Meatless Monday: Lentil tacos for a vegetarian twist on Mexican

Lentils are cooked with taco seasoning and stuffed into crispy taco shells with fresh toppings to make taco night meat free and delicious.

Being married to a strict vegetarian keeps me super creative when it comes to meal planning. Creating healthy meals that not only taste amazing but that are also meat-free is definitely not as hard as one might think. Finding the right substitutions doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you are simply trying new ingredients when cutting back on meat.

Lentils are a great pantry staple and can be used in countless vegetarian or vegan dishes when trying to go meat free. Filling, full of fiber and hearty, they are a great substitution for meat in these easy lentil tacos.

I used organic, canned lentils that I drained and washed and then lightly sautéed with garlic, onions and taco seasoning. Fill your taco full of these healthy legumes, and then top with any or all of your favorite taco garnishes.

Easy meatless lentil tacos recipe

Lentils replace the meat in these tacos. Sautéed with garlic, onions and taco seasoning, these lentils are served in crispy taco shells with fresh garnishes. This also makes a fantastic burrito filling or a meat substitute for a taco salad.

Yields 8 

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 5 minutes | Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

For the tacos

• 1 (15 ounce) can organic lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 sweet onion, finely minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 8 organic corn taco shells

Topping suggestions

• Diced tomatoes
• Diced red onion
• Sour cream
• Fresh cilantro
• Shredded cheese
• Chopped romaine lettuce
• Sliced jalapeño peppers

Directions:

1. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.
2. Spray with nonstick cooking spray, and add the lentils, onions and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes or until the onions have softened.
3. Add the envelope of taco seasoning, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring well.
4. Heat the taco shells either in the microwave for 30 seconds or in the oven as directed on the package.
5. Once the shells have been warmed, fill each one with the lentil mixture.
6. Garnish the tacos with desired toppings, and serve warm next to Mexican rice or steamed vegetables.
7. Best served warm.

More recipes using lentils

Lentil sloppy Joes
Curried lentil salad
Slow cooker yellow lentil dahl