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Hearty lentil mushroom tacos suitable for Taco Tuesday or any night of the week. These Vegan Lentil Tacos are “meaty” and flavorful and ready in under 30 minutes!
I love taco night at our house. It’s so easy and everyone can accessorize their tacos however they want.
One of our favorites are these Vegan Lentil Tacos.
The lentil mushroom taco meat is quick and easy to make, savory and flavorful, and best of all, delicious and satisfying.
Load them up with your favorite taco toppings, like shredded cabbage, salsa, avocado, cilantro, and tomatoes and you’ve got a meal the whole family will love!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Lentils ~ Brown or green lentils work well here as they hold their shape best. Red lentils are too soft and will just turn to mush.
This is especially easy if you have leftover cooked lentils (which I almost always do…I use them all the time in any number of these Vegan Lentil Recipes), but if not, lentils cook up quickly in about 20 minutes or you can buy them pre-cooked in cans or boxed in the produce section.
If you really don’t want to use lentils for some reason, you can substitute 2 cups of cooked black beans or cooked vegan ground “beef” like Beyond Meat or Impossible.
Mushrooms ~ I like meaty Cremini mushrooms for this lentil taco recipe. They are also known as Baby Bellas. You could also slice up big portobellos. Shiitake mushrooms would be delicious, too.
Spices ~ The usual taco spices are all here – chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a little cayenne for heat.
If you don’t like spicy heat, you can use less cayenne or just leave it out.
You could also add some black pepper and oregano – both would work great in this dish.
Tortillas ~ I love corn tortillas lightly charred in a skillet for a few minutes. They also make these vegan lentil tacos completely gluten free.
Corn tortillas do tend to tear a bit, so here’s a hot tip…double them up to make them sturdier.
You could use flour tortillas if you like those better.
Toppings ~ Use your favorites. We like avocado or guacamole, tomatoes, shredded lettuce or cabbage, salsa, jalapeños, pickled red onions, fresh squeezed lime juice, etc.
Kids love when they get to make decisions, so, set up a taco bar with all the fixings and let them go to town choose what they want.
How to make the recipe
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms (1) and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and reduced in size (2).
Note: Mushrooms give off a lot of liquid, so you shouldn’t need any oil or water to sauté with, however if you find they are sticking to your pan, feel free to add a splash of water or broth…or oil if you really want.
Once the mushrooms have cooked down, add the cooked lentils and spices (3), stir well, and simmer until fragrant and heated through (4).
If the mixture seems too dry, add up to ½ cup of water to loosen it up.
How to serve
I like to lightly char corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. Then I add shredded cabbage, the lentil mushroom mixture, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, halved grape tomatoes, and a drizzle of salsa. So. Much. Flavor!
Feel free to add any toppings that you and your family like best.
This mushroom lentil “meat” is also great over baked potatoes or rice if you don’t want to make tacos.
Don’t forget to round out your meal with Vegan Refried Beans and Easy Homemade Guacamole!
Storage and freezing
Fridge: Leftovers lentil mushroom taco meat will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Freezer: You can also freeze the mixture for about 3 months.
Store any and all toppings separately.
Pro tips for success
~ Use brown or green lentils, not red, for best results. Red lentils do not hold their shape and will be too mushy.
~ Use leftover cooked lentils or pre-cooked canned or packaged lentils to make these vegan lentil tacos in just 20 minutes!
~ Adjust the spices to your liking. Reduce the amount of cayenne or leave it out completely if you don’t like spicy heat.
~ Heat the tortillas in a skillet for a few minutes to char them slightly so they hold up better.
~ Set out all the toppings and let everyone choose what they like best.
FAQs
Lentils are a fantastic substitute for ground meat. They’re high in protein and fiber, yet low in fat. They also boast high amounts of iron, folate, potassium and more!
Try them instead of beef in my Vegan Sloppy Joes, Pasta Bolognese, and Cottage Pie.
These Mushroom Lentil Tacos are vegan! They’re also gluten free, oil free, healthy and delicious!
However, that doesn’t mean that all lentil tacos are vegan. Although lentils are vegan by themselves, other ingredients may be added to certain recipes that is less than desirable. Also check labels and ingredients lists to be sure.
Obviously, lentils are great in tacos in place of meat. You can also use black beans, chickpeas, mushrooms, cauliflower, a mix of assorted veggies, or store-bought vegan ground “beef.”
More vegan taco recipes
- Black Bean Mini Tacos
- Crunchy Veggie Tacos
- Crispy Cauliflower Tacos
- BBQ Jackfruit Tacos
- Baked Tofu Tacos
- Easy Chickpea Tacos
- Breakfast Tacos
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Vegan Lentil Tacos
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked brown or green lentils
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon cayenne optional for heat
- ½ cup water if needed
For Serving:
- tortillas corn or flour, your choice
- toppings such as avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, pickled red onions, etc.
Instructions
- Sauté mushrooms in a skillet over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked lentils and seasonings. Stir to combine. Add the water, if needed, if the mixture seems too dry.
- Simmer the mixture until heated through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Serve in tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
Storage/Freezing Leftovers lentil mushroom taco meat will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze the mixture for about 3 months.
- Nutrition facts calculated without tortilla or toppings.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Sara says
My husband and I loved these. I especially loved because they are so easy to make, and I always have leftover lentils to use. I had button mushrooms to use and they tasted great. (I’ve tried using different browsers, but can’t seem to get the print recipe button to work.)
Jenn S. says
Hi, Sara! So happy you loved them! They are my go-to for taco night.
What’s happening when you hit the print button? Are you getting an error or is nothing happening at all? The print screen opens in a new page for me – perhaps you have pop-ups blocked?? Not totally sure that would make a difference, but maybe (I’m sooo not technical!) It’s working from my end, so any other details you can give me would be helpful. Thanks!
Sara says
Nothing happens when I press the print button. However, I did try it on our desktop, and it worked – so thanks for making me think beyond! (I am sooo not technical too!)
Jenn S. says
What device were you trying it on before, Sara? Is it still happening today? I had my tech guy look at it the other day and he did fix some code that may have been causing the issue.
Sara says
It was a Dell laptop. If I click on the print button at the very top, it works for me on the laptop. If I click on the print button by the recipe, it does not work – nothing happens. Sorry if that’s not enough info, but that’s about the extent of my technical knowledge. Have a yummy day!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Sara! I appreciate it – the more I can give to my tech guy, the better. I am definitely lacking in the tech knowledge too! Glad the Print button at the top is working – I just added those – so happy to hear that are being beneficial already. Have a great rest of your weekend!
Sue says
Looks awesome. Question, 4 or 8 oz package of mushrooms?
Jenn S. says
Thanks! Actually, I usually use a 16oz package. They cook down so much. I’ll add it to the recipe now. Hope you enjoy!
Becky says
This looks so good! My son is super picky about beans, so I’m into any creative way to serve them to him.
Jenn S. says
I hope he loves these! You could even roll up the tortilla and bake them like taquitos so he can’t see the filling. 🙂 Good luck!
stephanieelisabethd says
aww those are so cute, and delicious at the same time. thanks for sharing x