These lentil tacos are a perfect vegan midweek meal! Stuffed with spicy lentil taco “meat” and piled high with your favorite taco toppings, they’re as delicious as they are easy to make.
Lentils are one of my favorite vegan ground beef substitutes. They’re satisfying, protein-packed, and have just the right texture. I’ve had success using them in everything from vegan sausage rolls to lentil burgers to vegan stuffed peppers.
So of course lentils would make an excellent vegan taco filling. They work really well in this recipe, and as an added bonus, they’re cheap as heck!
These lentil tacos are absolutely scrumptious and incredibly easy to make. This is also a fantastic recipe for using up leftover lentils!
Tip: Cooked lentils freeze really well! Make a large batch and keep them in the freezer. Once they’re thawed, these tacos can be thrown together in about fifteen minutes!
Jump to:
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Lentils. We’re using plain old brown lentils, which are the most common variety on supermarket shelves. The recipe calls for dried lentils, but feel free to substitute canned or precooked lentils to save time. This recipe is great for using up leftover lentils from dishes like my lentil Bolognese or lentil meatballs.
- Vegetable oil. You can use any high-heat oil that you normally like to cook with, such as olive oil, canola oil, or corn oil.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Spices. You’ll need ground cumin, ancho chile powder, dried oregano, and smoked paprika, all of which are available in the spice aisle of most supermarkets.
- Tomato sauce.
- Soy sauce. Gluten-free tamari can be substituted if you’d like to keep these tacos totally gluten-free.
- Fresh cilantro.
- Salt and pepper.
- Corn tortillas. Feel free to swap these out with small flour tortillas or hard taco shells, if you prefer.
- Toppings. The tacos in the photos are topped with my cashew queso and guacamole. They were delicious and sloppy! Shredded lettuce or cabbage, diced tomato, salsa, hot sauce, vegan sour cream, or cashew cream would also make great toppings.
Tip: Like your tacos extra spicy? Add some cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce to the filling.
How They’re Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
Begin by cooking your lentils. Place them in a saucepan, cover them in water, and boil them until they’re tender, then drain them into a colander. Be careful not to overcook them.
Heat some oil in a skillet and add diced onion. Sweat the onion for a few minutes, until it becomes soft and just begins to brown.
Add minced garlic to the skillet, along with your spices. Cook the mixture very briefly, until it becomes very fragrant. Make sure to stir it constantly to prevent anything from burning.
Stir in the tomato sauce and soy sauce, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for a few minutes to mingle the flavors and further soften the onion.
Stir in the lentils and cook them in the sauce for just a minute or two. Be very gentle with the lentils to prevent them from getting smashed. You want to preserve their texture!
Take the skillet off of heat and season your lentil taco filling with some salt and pepper. Stir in chopped fresh cilantro. Give it a taste-test and adjust any other seasonings to your liking.
Stuff your taco filling into warm tortillas and pile on your toppings. Enjoy!
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover lentil taco filling will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about three days, or in the freezer for about three months. It can be heated up in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. If you choose to heat it on the stove, add a bit of water and be super careful when stirring to avoid smashing the lentils.
Tip: My cashew queso is also freezer friendly, so consider making a batch of that and freezing it along with your taco filling so you have a quick and easy vegan taco dinner on hand next time you get a craving!
More Vegan Taco Recipes
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
Easy Lentil Tacos
These lentil tacos are a perfect vegan midweek meal! Stuffed with spicy lentil taco “meat” and piled high with your favorite taco toppings, they’re as delicious as they are easy to make.
Ingredients
For the Lentil Taco Filling
-
1
cup
dried brown lentils
(Note 1) -
1
tablespoon
vegetable oil -
1
medium onion,
diced -
3
garlic cloves,
minced -
2
teaspoons
ground cumin -
1
teaspoon
ancho chile powder -
1
teaspoon
dried oregano -
1
teaspoon
smoked paprika -
1
cup
tomato sauce -
1
tablespoon
soy sauce -
¼
cup
chopped fresh cilantro -
Salt and pepper,
to taste
For Serving
-
8
corn tortillas,
warmed in a hot skillet - Toppings of choice, such as lettuce, tomatoes, vegan cheese, and/or guacamole (Note 2).
Instructions
-
Place the lentils into a small saucepan and cover them with a few inches of water.
-
Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil.
-
Lower the heat and allow the lentils to boil for about 20 minutes, until almost fully cooked but just a tad on the firm side.
-
When the lentils have finished cooking, drain them into a colander.
-
Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with the oil and place it over medium-high heat.
-
When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook it for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and is just beginning to brown.
-
Lower the heat to medium, and add the garlic, cumin, ancho chile powder, oregano, and smoked paprika. Sauté the mixture for about 1 minute, until very fragrant.
-
Stir in the tomato sauce and soy sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for about 5 minutes.
-
Stir in the lentils and continue to cook everything for 1-2 minutes longer, gently stirring the mixture. Be careful not to smash the lentils.
-
Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the cilantro. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste.
-
Stuff the tortillas with the lentil filling and toppings of choice.
Recipe Notes
- If you have precooked or canned lentils on hand, feel free to use then to save time. Skip steps 1 through 4 of the recipe. You will need three cups of cooked lentils.
- The tacos shown in the photos are topped with my vegan cashew queso and guacamole.
- This recipe makes about eight tacos, or four servings, with two tacos per serving.
- Nutrition information includes tortillas and filling. It does not include toppings.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Lentil Tacos
Amount Per Serving (2 tacos)
Calories 353
Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Trans Fat 0.02g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 580mg24%
Potassium 846mg24%
Carbohydrates 60g20%
Fiber 20g80%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 769IU15%
Vitamin C 10mg12%
Calcium 110mg11%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.