Lentil Tacos Recipe: How to Make Perfect Lentil Tacos
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Apr 29, 2022 • 2 min read
Use brown or green lentils for a meaty, satisfying vegetarian meal you can make on any weeknight. Learn how to make vegetarian lentil tacos with a cabbage slaw topping.
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What Are Lentil Tacos?
Lentil tacos are a meatless take on a classic handheld Mexican dish, consisting of a flavorful lentil filling in warm flour or corn tortillas. Cooks traditionally serve tacos topped off with a sprinkle of cilantro, finely chopped white or red onion, a spritz of a lime wedge, a wedge of avocado, a dollop of guacamole, or doused in salsa verde or salsa roja.
7 Tips for Making Lentil Tacos
When making lentil tacos, consider the following tips:
- 1. Use green or brown lentils. As a meat substitute, brown and green lentils work best because they are milder and larger than the red lentil variety.
- 2. Get the right ratio. Dry lentils expand when cooking—one cup of dry lentils becomes about two-and-a-half cups when cooked. This is about the same as one pound of ground meat. Using this ratio, you can substitute lentils in any meat dish recipe, from burritos to bolognese sauce.
- 3. Season lentils liberally. Lentils are a blank palate for other flavors and are much blander than ground meat. Add more seasoning and umami-boosting ingredients like soy sauce and nutritional yeast to ensure your tacos are just as flavorful without meat.
- 4. Use cooking oil. Lentils lack the fat found in ground beef, so add a generous glug of olive oil or a pat of butter to the pot when cooking.
- 5. Mash the lentils. Once cooked, roughly mash about half of the lentils with a fork to create more textural variety. Overcooked lentils are mushy, so only cook them until al dente.
- 6. Make vegan lentil tacos. Skip the cheese and crema toppings to make vegan lentil tacos.
- 7. Use the leftovers. You can use lentil taco filling as a substitute for meat in a wide range of Mexican dishes, such as quesadillas, nachos, enchiladas, and taco salad.
Vegetarian Lentil Tacos Recipe
makes
6 tacosprep time
10 mintotal time
57 mincook time
47 minIngredients
- 1
In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, 20–30 minutes.
- 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the chipotle paste, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, coriander, garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, soy sauce, vegetable broth, lime juice, and orange juice. Add the cooked lentils to the marinade.
- 3
In a separate medium bowl, combine the cabbage, red onion, jalapeño, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Toss to coat and set aside.
- 4
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned in spots and starting to soften, 5–7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the lentil mixture. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced and lentils are darkened, about 10 minutes.
- 5
Divide the lentils evenly among warm tortillas and top with cabbage slaw. Garnish with avocado and cilantro. Drizzle with crema and sprinkle with cheese, if using.
- 6
Serve lime wedges alongside for squeezing over the top and your favorite hot sauce for drizzling.
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