Serves 4
Active time: 20 minutes || Total time: 20 minutes

This is vegan lentil taco meat, and it is a must-have recipe in every kitchen. It’s no secret that I love lentils in place of ground meat —Snobby Joes, shepherd’s pie, burgers, nothing is safe. Especially tacos.

Ancho chile is dried poblano, and it’s worth seeking out for its deep, fruity, naturally smoky flavor. You can use regular chili powder in a pinch, but once you try ancho you’ll keep it stocked. The filling gets its kick from hot sauce. Cholula is my go-to for anything in this direction, and a few squirts of tomato paste provide moisture and binding and help lend that convincing meaty texture. The idea is to mash the lentils as they cook, adding splashes of water to keep things juicy, until they hold together like ground meat. It takes about five minutes and it’s really satisfying to watch them transform.

Serve with shredded lettuce, cilantro, lime, avocado or guacamole, pico, and a dollop of Vegan Sour Cream. Grill the tortillas if you want total perfection.

This recipe has been on the PPK since 2011 and the comments section reads like a very passionate love letter to tacos. People make it weekly, bring it to potlucks, serve it to meat eaters who have no idea, and win chili cook-offs with it. Everyone has tweaked the spices every which way, so you should too — customize it, make it yours. It really lives in our hearts.

A note about the lentils: Brown lentils have the best color here but green lentils work fine too. Cook them ahead and keep them in the fridge: one cup dried makes about 2½ cups cooked, and having them on hand makes this a genuinely 20-minute dinner. You can also use canned lentils, but they will be a little mushier so easy on any extra moisture. Go ahead and use two cans, it’ll be 3 cups (the recipe calls for 2 1/2), but that is fine.

Other Ways To Use Vegan Lentil Taco Meat:

In a burrito bowl with rice, black beans, guac and Crumbled Tofu Cotija or Almond Feta

On Roommate Nachos instead of or alongside the beans

In a breakfast burrito with Tofu Scramble

Over a baked potato with Vegan Sour Creamand salsa

Tucked into a Swizz Grilled Cheese…trust

ANCHO LENTIL TACO MEAT FAQ

What is ancho chile? It’s dried poblano pepper: deep, fruity, and naturally smoky. Find it ground in most grocery stores or Latin markets. It’s worth having around. If you can only find regular chili powder, use that, but ancho is worth the upgrade.

How do I cook lentils? Just rinse them then bring to a boil in a small covered pot with a big pinch of salt in plenty of water. Lower heat and simmer until tender, then drain. Lentils are so very easy!

Can I use canned lentils? For sure. Drain and rinse them well. They’ll be a little softer but it works and makes this even faster.

What hot sauce should I use? Cholula is my favorite here. It’s tangy and has good heat without overpowering everything else. Use whatever you love though.

Can I make the filling ahead? Yup yup yup. It keeps in the fridge for 4 to 5 days and reheats well on the stovetop with a splash of water. Also great stuffed into a burrito or over rice the next day.

Can I use this method for other fillings? Absolutely. Swap the spices and go Italian (thyme, basil, black pepper) for a lentil Bolognese. Swap the chili for curry powder and you have an amazing samosa filling. Lentils go anywhere ground meat would go.

Are these gluten free? Yup — just make sure your tortillas are gluten free.

How did I end up here? You were probably searching for vegan lentil tacos, lentil taco meat, or plant based taco filling. You’re in the right place. This is the best vegan taco recipe on the internet and it’s been living here since 2011. 

Lentil taco meat

Ancho Lentil Tacos

Isa Chandra
Easy lentil taco meat. Smoky, spicy lentils cooked down with ancho chile, tomato paste, and hot sauce until they hold together like ground meat.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 20 minutes
If you don’t have cooked lentils: 1 hour
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Protein, Tacos
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 pc small onion minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils (from about 1 cup dried)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce (preferably Cholula)

Spice mix:

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground ancho chile
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

To serve:

  • tortillas
  • pico
  • shredded lettuce

Instructions
 

  • First combine all of the ingredients for the spice mix and set aside. Also, keep a cup of water within reach, you’ll need to add splashes as you cook.
  • Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the onion and garlic in the oil with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Add spices and toss them for 30 seconds or so to toast.
  • Lower heat to medium, add lentils, a few splashes of water, tomato paste and hot sauce; use a spatula to mash them a bit as they cook, until they hold together. If your spatula isn’t strong enough to accomplish this, just use a fork. Do this for about 5 minutes, adding splashes of water as necessary if it appears dry. Taste for salt and seasoning; you may want to add more spices or hot sauce. And that’s it, time to serve!
  • Fold into tacos with all the fixings or use some of the ideas in the post.
Keyword vegan lentil tacos, lentil taco meat, plant based taco filling, ancho lentil tacos, easy vegan tacos, vegan taco recipe, Cinco de Mayo vegan recipes, gluten free vegan tacos
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!