This recipe was a spur-of-the-moment creation to use up some leftover lentils, and it is equally an ode to the delicious fresh corn tortillas that are on every street corner in Mexico- which is in my opinion, the best 11 pesos you’ll ever spend. 

Since the initial batch, I’ve refined this a bit and shared these with various friends/ family/ community, and everyone seems to love them, including my 100% Mexican partner, which I’ll take as the best seal of approval one could receive. I love to serve this ‘ family style’ and watch as everyone makes them their own. Tacos are renowned as a crowd-pleasing, joy-producing, all-time fav for most people, and given that these are packed with plant-based love, I’m sure you’ll find these fit right into that narrative.

As with any of my recipes, there is room for play here, make these your own and enjoy them to the fullest. 

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Recipe

Total prep time: approx. 45 min

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of uncooked lentils, or about 2 cups cooked
• Veggie stock (for cooking lentils, if starting with uncooked)
• ½ red bell pepper, diced small 
• ½ white onion, diced small 
• 1 medium jalapeno, seeded (for less spice), and minced
• 1 portobello mushroom, or about 5 button mushrooms, diced small 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 2 tbsp. Ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp. Avocado, Olive, or Grapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp. Salt 
• 1 tsp. Dried oregano 
• Fresh corn tortillas (if possible)

Optional (but highly recommended) toppings:

• Avocado slices or Guacamole
• Romaine or spinach, chopped fine
• Fresh chopped cilantro 
• Lime 
• Fresh salsa of choice 
• More avocado slices or guacamole (there’s never enough)

Method

Rinse your lentils well, in 2-3 changes of water, and make sure you check them over for any debris (like little stones!). Take the cleaned lentils and place them in a medium pot with 3 cups of veggie stock, you can always use water here. Bring to a soft boil, and then turn to a simmer, cover, and stir occasionally until all the liquid is absorbed and the lentils are well cooked, but be cautious to not overcook until the lentils become mushy. 

In a skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the diced onion, and a pinch of salt. Toss the onion (or stir) until it starts to become translucent, then add in the diced bell pepper, jalapeno, and mushrooms – stir fry 3-5 minutes. Add the cumin, salt, and oregano, and stir until combined and fragrant. Then, add the cooked lentils. If the mixture looks dry, you can add in a bit more veggie stock, or water. Season to taste and prepare to serve! 

I usually heat my tortillas in a pan lightly (this is sac-religious to not do, according to my Mexican partner), then I pile on a heaping scoop of the lentils, followed by all of the delicious toppings I have listed above. 

Enjoy, and share with friends, family, & community. 

With Love and Gratitude, 

Kayla 

P.S. If you have tried out this recipe, please, please, let me know how it went for you – I absolutely love hearing from you.