Tasty Lentil Tacos

Fantastic. We have been experimenting lately with new recipes - not really being vegetarian, but making an effort to increase our consumption of alternative proteins and vegetables. Being somewhat more traditional eaters, we aren't ready to go straight for the tofu or eat completely different types of foods. I have had so much fun making traditional foods with alternative ingredients. This recipe is PERFECT for that! I actually turned it into taco salad instead of tacos, but it's the same idea. Great texture (better than ground beef, I think) - not at all mushy. The lentils both bind to AND separate from one another like ground beef, making this a better taco "meat" than beans. The flavor is fantastic. I took the leftovers to work, and several people commented on how wonderful it smelled. Conclusion: SO GOOD that even meat and potatoes eaters won't be fazed by the absense of meat.

We just loved this recipe. I did make these changes: 1) The addition of sliced black olives to the toppings made available 2) Whole wheat tortillas instead of taco shells. The result was more of a "wrap" than a traditional taco. 3) No sour cream 4) Cooked the lentil mixture 10 minutes more than the recipe called for. They just weren't soft enough after the original time. The results were fabulous! We'll be making this again.

Oh my, oh my! These were fantastic!! I don't even like lentils that well. It had a similar texture to beef (I cooked the lentils only until chewable but not mushy) and great flavor. ***I love taco shells, but for this recipe everyone did prefer whole wheat tortillas to the taco shells, though, after tasting both ways.*** Anyway, the hubby AND the kids were pleased. Low fat and high protein! Whoo Hoo! I may never make regular taco meat again =)

A taco tip that has never been better than for this recipe...I use whole romaine leaves for the lettuce in tacos. Hold leaf in hand, add fillings, then fold and set into taco shell. Works especially well with flat bottomed hard shells. Even after your shell breaks the lettuce helps hold your filling all together. Also keeps shell from getting soggy. This recipe is worthy of the glowing reviews.

Very tasty! I made these into tostadas with oven-crisped corn tortillas, refried black beans, the lentils (made with veggie stock to be vegetarian), lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and sour cream. Avocado and olive would be tasty additions, too. The lentils were really flavorful and tender, and my whole family enjoyed them. I'll make this again.

Do you know what? It was my daughter's birthday just a few days ago and she wanted to eat out but we couldn't because it rained so I made the tacos, cake, and homemade icecream and she said that she wanted me to make the tacos for all of her birthdays. I thought that this was wonderful. And I had all of the ingredients in my pantry too.

These really are as good as people say they are. My husband was pretty skeptical when I told him about lentils for dinner... He couldn't really tell the difference between chicken tacos and these. What a great healthy substitute! Definitely will make again :)

These were fantastic - I made them with the homemade taco seasoning and with a kosher (no actual meat additives) beef stock cube. I will be making these regularly!

This is a great idea. I used the lentils on a tostada, w/ lettuce tomatoes, cheese and a chpotle crema (just stir in the adobo from a can of chipotles in sour cream) Very good.

This was very delicious. I made mine into a burrito.

Great recipe! In my quest to put a few meatless meals on my table throughout the week, these lentils have become a hit, and noone seems to miss the regular taco meat when I substitute this in its place in my taco salad. Tasty and healthy!!

Never had lentils prior to this recipe. Outstanding taste:) Can even get my carnivore husband to eat this.

This is awesome. I have made it several times and everyone loves it!

I never thought I'd write a review saying I like lentil tacos, but here it is! I've been looking for meals that have less meat in them lately, and this one seemed right up my alley since I love tacos. I pretty much followed the recipe, but added a little taco seasoning and a bit more chicken broth so the lentils would cook a bit more and become softer. Served with homemade guacamole and all the suggested sides. Really delicious!! A keeper for sure! Thx!

This was so good! I saved and printed the recipe for my Dad with ideas of trying it myself. Left the recipe laying in his recipe zone, (kitchen desk--big surprise) He instructed me to buy the ingredients because he wanted to try it. Totally chompy! We did a couple of things different. Used one reduced sodium can of chicken broth and added water for the rest of moisture requirement. Couldn't find salsa at the discount store so grabbed a 10 oz. can of Rotel tomatoes with green chiles. As per prior review, we cooked the lentils 40 minutes. (Also higher altitude requires longer cook time for legumes. Can't wait to make this for my meat eating guy. This recipe is so healthy and so yummy. Wait, forgot to compare the price of hamburger lately. Lentils really do give a good texture and flavor to this dish.

This was so easy and very good. To lower the fat and shave off 100 calories per serving I used lettuce leaves in place of the taco shells. We all enjoyed this meal.

Ok, so my husband recently asked me to start making 2 or so meatless dinners a week. This was my first attempt. Let me preface this by saying that my husband is very much a meat and potatos sort of man, but is becoming more health conscious about the food he/we eats. I followed this recipe exactly when it comes to preparing the lentils. They did simmer covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered for probably 20 more until all liquid was absorbed. I didn't mash them. As for the tortillas, I don't buy preformed taco shells. Instead I lightly pan fry (1T oil in skillet at a time for 4 tortillas) them by first placing a soft corn tortilla flat in skillet and then adding filling in the middle, gently folding it over once it is soft enough and browning on each side of the taco until slightly crispy. I know this adds some fat to the recipe, but I'm pretty sure preformed shells have *other* stuff in them. I served them with mexican style sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, tomatos, shredded cabbage, salsa and cilantro. These were wonderful! My 5 and 7 year olds who typically lose most of the meat out onto their plates loved these. The lentils are sticky, so they stay where they are supposed to. Thanks for the recipe! Our first meatless family dinner was a success.

For an easier way to make this recipe try using 1 can of lentils instead of dry lentils and use a package of taco seasoning with 1 cup water instead of seasonings and broth. This makes a quicker easier meal and also makes sure the meal is vegetarian :)

I've been using Allrecipes for at least a year now, and have found many great recipes but this is the first time I felt compelled to write a review. My red-meat-loving husband always prefers red meat, especially in his tacos. Amazingly, he couldn't stop eating these lentils and even gave me the okay to serve these instead of beef on taco nights! The lentils have a good consistency and flavor (I used the Taco Seasoning I recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Taco-Seasoning-I/Detail.aspx). Thanks for a great, healthy substitute for taco night. Just brilliant!

I love tacos but will not eat beef. This is an awsome substitute.

This was yummy! I filled pancakes with this, a little grated cheddar cheese, put them in a greased oven dish, some tomatoe sauce over, 20 min in oven on 180 C.

I love these, have made them many times. Excelletn texture, don't need meat at all. I've found that the best salsa is this Herdez taco salsa. It's gotta be the taco salsa, not the regular salsa... it has chipotle in it and the sweet smokey flavour goes wonderfully with the lentils.

The first time I made this the lentils were so delicious before adding salsa that I left it out. I've made this several times now and in addition to omiting the salsa I recommend adding extra garlic, a tsp of taco seasoning, and cutting the chili powder to 1tsp (not because it's too spicy, but because it tends to dominate the flavor). This makes for a great taco salad. I've also made this with split peas instead of lentils (just add 15-20 minutes cooking time). This recipe is soooooooo good. It pleases my carnivor's palate and also my health-nut fiance's.

Really yummy and tastes similar to ground beef! One thing I suggest is to soak the lentils overnight. It took 1.5 hours to cook the lentils and they were still not quite done. We ended up opening a can of refried beans for the tacos so that we could have dinner.

We liked this. Definitely a good substitute if you're wanting to cut down on red meat. I was surprised at how "meaty" the texture felt. I made a double batch, so we'll be enjoying some Taco Salad tonight for dinner. I'm looking forward to it.

I love this recipe!! I actually threw everything for the filling into my slow cooker for 8 hours. The flavor is great! I will definitely make this again and again.

I was skeptical about leaving out the meat but these are delicious! My boyfriend and I couldn't stop eating. We had them with soft tortillas to start and then we put nacho chips on our plate and put all the toppings on them. I will definitely be making these again. I don't think that i'll ever eat meat tacos again!

Use green lentils as I found the red ones to small.

I followed the directions to a T and really like this alternative to beef tacos. Since no one else in my family is interested in expanding their taco experience... I get to enjoy the leftovers on nachos the next day!

Very good! Used vegetarian broth instead of the chicken. For toppings I also had sliced black olives, onion, plain yogurt instead of sour cream. Oh, and blue corn taco shells - yum!

The lentils took almost an hour to cook but my pan has pour spouts that prevent a sealed covering so that may be why. They were pretty good, very similar to a bean burrito but with a better texture. I used taco sesoning I rather than the spice, mrs espy's enchilada sauce and homemade guac and served as wet burritos.

For whatever reason my lentils were far to thin to make into a taco, but of course with necessity being the mother of invention it made an amazing soup. Although the lentils were thick they were not thick enough to make tacos, soooooooooo I put the lentils in individual bowls and everyone put their toppings on the same as if it were a taco, and we proceeded to use tortillas to eat the saco (soup/taco). My teenaged kids and their friends loved it. BTW....I used the "Taco Seasoning I" recipe on this site. I can't tell you how much I love it, and it allows me to control the salt I use.

Very very good. My family was somewhat skeptical about this one but it really held up to the good reviews. The 1 cup of lentils made plenty of "meat" for our family of 6. I believe altogether we had 11 tacos and I have some leftover. I tried this with both corn and flour and I prefer the corn tortillas. In place of all the spices I simply used 1 pkg. of low salt taco seasoning. This is a nice inexpensive meal. It works well when you have forgotten to take something out to defrost for dinner. Will definately make again. Thanks !

Incredible!! What an awesome, healthy substitute. You could hardly tell the difference between these and ground beef tacos. They turned out great. Everyone liked them. I had to quadruple the recipe to feed our family, and they still wanted more!! I had soaked my lentils overnight so I cut the amount of chicken broth almost in half. I also just put the salsa on top of the tacos instead of adding to the lentils. We had this on corn tortillas with cabbage, onion, cilantro, and lemon. Will definitely make again!! Thanks for sharing:)

These were tasty! I have never made lentil tacos before but they sure did taste similar to meat ones. My hubby didnt really like them, but I think if next time I mash them up all the way instead of just partially he would like them better along with me as well. Next time I will also use my usual taco seasoning packet to season the lentils as well. I also liked these in whole wheat tortillas. Thanks for the healthy recipe! I will for sure make again!

awesome! I quadrupled to use my 2 lb bag of lentils and to freeze the leftovers for Mexican Lasagna. I used 2 large onions, 4 stalks celery, 4 carrots, 4 tsps minced garlic, 4 tsps home made taco seasoning, 4 tsps chili powder, 4 tsps oregano, 2 tsps black pepper, 1 bay leaf, 9 cups vegetable stock, 1 can of Rotel and tomato sauce to make the right consistency after I mashed with my immersion blender. I simmered for 30 minutes, stirred and added more stock, simmered for another 30, removed bay leaf and mashed, let cool slightly then added tomato sauce as need, about 1/2 cup. My kids loved these, my youngest son is 8 and had 3! I used whole wheat flour tortillas our personal preference.

"Outstanding" is what my husband said about these, and I agree! Thanks for a great and healthy recipe. I used corn tortillas instead of taco shells, and added minced cilantro and avocado to the toppings.

These tacos are fantastic. I admit I was skeptical at first but my daughter assured me they were good and she was correct. My husband and I cannot seem to stop eating them once we start. Thanks for sharing.

I didn't have very high expectations, but this was pretty darn yummy! I added a little more taco seasoning and also let it simmer longer, so that the lentils were easier to mash.

These were really tasty. A great alternative to regular meat tacos. I made them exactly as written. I used the leftovers the next day for a lentil taco salad. I will be making these again. Thanks!

These were so good, I even ate most of it with out the taco shells. I did not add the salsa and I cut back alot on the chili powder. The only thing I used to top it was Tofutti's Sour Cream.

These were great as is...although my tacos shells got soggy instantly, so i'd wait till each person wants a taco and have them scoop their insides in the shell and not do it all at once, that way the leftover tacos arnt ruined

I loved this dish! So tasty! The only change I made was to add a 1 tsp of smoked paprika. It added a nice earthy smokey flavour. I ran out of tortillas so I used my leftovers as a filling in a pita sandwich with loads of fresh veggies and home made tzatziki...hmmm

these are fantastic, a great alternative to tacos and so cheap!!!!

I love lentils. I love tacos. I was STILL skeptical making this recipe--but it was AWESOME! the guacamole, cheese, tomatoes and cilantro all helped :) I made my own taco shells with the corn tortillas i had in my fridge--just sprayed some olive oil on them, and put them under the broiler for a couple minutes on each side. I would gladly serve this to all my meat-eating friends!!

My husband and I decided to go meatless twice a week. I am new to cooking with lentils, so I did a search on AR to see what sounded tasty. I came across this recipe..and since we love mexican food, I decided to give this one a try. Very nice flavor and easy enough to make. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

I was skeptical at first, lentils and all, but it turned out to be delicious and light on my stomach. My husband enjoyed it enough it's here to stay. I omitted the sour creme.

This was excellent! My family loved it. They are not big fans of lentils and they asked for this again.

My husband and 5-year old really enjoyed this. It is a very budget-friendly and health-conscious alternative to ground beef. I did use beef broth instead of the suggested chicken broth to give it a more beefy, taco meat-like flavor. I also added fresh, chopped cilantro and a dash of red pepper in the last few minutes of cooking time along with the salsa. Delicious!

This was shockingly good! I make no changes and love, love, love it.

At hit for this meat eater. I used beef broth, not chicken. Next time I will use a high quality salsa, not store brand or just have it one the side. I don't think you really need the salsa mixed in. Makes more than 6 servings(which is a good thing), will try the leftovers for lunch. Will make these again and again******! Lentils? Have heard about them for years. Who would have thunk it?

Amazing! As with everyone else I was a little nervous... but they were SO good! My boyfriend is a meat and potatoes kind of guy - and even he LOVED them. I just used a package of McCormick's taco seasoning instead of the chili powder, oregano, etc. I also used Pace Hot Salsa to add some heat and some black beans for a different texture. I can't wait to eat the leftovers! PS - warm crunchy tacos are key... I tried them on a soft taco and it wasn't as good.

during college I came across this recipe and used just taco seasoning b/c it was what I had and it was pretty good but tonight I followed the recipe and loved the result so much more! I served these with the mexican rice recipe on this website and I couldn't have been happier. My 8 month old daughter loved it too!

I made the lentil filling from this recipe. I thought 1Tbsp of chili powder sounded like too much, so I used 1/2T, and the results were still much too spicy. Also, the 2.5 cups broth (I used veggie broth as I wanted vegetarian taco filling) evaporated before the lentils were tender and I had to add extra water and continue cooking (I did have the pot covered). I would choose another recipe for lentil tacos or just come up with one on your own as the ratio of ingredients on this recipe seem to be very off.

I've made this twice now, and it has been a hit! Today I made the lentil/salsa mixture with veg. broth and then made them into cheeseless enchiladas topped with enchilada sauce, green onions, and olives. Baked it and then added chopped fresh tomatoes. They turned out excellent. Didn't miss the meat or cheese! This recipe is very versatile and will definitley be a staple in our home.

Delicious and healthy. Decreased the spice a bit as my daughter does not like anything spicy, and she liked this. Could also do this with black beans as well, but canned, not dried. Thanks!

What a FUN meal! We really enjoyed theses tacos. The lentils were cooked to perfection and was a great change from the normally used ground beef. We'll be having these again real soon.

Fantastic! I can't believe how great this turned out. I was skeptical at first, I saved this recipe so long ago, but haven't made before because it sounds so weird. I omitted the oregano, chili and cumin and added my homemade taco seasoning and some jalapenos. Served with homemade Guacamole on a soft tortilla.

Yummy! Even the kids loved them. Thanks for sharing!

I wish there was more flavor here. I followed the recipe as written, but I definitely think there is room for improvement.Overall,I'd say it went pretty well. My daugher would not even try it, but my hubby really enjoyed it. I'll make this again, and maybe add a bit more seasoning. Thanks for an interesting and nutritious recipe!

I'm a beef lover, but I don't mind lentils; I expected it to be fine. but it was really, really, REALLY good!

Doubled the recipe except for the oregano and the salsa-I left those amounts as listed. Turned out perfect! Lots of flavor!! I'm definitely going to make this again for our taco/tostada nights!

These were AMAZING!!!!!!!! I can't express enough how delicious these were. Being a vegetarian makes it more difficult to find satisfying recipes for my non-vegetarian boyfriend and I to enjoy together, but this was one of our greatest successes. I used veggie broth and the large green, organic lentils. I think that some people are getting a soupy outcome because they are using smaller, quicker cooking lentils? Also, the simmering uncovered at the end is crucial to evaporating the residual liquid. I added a few dashes of hot sauce with the salsa for some more depth of flavour and omitted the sour cream. TOTALLY delicious. I was still talking about them hours later. Thank you!!!!!

These were wonderful! They've made "Meatless Mondays" a hit! I didn't change a thing, but I did serve them with Pico De Gallo. I might try making them with beef broth next time. Thanks for the great recipe! Update 1/23/2012 - Made with Beef Broth in place of the chicken broth and they were just as yummy :)

for my taste I would make them a bit more spicy next time. Thankfully I also made some super spicy guac, otherwise the tacos might have been a bit blah...worth trying though for sure - even my husband, who was hesitant had to admit they were pretty good.

Five star plus recipe! I've made these several times and thought it was time to write a review. These are absolutely delicious exactly as written. The perfect blend of spices. My family was a bit skeptical but they all devoured them just the same as if they were meat tacos with no complaints. Every time I make them, I keep thinking why have I waited so long to make them again...that's how delicious they are!

I loved these Michelle! Lentils are delicious anyway and packed with fiber and protein they're also one of the healthiest foods you can eat. For my taste buds a little cumin goes a long way so I cut way back on the amount but increased the chili powder. As my significant other says, this is real "Linda Food!" Thanks so much Michelle!

My family loved these! My husband thought I was crazy at first, so I made them while he was out of town. When I told him they were awesome he was still skeptical so when he came home I told him we were having leftover lentil tacos for dinner. When he took his first bite he laughed and said he was shocked but they were really good! I followed the recipe for the most part except I used garlic and onion powder instead of fresh and did not add the salsa to the lentils. I served these on flour tortillas with spanish rice, reduced fat sour cream, tomatos, salsa and cheddar cheese. Thanks for a great healthy budget friendly recipe! I will be making these a lot!

So good and much cheaper than buying veggie ground round. I served it with homemade guacamole. Delicious!

Just okay...we are not vegetarians, but were looking to incorporate more legumes into our diet. Didn't love it enough to plan on making it again.

WOW.

FABULOUS! made exactly as directed.

Ok, so this is not the mind blowing vegitarian recipe (if you use veg broth) that I was expecting. Maybe it was the other reviews which made me think one bite would make me forget all about my beef cravings I've been having since cutting red and white meat out of my diet 6 months ago (I'm a pescatarian now --look it up :)). Made the recipe with only the one change (veg broth) and found the cumin taste too strong. Not a huge cumin fan in general but acknowledge that it is necessary and enhances some recipes, but I would use less next time since I could taste it's bitterness. Still a good recipe and I will make again. Asked my husband if it tasted like meat to him and he just laughed. I say try it, but like all meat substitutes in the end it ain't meat, but you'll feel better for eating it.

"Owelreaowlyikeiess! Ensars! Ensars!" That would be my husband saying: "I really like this! 10 stars! 10 stars!" with his mouth full! LOL This was fantastic! Amazingly, the kids liked it too. I was doubtful... I took a chance... I am so glad I did! As far as changes go I skipped the oil and make the lentils in the broth along with onion and garlic. When almost all of the liquid was absorbed I added the seasonings. We used soy cheese and soy sour cream. The lentils were tender but not pasty. No more ground beef for us. If you are looking to eliminate meat or save $ then give this a try. You will be so glad you did!

What a wonderful alternative to beef tacos! My husband who is very picky, especially about lentils, loved it and requested that it become a regular menu item. Makes a great taco salad!

Loved this recipe. Followed the directions except I did not mash the lentils. This was tasty and healthy, a hit with me. The picky husband said, "I'll eat it but you have to add some meat to my taco." Oh well, I will keep trying...eating it is progress.

Delicious! Followed recipe exactly. Amount of Lentils was way more than necessary for 6 tacos but easy to refrigerate and reheat.

Excellent! I wouldn't change a thing...so tasty!!!

Tasty, cheap, and filling. These are a healthy alternative to beef tacos, and they taste great!

My kids are raging carnivores but when we have lentil tacos they become lentilvores! Despite 478 reviews, I was still skeptical, but the recipe won us over on the first try. I kept the salsa separate rather than mixing it in. And I used water instead of broth and just upped the onion, garlic and spices a little. The recipe does not call for salt or pepper but I added some to taste once the lentils were cooked.

Awesome! I didn't even miss the meat. I added the spices with the onions and cooked for about 5 minutes before adding the garlic and other ingredients. I also added extra spices and a can of green chilies. Excellent!

I put all the ingredients in a small crock pot. It turned out pretty good. Very easy!

This is absolutely replacing all other taco fillings for me. So delicious, and healthy! Very delicious with crunchy shells, and I'm sure they would be tasty with soft flour shells as well. Both my parents and my husband love these!

These were amazingly good and budget friendly! I used low-carb tortillas instead of crunchy taco shells. Served it with some homemade mexi-corn! Totally Delish! Nom Nom Nom!

My family loves this! My son likes to have his "nacho style" and says this is his favorite meal.

These were fabulous! I made it exactly to the directions and they were perfectly seasoned. I did have to cook it about 15 minutes longer covered and then an extra 10 minutes uncovered, but other than that what a treat! I preferred them to the meat version I also made. They were the perfect texture for taco filling, but would be great alone, with tortilla chips or on top of a salad. I ate quite a bit, and had to stop myself from eating more. These leftovers will definitely be finished and I will most certainly make these again. Between these and the Delicious Black Bean burritos, I can see that being a vegetarian isn't all that bad!

Thought these were great! Being a vegetarian I always am looking for a new way to redo meat menus. The flavor is great and the left overs I put into a flour tortilla and added othe condiments to make it a wonderful burrito! Yummy! Thanks!

I didn't change a thing when I made these. We really liked them and tried them with both hard shells and w.w. torillas. Hard shells were the favorite with the kids. My cooking time for the lentils was closer to 45 minutes.

These were good. Hubby and daughter liked it. Daughter said it was awesome. I will make again. Maybe next time I'll try using taco seasoning and see how that works out.

I made these looking for a different option than ground turkey meat. We did like these and will make them again. You could just make the lentils and use a taco seasoning packet (although the spices in this recipe are basically what are in those packets). It was a great option and we will do again, thanks!

These tacos were amazing!! I can imagine the filling would also be great in burritos or enchiladas.

These were awesome!! I just used water because I didn't the any veggie both and just used a taco spice packet. These were a hit! My 7 yr old son ate 3 and is requesting them again for dinner tonight.

These were good! Needed to cook them longer than 35 minutes though to get soft.

The lentils had a great taco flavor, but I had to cook them for 40 additional minutes to get them to be tender and not too liquidy.

The main reason I am giving this 5 stars is because everyone I prepared this recipe for (4 people) doubted that "Lentil Tacos" could be "Tasty." But when they took their first bite, they all said, "MMMM..." which I believe is a synonym for "tasty." I too was a bit skeptical, but confidence overruled due to the fact that 375 Allrecipes users rated this as a 4.5. I knew it had to be good. I followed the directions exactly, and it was delicious! Served with Mexi-corn from a can and Honey Roasted Red Potatoes (this site), which I also love. I started the lentils first, then the potatoes. The lentils and potatoes both took longer than the stated 35 minutes to cook, and basically they were done at the same time (about 45 minutes or maybe a bit less).

These are really good! I'm glad I finally tried them, I kept putting them on my menu and then not making them. They were worth the wait but I won't be waiting so long to make them a second time :) I used canned lentils so I added just a bit of broth to wet them (and used beef broth because I had an open carton). I added less salsa as well. Kept the seasoning and toppings the same. Really delicious, was like eating a refried bean taco but healthier.

I can't believe it took me so long to try this, I have to say I was hesitant. We made these one night when we forgot to buy ground turkey and it was a huge hit. Even my 8 and 10 year olds loved it. This is now the standard filling for taco night, we don't even make meat anymore.

These are amazing! I changed the spices a little to suit my tastes, but the concept is fantastic. The lentil-taco mixture makes an amazing taco salad.

These were great. My husband thought these were even better than tacos made with ground beef. I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and served the tacos with flour tortillas. They were great warmed up the next day too. This will be a new staple in our home.