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Three lentil tacos on a plate with lime wedges and fresh cilantro.
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5 from 8 votes

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.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4
Calories: 353kcal
Author: Alissa Saenz

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).
US Customary - Metric

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.
  • Serve.

Notes

  1. 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.
  2. The tacos shown in the photos are topped with my vegan cashew queso and guacamole.
  3. This recipe makes about eight tacos, or four servings, with two tacos per serving.
  4. Nutrition information includes tortillas and filling. It does not include toppings.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacos | Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 580mg | Potassium: 846mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 769IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 6mg