Description
This hearty Lentil Tacos recipe offers a delicious and nutritious vegetarian twist on traditional tacos. Made with brown lentils simmered in a blend of aromatic spices and vegetables, these tacos are flavorful and satisfying. Finished with fresh toppings like red onion, cilantro, and optional pico de gallo or guacamole, they make a perfect easy weeknight meal or casual gathering dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 large tomato, chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup dry brown lentils
- 2 ½ cups low sodium vegetable broth or water
For Serving
- 8 corn tortillas, or hard shell tacos
- ½ red onion, chopped
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- Pico de gallo (optional)
- Diced avocado or guacamole (optional)
- Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat the avocado oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens slightly, about 4 minutes. Then add the chopped garlic and tomato and continue cooking until the tomatoes have softened, approximately 4 minutes.
- Add spices and lentils: Stir in onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and kosher salt to combine with the vegetables. Add the dry brown lentils followed by the low sodium vegetable broth or water. Stir everything well and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer lentils: Once boiling, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low to simmer gently. Let it cook for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Blend half the mixture: Turn off the heat and carefully transfer half of the lentil mixture to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend until smooth and then return the blended portion back to the skillet. Stir the mixture to combine for a nice texture with some whole lentils and some smooth sauce.
- Char the tortillas: Using tongs, char the corn tortillas over an open flame on the stove burner for about 30 seconds on each side until they develop slight blackened spots and a smoky flavor.
- Assemble the tacos: Spoon approximately ¼ cup of the lentil filling onto each tortilla. Top with chopped red onion, cilantro, and any optional toppings such as pico de gallo, diced avocado, guacamole, or hot sauce before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute vegetable broth with water, but broth adds more flavor.
- Adjust chili powder amount according to your spice preference.
- For added protein, serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt or your favorite dairy-free alternative.
- Use fresh corn tortillas for best results; hard shells can be warmed according to package instructions.
- Leftover lentil mixture can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
