Hearty lentils are cooked with flavorful Mexican spices for these easy, oil-free vegan tacos. Serve these on a busy weeknight with salsa and diced avocado. These are crowd-pleasers!
How to Make Oil-Free, Plant-Based Tacos?
For a plant-based version of classic meat tacos, I used canned lentils. The small shape of the lentils does well to replace the texture of ground meat. Lots of flavor is added with bell pepper, onions, garlic, and Mexican spices like paprika and cumin.
Lentils are a great substitute for ground meat in many of your plant-based recipes. Transitioning to healthy vegan cooking, use lentils to replace meat for Plant-Based Portobello Mushroom Lentil Bolognese, Hearty Beluga Lentil Vegan Chili, and Mini Vegan Barbecue Lentil Loaves.
Chef Katie’s Oil-Free Plant-Based Cooking Tips:
Kid-Friendly: This dish is very kid-friendly. However, kids can be more sensitive to heat. You may need to scale down the amount of jalapeño when making this for kids.
Ground Cumin: Ground cumin adds smoky flavor to your plant-based recipes. It is used often in Mexican, Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisine. In fact, it is the second-most-popular spice in the world…second only to black pepper.
Save on Spices: If you want to save cabinet space, you can substitute a store-bought Mexican or taco spice mix. Look for a salt-free or no-sodium blend. Use 2 1/2 teaspoons, in place of the paprika, cumin, and coriander.
Tortilla Warmer: You can warm the tortillas in the oven and on the stovetop. However, if you enjoy tacos often, you should consider a microwave tortilla warmer. It makes it quick and easy to warm a bunch of tortillas at once.
Oil-Free: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined oils. Make these tacos without added oil for a healthy, whole foods, plant-based dinner.
Easy Vegan Lentil Tacos
Medium | Servings: 4 | Ready In: 30 minutes | Yield: 12 tacos
Use these to create a plant-based Taco Bar with Guacamole, Watermelon Salsa, Jicama Salad, and Mexican Chocolate Sauce for dessert.
Get more Mexican inspiration:
- Authentic Mexican Recipes: Oil-Free Plant-Based Vegan Dishes
- Mexican Cooking 101: Chef’s Guide for Delicious, Plant-Based Authentic Flavor
Easy Vegan Lentil Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 red onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeño
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika sweet
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 15-ounce cans brown lentils
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 small whole grain tortillas i.e., corn, brown rice, or whole wheat
- 1 avocado to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Dice the onion and bell pepper. Mince the japaneo. Add the onions, bell peppers, and jalapeños to the pan. Sauté over medium-high heat until golden brown around the edges, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the paprika, cumin, and coriander. Stir well to coat the vegetables. Continue to cook until aromatic, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste. Stir well to combine. Cook until the tomato paste darkens to a brick-red color, about 1-2 minutes.
- Mince the garlic. Add the garlic and 1 cup of water. Scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thick and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the lentils. Add the lentils and cook for 5 minutes.
- While the lentil mixture cooks, warm the tortillas, if desired. Wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel or a piece of aluminum foil. Place in the oven to warm for 7-8 minutes.
- Taste the lentil taco mixture and adjust seasoning. To serve, spoon the lentil mixture into the warm tortillas. Top with diced avocado and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
- Includes Avocado and Tortilla
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 438 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 9 g | 13 % |
| Saturated Fat 1 g | 4 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 4 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 2 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 514 mg | 21 % |
| Potassium 991 mg | 28 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 74 g | 25 % |
| Dietary Fiber 22 g | 89 % |
| Sugars 9 g | |
| Protein 20 g | 41 % |
| Vitamin A | 13 % |
| Vitamin C | 20 % |
| Calcium | 8 % |
| Iron | 44 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping and Gear List
- Artisan Spanish smoked paprika, Pimenton from La Vera region. Hot and Sweet. Set of 2 tins.
- The Spice Way – Mexican Seasoning Spice Blend. No Salt, Non GMO, No preservatives. 2oz
- Simply Organic, Cumin, 2.31 oz
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