This Chipotle Lentil Taco Meat is zesty, vegan and delicious - perfect protein-packed addition to tacos, burritos and bowls.
You guys all know my new love for lentils is very real. Last week I RAVED about my new favorite recipe - Chipotle Lentil Avocado Toast. Be sure to check out that recipe, because I am seriously OBSESSED!
But for today's recipe we are making some adjustments to the ingredients in that original recipe that make it the perfect taco "meat" replacement.
And if you use pre-made lentils (like I did), then this recipe is not only super delicious, it is also SO QUICK!
If you're like me, then you might have given lentils a bad rap in your head. I always thought they were so bland. But that's just because I was eating bland lentils...imagine that?!? If you spice them up the right way, then they seriously taste amazing!
What I used to season these are:
- red onion
- chipotle peppers in adobo
- taco seasoning
- vegan beef broth
That's it. You can add salt & pepper if you want, but I didn't even need to do that. This is so flavorful with just those 4 simple ingredients!
Plus, the texture of lentils is surprisingly similar to traditional taco meat, which makes this a great dupe for both vegans and non-vegans.
This recipe literally takes 15 minutes to put together (again, if you're using pre-made lentils) and makes for the BEST leftovers.
You can serve these in tacos, burritos, bowls or salads - no matter what you put these on, they will taste amazing!
Chipotle Lentil Taco Meat
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ red onion diced
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo diced
- 1-2 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
- 2.5 cups cooked lentils
- 1-2 tablespoon taco seasoning
- ¼ cup broth*
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add chipotle peppers and adobo sauce to the pan and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add lentils, taco seasoning and broth to the pan and turn heat to low. Stir to combine everything and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed (I didn't need to add either).
- Serve in tacos, burritos, bowls or salads.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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mcw
I’ve made this twice and it is delicioussss especially in tacos
Dee
Wow, so good! Put it on a tostado as well and it was amazing!
Next time I hope to alter the recipe to cook the onions and chipotle with uncooked lentils – wish me luck. Thanks for a delicious lentil recipe.
Cindy H
What makes it so high in sodium? I'm definitely going to try it.
Leah
Probably because precooked lentils are canned/preserved, hence lots of sodium
Dee
Wow, so good! Put it on a tostado as well and it was amazing!
Next time I hope to alter the recipe to cook the onions and chipotle with uncooked lentils - wish me luck. Thanks for a delicious lentil recipe.
Rene
I'm sure it will be great 😉
Kory
Making this recipe today! Do you think the leftovers would freeze well?
Amanda
I'm trying to incorporate more vegetarian dinners into my meat loving household, I made these last night and put them in quesadillas, they were absolutely delicious and so easy to make. I will definitely be using these on a regular rotation!
Rene
Yum! I love a quesadilla! Good thinking!
Ellen
Made this the other night-very tasty and spicy! Can it be frozen?
Rene
I don't see why not. Just be sure to let it cool completely before freezing!
Darlene
I don't have canned lentils but I do have dried green and brown lentils. Which ones should I cook to use for this recipe?
Rene
Either will work!
Jennifer
Do you have a preferred way to prepare the lentils if you aren't using already made lentils?
Rene
Nope - I would just follow the package instructions 🙂
Lesley
Is it okay to leave out the bouillon?
Gabby
Hi!
I was hoping you could clarify whether you're putting already cooked lentils into the pan with the water and seasonings or just raw ones and this is how they cook?
Thanks
Rene
Yep, they are already cooked - I can usually find them in the produce section of my grocery store.
Patty Hay
Made this recipe last night and it was delicious. I altered it slightly.. I used a bag of lentils that had garlic seasoning in it and I made them with the seasoning and then instead of using the chipotle peppers as well as the chipotle sauce I used the sauce only. My husband doesn’t care for meals that are too spicy. I like spicy so I just drizzled my tacos with extra chipotle sauce I will make this again and again since we love Mexican. We both have some health issues and are trying to incorporate vegetarian meals into our diet. This recipe has made it very easy to continue on with the change.
Rene
Hi Patty - so glad you were able to adjust this to your taste. And those garlic lentils sound awesome!
tracey
Question: would this taste any different with green lentils since that’s all I have on hand?
Rene
I haven't tried this with green lentils, but I'd imagine they would work just fine 🙂
Jane Miller
Thank you for the great recipe! I ate the entire recipe by myself over the course of a week and never got sick of it.
Rene
Yay! So glad you liked it! I have also been eating this on repeat. Can't get enough.
Hayley Morrin
Your recipes remind me of the ones I use to find in my mom's recipe books & binders growing up; simple, well-explained without thinking we're all clueless in the kitchen and need to be guided through every step, easy & reasonably inexpensive/quick, but your blog is the vegan version! A handful of easy recipes I've made from you have becomes back pocket staples in my kitchen and I like the sounds of this one too. Thanks so much 🙂
Rene
I think you just explained the mission of TSV better than I could 🙂 But thank you so much for the sweet words - cooking doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. And it should always taste good 🙂
Hayley Morrin
Really appreciate what you do for us time-pressed vegans. Keep it up please 🙂