Lentil Tacos
Jul 24, 2013 in main dishes, mexican, vegetarian. Read the original on: Simple Gourmet Cooking
If I could eat some kind of Mexican food everyday, I'd be perfectly happy. Â Tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas-you name it, I love it! Â Unfortunately, if I ate Mexican food everyday I would probably not love my body so much. When I saw this meatless version of a taco, I was sold. Â Lentils are the perfect substitute for meat because they are meaty in texture, hearty, and soak up the Mexican flavors perfectly. And they are lower in fat and higher in fiber.
This dinner came together quite quickly-really in not much more time than if I were to have used ground beef or turkey. Â It also made quite a bit-Matt and I both happily had leftovers for lunch the next day and I was able to freeze about 3 servings for a really quick dinner later in the month. Â I also think this is a great recipe to try if you haven't tried lentils before (especially if you like tacos as much as I do!) because this is a really delicious meatless taco where you don't miss the meat!
Lentil Tacos
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2½ cups low-sodium vegetable, chicken or beef broth
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
10 taco-sized tortillas (corn or flour)
toppings: cheese, avocado, salsa, tomato, lettuce, onions
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent and just browned around the edges, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and spices; cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the lentils, salt, and broth; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Uncover; simmer for 6-8 minutes, until mixture is thickened. Using a potato masher or wooden spoon, break up some of the lentils. Stir in half of the cilantro.
If using corn tortillas, heat the oven to 275 degrees while the lentils are cooking. Arrange a dampened dishtowel on a baking sheet. Spread the tortillas over the towel in a single layer (some overlap is expected), then top with a second dampened dishtowel. Heat in the oven for 10 minutes, until the tortillas are warm and soft.
If using flour tortillas, warm between dampened paper towels in the microwave for about 20 seconds on high.
Divide the filling evenly among the tortillas. Serve with additional cilantro and other desired toppings.
Source: slightly adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2½ cups low-sodium vegetable, chicken or beef broth
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
10 taco-sized tortillas (corn or flour)
toppings: cheese, avocado, salsa, tomato, lettuce, onions
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent and just browned around the edges, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and spices; cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the lentils, salt, and broth; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Uncover; simmer for 6-8 minutes, until mixture is thickened. Using a potato masher or wooden spoon, break up some of the lentils. Stir in half of the cilantro.
If using corn tortillas, heat the oven to 275 degrees while the lentils are cooking. Arrange a dampened dishtowel on a baking sheet. Spread the tortillas over the towel in a single layer (some overlap is expected), then top with a second dampened dishtowel. Heat in the oven for 10 minutes, until the tortillas are warm and soft.
If using flour tortillas, warm between dampened paper towels in the microwave for about 20 seconds on high.
Divide the filling evenly among the tortillas. Serve with additional cilantro and other desired toppings.
Source: slightly adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles
Read the original on: Simple Gourmet Cooking
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