or orange bell pepper for added flavor and color.

The Tortillas and Toppings

While there are plenty of popular taco toppings to choose from, we love to use (at least) a basic combination of:

• Tortillas: We prefer to use soft corn tortillas, but hard taco shells also work.
• Lettuce: We use shredded iceberg lettuce. Other greens, like rocket, would also work.
• Tomato: Use a large diced tomato or small cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered.
• Avocado: Sliced, diced, or mashed for a creamy texture, healthy fats, and antioxidants.
• Salsa: (optional) You can use chunky fresh salsa like Pico de Gallo or a roasted salsa/restaurant-style salsa.

What Else Could I Add To Lentil Tacos?

• Cauliflower: Roasted cauliflower lentil tacos are a favorite of ours when we don’t mind adding a few extra steps to dinner.
• Corn: To add subtle sweetness (and color) to the lentil meat.
• Spinach: Sneak in extra nutrients by adding a generous handful or two of spinach to the lentil taco filling and stirring it in until wilted.
• Tomato paste: Add just a small amount for extra flavor depth.
• Quinoa: For heartier, even more protein-dense vegan lentil tacos.
• Jalapeño: For added spice, add some minced jalapeño (or chipotle pepper).

What Other Toppings Could I Add?

• Vegan shredded cheese
• Black olives
• Vegan sour cream
• Hot sauce/adobo sauce
• Cilantro or scallions
• Nuts/seeds (like chopped walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.)

How to Make Vegan Lentil Tacos?

• 1) First, peel and dice the onion and bell pepper and mince the garlic. Also, measure out the spice blend into a small bowl.

• 2) Meanwhile, heat a large, lidded pan over medium-high heat and add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes.

• 3) Then, add the lentils and seasoning blend and sauté for 5 minutes.

• 4) Next, add the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pan with a lid, and leave the lentils to cook for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy and have absorbed most of the broth.

If it’s too liquidy, remove the lid and allow the lentils to cook for a few minutes to thicken.

• 5) Then use a potato masher to mash the lentil taco meat to your desired consistency. We like to just slightly mash them, making them more ‘ground meat’-like.
• 6) Meanwhile, wash and shred the lettuce, dice the tomato, and thinly slice the avocado. At the same time, heat the soft tortillas in a dry pan for 20-30 seconds per side, a few seconds per side over an open flame, or stacked and wrapped in foil either in the microwave or an oven until warmed through.
• 7) Assemble the lentil tacos by loading them with a few spoonfuls of aromatic lentil taco meat, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, and, optionally, a drizzle of salsa. Enjoy!

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Bloom the spices: Adding them to the pan before adding the broth gives the spices a chance to ‘bloom’ and become more potent/enhanced in flavor. So don’t skip this step.
• Sort and rinse the lentils: There may be some debris or small pebbles in the bag of dry lentils.
• Adjust the texture: Mashing the lentils a bit achieves a vegan ground beef texture. However, mash it (or use a food processor) to your desired consistency.
• Tweak the heat: Use as much chili/cayenne powder as you like.  

Serving Recommendations

• Mexican rice, brown rice, or quinoa
• Low-carb cauliflower rice
• Regular fries or sweet potato fries
• Potato wedges
• Chips and salsa
• A side salad

How To Use Leftover Lentil Mixture?

Not only is this aromatic, protein-dense lentil meat perfect for preparing delicious vegan tacos, but you can also add it to a colorful veggie bowl, a quinoa-filled burrito, quesadillas, or a hearty tomato sauce pasta. We’ve also used this lentil taco filling as a topping over nachos with plenty of vegan shredded cheese or even to serve alongside tofu scramble at breakfast time.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Once prepared, you can save any leftover lentil taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze it for 2-3 months.

To reheat the mixture, warm it up in the microwave or in a skillet, optionally with a splash of water/veg broth if it seems a little dry.

Once assembled, it’s best to enjoy the lentil tacos immediately, though, before the tortillas become soft/soggy from the fillings.

More Vegan Taco Recipes You’ll Love

• Bite Sized Taco Boats
• Impossible Tacos
• Roasted Veggie Tacos
• Breakfast Tacos
• Chipotle lime street-style tacos
• Cauliflower tacos

Photos by Alfonso Revilla