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Lentil Tacos

August 9, 2022   22 Comments

Lentil tacos are for Taco Tuesday (or anytime really). Turns out you don’t need ground beef!

Lentil Tacos

These lentils can be made for the vegans in the house if you use vegetable broth. Do you really want to leave them out on Taco Tuesday?

I have been on a lentil kick lately because they are so fast to make as compared with other beans. Years ago, I went on a tour of the lentil fields of Saskatchewan and learned how to make lentil chocolate cake. It tastes like regular chocolate cake!

A couple weeks ago, I posted mushroom lentil burgers and they were a hit! It seems that we are all looking for ways to replace beef every once in a while.

There are so many good reasons to use lentils instead of beef. Cost is a big one. Lentils are dirt cheap compared to beef and you can feed a crowd for nothing. Also, if you are like me and looking to reduce your saturated fat intake – beans are the way to go.

You do need spices to make up for the lack of flavor in lentils. I have had lentil curry many times using Indian spices but a Mexican take works. Lentils are like a canvas for your paints.

I used cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salsa to flavor them. I did find a jar of salsa that only had 1 gram of sugar per serving (due to the tomatoes I am sure). It is hard to find salsa without added sugar – and a pain to stand in the aisle looking for it. The brand that worked was a store brand (not helpful for everyone).

There is also an environmental reason to eat less beef if that is your thing. Livestock-based food production causes about one-fifth of all global greenhouse gas emissions.

I love foods that are a bunch of wins. Lentils are healthier, sustainable for the environment, and they cost less! Seriously, if you haven’t given them a try – what are you waiting for?

I serve this with corn tortillas, lettuce, avocado, hot sauce and more salsa. Yum!

Lentil Tacos Recipe

2.5 from 33 reviews

Makes 8 taco servings

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Ingredients

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup dry lentils, brown, green or red
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 ½ cups vegetable or low sodium chicken broth
1 cup salsa (preferably low in sugar)
corn tortillas for serving

Instructions

Heat oil in medium saucepan and saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent (about 5 minutes). Add lentils, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and stir for one minute to toast the spices. Add the vegetable or chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. Mix in 1 cup of salsa and serve! This recipe freezes well.

Nutrition Facts

For one serving without tortilla = 112 calories, 1.4 g fat, 0.2 g saturated fat, 17.6 g carbohydrates, 1.7 g sugar, 7.9 g protein, 8.3 g fiber, 350 mg sodium, 2 Green, 1 Blue, 1 Purple SmartPts

Points values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for information only. See all Snack Girl Recipes

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First 20 Comments: ( See all 22 )

Trust Snack Girl everyone. Lentil tacos are great. Your recipe is very similar to mine Which I’ve been making for years and my 16 year old consistently asks for them for his birthday (which, coincidentally is today!). For meat lovers, I just add a handful of cooked ground beef or chicken (I keep some frozen in about 1 cup portions). I always make a large batch (1 1/2 to 2 cups lentils) as we use planned-overs to make nachos and taco salad. The teens love all of it.

Try Mateo’s Gourmet Salsa. It has no sugar in the ingredient list! 1gram on the nutritional info, it’s made here in Texas. I can find it at local stores as well as Costco. It is my favorite salsa. I’m not sure if it makes it to the East coast.

Big reader for many years (I bought your book when it came out!) I find that gettings the right sauce/spice can really take vegtables and beans to the next level of truly flavorful meals!!

Aldi brand Casa Mamita also has one gram of sugar

I use the salsa that is all fresh tomatoes, onions etc. I love it! It is with the produce. It does not last as long because it is fresh but I like it so much better!

When I do taco Tuesday I always use black beans or refried for mine. They are delicious with some lettuce, tomato and cheese or some of the fresh salsa. And some hot sauce!

Honestly. I love lentils especially cooked in the French manner. But, I don't want them as a taco. Tacos are traditionally made with corn tortillas not flour, btw. A flour tortilla makes a burrito. (Unless you live in Texas as we do and Tex-Mex tacos are made with flour tortillas) Our family is Mexican so please take it from me.

I would prefer fish tacos even baked tofu tacos vs lentil tacos. Whatever, top your tacos with lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cabbage, or delicious pico de gallo. Pico de gallo recipe: Chopped, seeded tomatoes, diced green part of a couple scallion, lots of cilantro (1 or 2 bunches). Don't add salt or sugar because it draws out the moisture in the veg and makes it watery. Add your salt after the food is served.

Love lentils. I make this and serve over shredded lettuce, tomatoes and guacamole.

Great recipe Lisa. I'm liking your daughter's influence on more meatless menu ideas. :) I happen to have everything on hand except lentils. Can I substitute a can of black beans and use maybe 1/2 cup broth?

IFortuna: Thanks for the Pico de gallo recipe, I never knew it was so simple. Cilantro isn't an herb I always have but would coriander do in a pinch?

HI BarbL - We only only use fresh cilantro trimmed and added to the pico de gallo. There is no substitute for fresh cilantro. If you have members of your family that really don't like it, you might try Italian Parsley. The only time we might use dried cilantro is when serving menudo (lemon,cilantro,and oregano, sometimes chile powder). Coriander is mainly used in baking as far as I know.

i love lentil tacos! for mine i saute some onion and garlic in oil, then i add 1 cup of lentils, 2 cups of water and 1 can of tomatoes with green chilis(store brand rotel) simmer till cooked through then i season to taste with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin and cayenne

I made this with taco shells. My first course was the asparagus soup featured on another post. Both delish!

Can you please tell me what the serving size is for the lentils? Is it 1/2 cup for 1SP? I made these last night and just realized I don’t know how much I can have. Thank you and it is delish!!

I am obsessed with these. This recipe is Ssoooooooo good. I have been making it twice a week since starting weight watchers 3 weeks ago. Can you tell me what gives it the smart points? The salsa? So if I have sugar free salsa is it zero points?

@Kristine - YES! 1/2 cup is right. Great question.

@Anna - the oil and the chicken broth is going to give it one point. I don't think I would cut either of them. Thanks for the question and I am so glad that you love the recipe. These are really good for you.

I'm going to try this in a few days and cross my fingers that hubby will like them. I really want to use less red meat in our diet, but it's hard because he's a carnivore. I may use 1 cup added cooked hamburger the first time to see if he completely balks at lentils. Wish me luck!

Patticake - I slowly stopped eating meat by doing exactly that, using less and less meat. I love lentil tacos. I add cauliflower pieces and chopped walnuts to mine.

Why not just have the lentils without the tortillas? One cup already has 40 grams of carbs (boo)! And, almost 18 grams of protein. Yeah! Some of the carbs are fiber, about 16 grams. So adding more carbs with tortillas is 11 grams more carbs. So 51 grams of carbs per one lentil wrap (if you used a cup) is a lot even minus the fiber count. Cut carbs in half but using 1/2 cup of lentils because they are good for you and ditch the tortilla.

I skip the tortilla and make lentil soup...dense, filling, quick & easy to prepare, inexpensive, and can be 0pts per cup, depending on what you add to it. I use 0pt chicken broth (fat-free), carrots, onions, my preferred seasonings, & no oil.🌻

What brand of flour tortillas is healthy for us?

I use lentils almost daily, like you said, they're like a blank canvas. Recently, I found a lentil loaf on simnett nutrition [on utube]. It was life-changing, LOL. Last year I tried a sloppy joe recipe that my 40yo son claimed as his new favorite quick meal. Then with a few tweaks that SJ becomes a shepherds pie. So many soups [besides the obvious lentil soup] become better by adding a few lentils, like mushroom barley, minestrone, pasta fagiole, etc. Any old recipe that used ground beef can use lentils instead. In fact, I'm going to try another old kids fav, american chop suey, [aka hamburger helper] with lentils next. Ya gotta love the lentil!

★★★★★

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