Home » Main Dishes » Vegetarian Lentil Tacos
Published: January 31, 2018Updated: February 25, 2022Author: Jenn Laughlin
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These gluten-free Vegetarian Lentil Tacosare perfect for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone looking to cut back on meat. Meatless Monday and Taco Tuesday just got even better with these tasty plant based tacos!
Ok so… I totally get the appeal of meatsubstitutes. In fact I pretty much lived off of faux-chicken patties, boca burgers, and other soy based swaps all throughout college.
But have you ever read the ingredients on those things?
Ugh! They’re practically a mile long!
If it were a mile long list of nothing but whole foods I’d be stuffing my face silly by now, but we all know that at least half the contents on that list will be unrecognizable and/orunpronounceable. Plus they’re pricey… and loaded with excess salt and… I rest my case.
After doing a little bit of researched on uber-processed soy, tvp, and a few of the other components of faux meats, I decided to put them on my extreme moderation list.
I’m not oppossed to grabbing a morningstar veggie burger with guacamole from Burger King during a long road trip or satisfying the occasional BLT craving with some tempeh bacon…but regular consumption? Not happening.
For the rest of my eats, I want them as clean and un-processed as possible. So goshdarn-it, I’ll just make my own!
Starting with this deeeelish taco filling and the most amazing vegetarian lentil tacos of my life.
Meat who? I didn’t even notice it was missing!The mushroom-onion-lentil-pinto combo gave the tacos a meaty taste and texture (think: a hearty, tasty chili) minus the moo cow.
These are NOT your basic lentil tacos.
In fact, the ones I’ve had before were always just okay… yet never very memorable. But these tacos? They’re downright delicious!
Granted, I do think nearly any taco on this earth is a beautiful, glorious thing but — these are my magical version that I’ll be making for years to come.
Vegetarian Lentil Tacos
This tasty recipe tastes even better the next day so feel free to meal prep!
The filling is even freezer friendly if needed. Simply defrost in the fridge the night before, warm it up in a pot on the stove, and get ready to taco your Tuesday like a pro!
Vegetarian Lentil Tacos
These gluten-free Vegetarian Lentil Tacosare perfect for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone looking to cut back on meat. Meatless Monday and Taco Tuesday just got even better with these tasty plant based tacos!
5 from 38 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Vegetarian Lentil Tacos
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried lentils
- 16 oz refried beans
- a splash of healthy oil (olive, avocado, coconut)
- 1 cup diced onion
- 4 oz mushrooms, minced
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup enchilada sauce
- 4-6 crunchy baked taco shells
SEASONING BLEND:
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1/4-1/2 tsp dried cilantro
- ¼ tsp salt
TASTY TOPPINGS:
- shredded romaine or spring mix lettuce
- grated cheese + greek yogurt or sour cream (skip for vegan)
- salsa
- fresh ripe tomatoes
- fresh or pickled peppers
- fresh cilantro
- pico de gallo
- guacamole
Instructions
Rinse and sort 1 cup of lentils.
Heat 3 cups of water in a pot until it’s just about to boil, add lentils, and reduce to simmer for 15-25 minutes or until tender.
While the lentils are simmering, you’ll have enough time to make the entire meal.
Saute onions, mushrooms, and garlic with a splash of oil until tender.
Add seasoning blend and enchilada sauce at the end and stir.
By now the lentils should be done! Drain and return to pot.
Combine your seasoned vegetables with the lentils, along with the refried beans and heat on low, stirring gently to incorporate.
Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. I decided to add an extra sprinkle of each spice — feel free to follow suit! Bake your tortilla shells, prep your toppings, and assemble.
Notes
Since these tasty tacos can be either VEGAN or VEGETARIAN, simply choose the toppings that fit your lifestyle and you’re good to go! I pretty much have this insane obsession with adding sour cream or vegan sour cream to my lentil + bean tacos so totally follow suit if you’re a fan! The combination is delightful!
This recipe yields 5 cups of taco filling. Each serving is calculated at 1/2 cup – but feel free to load up your tacos with as much of the lentil veggie filling as you’d like!
Nutrition Facts below are estimated for the lentil veggie taco filling using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on choice of tortilla and toppings and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 428mg, Potassium: 243mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 165IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?I want to see! Tag @peasandcrayons on Instagram and Facebook!
If you get a chance to try these vegetarian lentil tacos, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Lentil Taco Update:
After making them a bajillion million times now (totes an actual statistic, duh) I’m going to have to insist you try these vegetarian lentil tacos right meow!
You’ll be the hero of Taco Tuesday and can probably even trick a few friends and family members into thinking they’re eating conventional tacos. SURPRISE! THEY’RE MEATLESS!
This post was originally published April 2012 and updated January 2018 with snazzy new photos. Yay!
Looking for More Lentil Recipes?
- NEW! Slow Cooker Lentil Taco Chili
- Lentil Minestrone
- Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup (Instant-Pot + Slow Cooker)
- Italian Lentil Soup (Instant Pot + Crock Pot)
- Lentil Quesadillas via Robust Recipes
- Vegan Lentil Chili
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About The Author:
Jenn Laughlin
Hi! I’m Jenn and I’m here to help you eat your veggies! It'll be fun, painless, and pretty darn delicious as I teach you to plan your meals around fresh, seasonal produce with a little help from healthy freezer and pantry staples.
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