It’s been a while (like, a year) since we published a new taco recipe, which is funny considering we make tacos at least once a week. (Very dedicated to taco Tuesday in our house.) These tacos, filled with lentils, mushrooms and walnuts, have a satisfying, meaty quality. The filling is delicious on its own or packed into a bowl for lunch!
I don’t typically follow a recipe when I’m cooking for myself and my husband. I usually make him some spicy ground beef and make myself a healthier version of refried beans. Then we both use homemade guacamole, cheese (regular for him, vegan for me) and sometimes pickled onion or salsa. Simple, easy, get’s the job done. But it also gets kind of boring week after week, so this year, we’re working on trying some new recipes.
We love this lentil/mushroom/walnut filling because it has the meaty quality that makes tacos so satisfying. The filling is delicious enough to eat alone, too. You can pack it up in a bowl with your favorite fixings and make a quick taco bowl for the next day’s lunch.
Roasted sweet potatoes are a great addition to these vegan lentil walnut tacos. Instead of salsa, we added a quick-pickled purple cabbage for a crunchy, tangy topping. And, of course, it’s not a taco without avocado, so homemade (or store bought) guac is a must.
If you’re like us and have to prep meals for meat eaters and non-meat eaters, it’s easy to adapt the lentil wlanut taco filling for everyone. Simply split the ingredients between two pans and add ground beef to one, and the lentils/mushrooms/walnuts to another. It does make more dishes to clean, but everyone is happy and gets to enjoy delicious tacos.
Cheers with Lentil Walnut Tacos for Taco Tuesday! Or, for a real cheers, try a Mango Chili Turmeric Margarita.
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Even the carnivores in your family won’t miss the meat in these flavorful vegan tacos. Roasted sweet potatoes add some extra flavor, and crunchy marinated cabbage + guacamole are a must!
Ingredients
Roasted sweet potatoes:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cumin
Lentil Walnut Filling:
- 4 tbsp vegan butter or oil
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup cooked lentils (cooked according to package directions)
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp agave
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 cups spinach (optional)
Lime Marinated Cabbage:
- 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Sweet potatoes:
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Toss diced sweet potato in olive oil + spice mixture and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until completely tender.
Lentil Walnut Filling:
- Cook lentils according to package directions.
- In a pan over medium heat, melt butter and add onion and bell pepper. Sauté about 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until softened.
- Add remaining ingredients, stir well and sauté until spinach is wilted.
Cabbage:
- Massage the cabbage in lime juice and salt and let sit 15-20 minutes. It will soften and start to turn bright pink.
Taco Assembly:
- Use your favorite corn tortillas and top with lentil walnut mixture, sweet potatoes, cabbage, and your favorite guacamole.
Notes
If you have a tree nut allergy, you can substitute walnuts with sunflower seeds, which have a similar texture.
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