lentil tacos

These incredibly easy Slow Cooker Lentil and Brown Rice Tacos will completely change your weekly taco night. &nbsp;Simply add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker, stir and walk away. &nbsp;Dinner will be waiting for you, not the other way around.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Slow Cooker Lentil and Brown Rice Tacos

green lentils

brown rice

onion (diced)

garlic (minced)

chili powder

onion powder

red pepper flakes

paprika

cumin

salt

black pepper

water

Add lentils, brown rice, onion and garlic to insert of slow cooker.TIP: You want to use green lentils in this recipe, NOT red.  Red lentils tend to fall apart while they are cooking which makes them the best choice for a soup, rather than this taco filling.

Add chili powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.

Pour water into slow cooker mixture.TIP: Want to add even more flavor?  Feel free to substitute vegetable broth - or chicken or beef or mushroom! - in place of the water called for in the recipe.

Stir to combine.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.TIP: For lentils that will retain their shape and still have some &quot;bite&quot; to them, cook for three hours, for softer lentils, cook four hours.

Stir taco filling once during the last hour of cooking.TIP: A quick stir during the final hour of cooking helps to redistribute any remaining liquid and also gives you a sense of how much cooking time you&#x27;d like to give the lentils and rice to obtain the texture you prefer.

You're going to love this vegetarian lentil tacos recipe. Roasted cauliflower, seasoned lentils and creamy chipotle sauce combine to make a delicious taco! Recipe yields 8 modestly portioned tacos.

Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce

olive oil

Salt and black pepper

onion

garlic cloves, pressed

tomato paste

lentils,

vegetable broth

mayonnaise

lime juice

Salt and black pepper,

corn tortillas

cilantro leaves*

To roast the cauliflower: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss cauliflower florets with enough olive oil to cover them in a light, even layer of oil. Season with salt and pepper and arrange the florets in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway, until the florets are deeply golden on the edges.

Warm the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic with a dash of salt for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and turning translucent. Add the tomato paste, cumin and chili powder and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the lentils and the vegetable broth or water. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes to 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender and cooked through. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, and add more broth or water if the liquid evaporates before the lentils are done. Once the lentils are done cooking, drain off any excess liquid, then cover and set aside.

To prepare the chipotle sauce, just whisk together the ingredients and set aside (if you have no choice but to use whole chipotle peppers from the can, use a blender to purée it all).

Warm tortillas individually in a pan over medium heat. Stack the warm tortillas and cover them with a tea towel if you won’t be serving the tacos immediately.

Once all of your components are ready, you can assemble your tacos! Top each tortilla with the lentil mixture, cauliflower, a drizzle of chipotle sauce and a generous sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

I made these for the second time last night and they were again a big hit with the vegan, meat-lover, and picky teens in my family. Amazing flavor in every bite!

I wish there were more than 5 stars I could give!!!! My husband is a meat-aholic, not thrilled when I decided last week that we were going to start a meatless night once a week. He stated " Honey, stop looking I could eat this every day!" Crazy good, the flavors are layered and complex. A real gourmet bite that absolutely took me by surprise. I am sending this recipe to every "Veggie" I know.

Wow!  Absolutely amazing - I’ve come to expect nothing less from you, but this one was stunning.  This will definitely go into our weeknight rotation.  Delicious and easy - what more could you want?

Loved this eclipse. Easy and delicious. I added garlic, crushed red pepper, and cumin when roasting the cauliflower. I subbed Greek yogurt for the Mayo in the sauce.

Made exactly as written, absolutely delicious, thank you!!

Will definitely make again. I like cauliflower and lentils just fine but was not prepared for the amazing texture the two make together, combined with the flavors from the sauce and spices. If you’re skeptical, just try it! I had to post a comment just to add my support!

This is honestly one of the best things I've ever made. SO DARN GOOD. And simple too! It's in my monthly rotation, and I look forward to every time I get to make these. I made it in an instant pot and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. 

However, I really recommend soaking lentils overnight to prevent gas/bloating.

This is one of my favorite recipes!! I made these tonight and they even had my 2 year old excited about dinner.

OMG!!  My son was visiting from ATlanta and wanted to try more beans in his diet so I found this recipe on line and made it for him!  We both loved it!!  The lentils were fabulous - I make these all the time and use them in salads, on top of chicken!  Love your recipes, but this was just fantastic!!

I'm not that big of a fan of either lentils or cauliflower, but somehow the combination is delicious! The chipotle sauce kind of makes it all happen.

Oh my Lord!  so good!!!  I cut the recipe down since just me and my son were eating tonight.  I wasn't real particular about the amounts of ingredients.  still turned out Amazing!  will make again.

I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve made these tacos because they are AMAZINGGGG!!!! Great vegetarian meal. 

I just use the cholula Chipotle hot sauce for the sauce. I use canned lentils and only about 3/4 to 1 cup of water and it cooks up very quickly instead of cooking from dry. Also if you’re looking to cut some fat from the mayo, try using non fat Greek yogurt or even doing half mayo half yogurt. 

Love this go to recipe!!!!

Not enough stars for these tacos! So delicious I cannot believe it!!

So good we’re making them again tonight and doubling the recipe.

Was blown away by how good these were. Will be put Into our rotation! Added pickled radishes on top for an extra zing

This has been a go-to recipe for me for at least a year now - it's excellent!  My boyfriend who is not vegetarian at all gets excited every time I I decide to make them.

We wanted a meat free dinner and thought this looked good (good enough to tempt my partner!). It was absolutely gorgeous! We added sweetcorn to the tortilla and a cucumber radish salad. The best non meat dish we’ve ever had, just love it and will come back to it over and over. Thanks!

One Aussie family trying to eat more vegetarian meals. Something as tasty and easy as this make it a wonderful experience. Yummo, as my ten year old said last night!

These veggie lentil tacos are our new go-to meal. SO TASTY and stacked with lentil protein and fiber, it’s time to take dinner up to the next level.

Lentil Tacos

taco shells ((store-bought

garlic

brown lentils, cooked

tbsp salsa ((store-bought

tbsp fajita/burrito seasoning ((store-bought

salad

cherry tomatoes

cheddar cheese, grated ((obviously not vegan))

Dice the onions and garlic.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion. Cook on medium heat until soft.

Add the garlic and drained lentils and stir well.

Next, add the fajita seasoning and the water. Keep stirring it well.

In the meantime, put the taco shells or wraps in the oven. They’ll just need 2-3 minutes to cook, but check packet instructions.

Wash the salad and tomatoes, then slice the tomatoes.

Cook the lentils until the water has evaporated – this won’t take long.

Layer lentils along the bottom. Next is the optional cheese. Then comes the salsa followed by the salad and tomatoes. Enjoy!

To stack the taco:

These Enchilada Lentil Tacos have incredible depth of flavour! The lentils are cooked in a spicy enchilada sauce on the stove or in the slow cooker, then tucked inside tacos &amp; topped with zesty lime slaw. The saucy lentils are also great for enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas or just served on rice.&nbsp;

Enchilada Lentil Tacos with Lime Slaw

| 1½ cups uncooked green lentils (,

796 milliliters | 28 fl oz | 3⅓ cups canned crushed tomatoes (,

onion (, chopped finely)

| 5½ tablespoons chili powder

maple syrup

oregano

smoked paprika (or chipotle powder)

apple cider vinegar

cinnamon

coriander

½ red onion (, sliced finely)

tortillas

cilantro (for garnish)

guacamole ((optional))

Add all of the Enchilada Lentil ingredients (except the lentils and the salt)  to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into your slow cooker, add the lentils, stir and turn your slow cooker on high for around 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.&nbsp;

Add the salt once the lentils have cooked and stir well. &nbsp;

In a slow cooker

Add all of the Enchilada Lentil ingredients (except the lentils and the salt) &nbsp;to a blender and blend until smooth. Add to a pan, pour in the lentils, stir and bring to a simmer. Turn down to low and cook for around 2 hours, stirring occasionally.&nbsp;

Add the salt once the lentils have cooked and stir well.&nbsp;

On the stove top

Shred the cabbage and onion finely. I used my food processor.&nbsp;

Mix the lime juice with the maple syrup. Keep them separate until just before serving then coat the cabbage and onion in the lime mixture.&nbsp;

For the slaw

Fill tacos with some of the lentil filling, pile some slaw on top &amp; garnish with cilantro.&nbsp;

To Serve

Hi Kate, I harvested a large head of Cauliflower from the garden yesterday and found this recipe. We made it with some friends last night and we all, even the teen boys, LOVED it! Thank you so much! I'm sold on the roasted cauliflower idea!! ~Lisa

My husband and I thought they were delicious!  We aren’t vegetarians but try to eat less meat. Even meat eaters will love this dish.

This is a favorite recipe! We make it often. I just got an instant pot and was wondering if anyone has made the lentil portion in the instant pot and if yes how long under pressure (high or low) and natural or quick release. 

Thanks

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/diokLxpr.mp4

Watch how to make roasted cauliflower and lentil tacos in this short recipe video. Roasted cauliflower, seasoned lentils and creamy chipotle sauce combine to make a delicious taco!

15 minute air fryer tacos! These vegetarian tacos are incredibly easy to make in your air fryer - just fill up the basket with assembled tacos and they cook super fast! Delightfully crispy, protein packed and delicious, these lentil tacos will please kids and adults alike on Taco Tuesday! If you're looking to add more legumes and meatless meals into your diet, this is one delicious way to put a healthier twist on tacos.

Air Fryer Lentil Tacos

hard taco shells

tsps fajita

grated cheese

iceberg lettuce

tomato

sour cream

Tblsp chives

Preheat your air fryer to 180C / 360F.

Prepare the lentil filling. Add the drained, rinsed lentils to a large bowl and mix in the taco seasoning until it's fully coated.

Arrange the taco shells in the air fryer basket. Spoon the in the lentil filling (about two heaped spoonfuls per taco) and top with grated cheese.

Air fry at 180C for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the shells are super crisp.

Top with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and chives.

Enjoy!

Healthy, hearty taco filling that couldn't be easier to make! It's the perfect meatless dinner the whole family will love! Recipe makes about 4 1/3 cups.

Vegetarian Lentil Tacos (Slow Cooker)

green lentils, (picked over and rinsed)

(10 oz) can mild diced tomatoes and green chiles

tsp minced garlic

tsp cumin

tsp chili powder

tsp ancho chili powder

Salt and black pepper, (to taste)

Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Add lentils, broth, olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, chili powders, and paprika to a 5 - 6 quart slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste.&nbsp;

Cover and cook on high 3 - 4 hours on high or on low 7 - 8 hours.&nbsp;

Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Serve warm into warmed tortillas with toppings.

Use aromatic, flavor-packed lentil taco meat and fresh salad vegetables to make delicious, crowd-pleasing lentil tacos packed with fiber, plant-based protein, and several micronutrients. Plus, they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan—but no-one will miss the meat!

lentils

dried minced onion ((or onion powder))

garlic powder

salt (otional)

½ teaspoon of paprika

cayenne pepper ((use more or less depending on your heat preference))

½ of a small yellow or red onion (diced)

medium green or red bell pepper (diced)

Corn tortillas

tomato (diced)

avocado (diced)

shredded lettuce

Salsa (for garnish (optional))

Mix dried minced onion (or onion powder), chili powder, garlic powder, salt, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and oregano in a bowl and set aside.

In a large pan (with a lid) over medium-high heat, heat oil and place onion, garlic, and bell pepper and saute for 3 to 5 minutes.

Add lentils and seasoning mix. Saute for 5 minutes.

Add veggie broth and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, cover and lower heat. Cook for 30 minutes, or until broth is absorbed and lentils are soft but not mushy.

Transfer to a bowl and mash lentils with a fork.

Warm the tortillas on a skilled or bake them into taco shells in the oven. Scoop into tortillas and top with tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, and salsa.

These were delicious! I halved the recipe to avoid having a lot of leftovers and I'm not sure if it was due to that or living at higher altitude (Denver), but I had to use double the recommended water. Even then, the lentils were still pretty firm. But it was an easy fix and I really enjoyed this recipe!

Delicious, so flavorful! Easy to make and we doubled the recipe to enjoy it for a few days!  We made bowls first with guacamole and next we will warm the tortillas for tacos. Yum!!

These were delicious. We ate ours on Mission ZERO Carb mini tortillas with purple cabbage, lime, and salsa verde. Thank you for another awesome recipe!

Omg definitely need to try these tacos looks amazing! 😍

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1696426907/hyl5zkuqsee1yw6q61ll.mp4

These tacos feature a seriously delicious lentil-walnut-mushroom taco “meat,” silky-smooth avocado crema, and a zesty, spicy cabbage slaw. They&#039;re shockingly tasty but also nutrient-rich!

Lentil Tacos with Avocado Crema

(135 grams) brown or green lentils

¼ packed cup (32 grams) walnuts

(227 grams) cremini mushrooms, (stems removed & very roughly chopped)

flaxseed meal

nutritional yeast

kosher salt, (plus more to taste)

smoked paprika

taco seasoning

porcini mushroom powder ((optional, see Note 1))

vegan beef broth seasoning

Avocado Crema ((see 2nd recipe card))

Spicy Cabbage Slaw ((see 3rd recipe card))

taco-sized corn or flour tortillas ((see Note 2))

lime,

Cook the lentils. Bring some water to a boil in a saucepan and lightly salt the water. Once boiling, add the lentils. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the lentils for just 8 to 10 minutes. You want to slightly undercook them: they should be mostly but not fully cooked with a distinct bite, as they’ll get cooked later.

While the lentils cook, toast the walnuts. Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the walnuts and toast for 4 to 5 minutes until they smell toasty and are darker in spots.

Drain the lentils well, then add to a food processor. Blend for several seconds, followed by a few pulses, until partially blended with a few pieces still intact. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor bowl.Watch this Youtube video at the 11:26 mark to see the desired texture.

Add the toasted walnuts to the food processor. Blend briefly until you have fine crumbs, but don’t over-blend into walnut butter. Add the roughly chopped mushrooms and shallots to the food processor with the walnuts. Blend a few times, followed by a few pulses until they are very finely chopped.Watch this Youtube video at the 11:39 and 11:46 marks to see the desired texture.

Make the taco meat filling. Add the walnut-veg mixture to the bowl with the lentils. Add in the flaxseed meal, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, plus mushroom powder and beef broth seasoning (if using). Use your hands to mix the taco meat until the mixture comes together with your hands. It should easily come together but not be very sticky.If the mixture is too sticky, add a tablespoon or two of flour and toss to combine.

Cook the taco meat. Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium/medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add ⅓ to ½ of the mixture to the pan (to avoid overcrowding) and break the taco meat up with a wooden spoon or angled spatula into as small pieces as you can. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned and slightly crispy. Repeat with remaining taco meat, adding more oil as needed.

Warm the tortillas. Add a few tortillas to a cast iron (or other) skillet over medium-high heat. Warm for about 30 seconds per side. Stack and wrap tortillas in a dish towel to keep them warm.

Assemble. Dollop some Avocado Crema onto each warmed tortilla and spread out. Top with taco meat and Spicy Cabbage Slaw. If desired, sprinkle a bit of cilantro onto each taco, and serve with lime wedges.

Truly so delicious! I was skeptical seeing the lentil/mushroom mush but the flavors were so bold. I made this without a food processor (cut mushrooms and shallots by hand and blended the lentils and walnuts) and it still turned out great!

Although i used canned lentils (that's what i had on hand!), meat was very good and a winner with the kids. Loved the avocado crema. Thank you!

Yes I did. That's how I knew almost immediately I had screwed up =)

The problem was that I filled my food processor to the rim. In the video, the food processor is only half full. When it is completely full, the mushrooms on top keep the mushrooms at the bottoms where they are - so the bottom ones get mushed while the top ones never get to the blades. Whereas when there is space left in the bowl, the centrifugal force will spin the fine pieces to the side, and the larger pieces at the top will naturally fall into the hollow this creates around the axis of the processor.

Anyway, I tried to salvage the taco meat mush by baking it on a tray as suggested in one comment below. It worked OK, good enough to convince me to try again!

Oh I'll try that! I made a mistake and overfilled the food processor with shallots &amp; mushrooms, and now I have mushroom shallot puree instead of finely chopped mushrooms and shallots, so my unfried taco meat is sticky.

Plus, it will just roast on its own in the oven while I do other things.

Thank you for the tip

Hi Nisha,

Thank you for this recipe - I prepped this morning and haven't eaten the tacos yet, but I thought the recipe would benefit from a word of caution: do not completely fill the food processor bowl with the shallots &amp; mushrooms (work in batches if you have to). Otherwise you'll get mushroom-shallot purée, not finely chopped shallots and mushrooms.

I'll update after dinner to share how it turned out =)

What a great Taco Tuesday. Nisha thank you for making amazing recipies. This lifestyle transistion has been so easy because of your genius flavor and texture combinations. I love this recipe the best because the lentils, nuts, and mushrooms made up the meat. Not just Tofu or Tempeh.

This was an amazing recipe! Even my husband, who is not plant-based, loved the lentil taco "meat!"

A hearty plant‑based taco made with seasoned smashed lentils, smoked vegan cheese, and a bright fresh pico. Perfect for a quick dinner, brunch, or party snack. The lentil filling is chilled to set, then pan‑fried in a cast‑iron skillet for a crispy, melty taco that pairs with shredded lettuce, vegan yogurt, and a zesty lime‑coriander salsa.

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Top 10 lentil tacos recipes from across the web

The most viewed lentil tacos recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Slow Cooker Lentil and Brown Rice T...

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BEST LENTILS dish EVER

The most viewed lentil tacos recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine