Lentil Tacos with Sweet Potato (Vegan)

Okay so this recipe may not be a traditional taco combination but it is absolutely delicious. This is on regular rotation for easy family dinners in our house, and I’ve tested it so many times now with slight variations (see further down the post for ideas). Lentils are a source of protein, sweet potato for carbs and fiber – this is a great balanced family meal. Plus, the fun thing about tacos is that you can build them up with other side dishes to customize to your taste. I love these with my Vegan Sour Cream (it is a non-negotiable for me) but you could also mix it up with some other easy toppings like my Mexican-inspired Simple Salsa, Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce, or Easy Melty Vegan Cheese.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It only takes 35 minutes from start to finish – you don’t need to worry about meal prep when you have this recipe in your back pocket. It is a hearty and super tasty quick dinner.
Nutritious and healthy – some taco recipes can be pretty decadent with lots of cheese, but this vegan option is actually really balanced and mostly just veggies!
Vegan and soy free
Versatile – you can tweak this recipe to use canned lentils, jalapenos from a jar etc and it STILL tastes good. We all need lazy alternatives, and I have made sure to test them for you 🙂

Ingredients

Now, there is a full list of everything you need in the recipe card at the bottom of this post (including quantities), but here is a handy shopping list of what you’ll need to make these lentil tacos:

Sweet potatoes
Dried French lentils (brown or grey variety). Do NOT use red lentils. You can substitute canned brown lentils though.
Vegetable broth (aka prepared vegetable bouillon)
Jalapeño (you can substitute fresh for pickled jalapeno)
Garlic
Smoked paprika
Dried oregano
Ground cumin
Lime
Olive oil
Tortillas (corn or wheat, whichever you prefer)
Avocados
Green onions (aka scallions)
Fresh cilantro (coriander)

*Note, I have listed some substitution options for you in the list above, but I go into more detail in the substitutions section of this post (continue further down).

Instructions

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make these Lentil Sweet Potato Tacos with photos. You’ll find these instructions again in the recipe card of this post, with exact quantities, temperatures, and timings.

Step One: Cook lentils in vegetable broth until tender, then set aside.

Step Two: Sauté sweet potatoes until softened in a large pan.

Step Three: Add cooked lentils, minced jalapeño, garlic, and spices to the pan, cooking until fragrant.

Step Four: Squeeze lime juice over the mixture and stir well.

Open tortilla topped with vegetables and avocado and lime wedge.

Step Five: Heat tortillas, fill with the lentil mixture, and top with avocado slices, green onions, and cilantro before serving.

Substitutions & Variations

Okay so I have tested this recipe multiple times now (it’s become a regular family dinner in our house). If you’re looking to switch out an ingredient or change the recipe, here are some proven substitutions I can suggest.

Swap the dried lentils for canned: you can use canned lentils for convenience. Rinse them well and add them later in the cooking process to prevent them from becoming too soft. I like to wait until the sweet potato is almost completely cooked, then add them in with all the spices. This is a really convenient option and makes the recipe even faster. The texture of the lentils won’t be quite as firm and nice as if they were cooked from dried, but it’s just so practical and I don’t think it is that noticeable once the tacos are layered up with all other ingredients. Whatever you do though, please do NOT accidentally buy dried red lentils for this recipe – those are best reserved for Indian curries like Dal – they will turn very soft, gluggy and soupy which is not what we want for this recipe.
Swap the onion: finely diced red onion will work just fine instead of green onion (scallions).
Dial up the heat: if you’d like to add a bit of extra heat to the recipe, toss in some ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to taste. You could also drizzle some sriracha or hot sauce onto your tacos at the end.
Jalapenos: if you’re making this recipe to share with young children, I’d recommend omitting the jalapeno from this recipe. It has a mild, bordering on moderate level of heat if made as-is. It’s too spicy for my toddler unless I leave this out. You can also swap the fresh jalapeno for jarred/pickled jalapeno for convenience. I finely dice the slices and add it to taste, but find around 10 slices of pickled jalapeno is enough.

Hand holding a lentil taco with avocado and sweet potato.

Equipment

You don’t need anything too out of the ordinary to make this recipe, here’s a quick list of the kitchen gear required. Note that if you choose to serve these with my Vegan Sour Cream (please do, it really is worth the extra effort) you will need a high-power blender.

Stove or cooktop
Medium pot
Large, heavy-bottom pan
Knife
Cutting board
Spoon or spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
High powered blender (if serving with sour cream)

Storage

To store any leftovers, keep the components fresh and cooked components separately so you can reheat them easily.

Lentil sweet potato filling

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave on high for 60 second intervals, stirring occasionally until it is hot enough. You can also reheat on the stove, add a tablespoon of oil to a medium size pan over medium heat. Add the leftovers and stir continuously until heated through.
You can also freeze the filling in an air tight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then following the reheating instructions as above.

Sour cream: store in a jar or air tight container separately, for up to 3 days.

Fresh toppings: the cilantro (coriander), avocado, lime wedges and onion should be kept in an air tight container for 1-2 days.

Expert Tips

For successful sweet potatoes, stay vigilant during sautéing; stir periodically to prevent burning. Adjust heat if browning too quickly, and add oil if they appear dry. When cooking lentils, avoid over-boiling to prevent them from becoming mushy; any remaining vegetable broth can be added to the skillet for extra flavor.

FAQ

What’s the cooking time for lentils?

Lentils typically take 15-20 minutes to cook until tender.

What’s the flavor of lentils?

The flavor of lentils depends on the variety, but generally they have an earthy, slightly nutty flavor with a hint of peppery undertone.

How can I improve lentil digestion?

To make lentils easier to digest, soak them in water for a few hours before cooking or add digestive spices like cumin or fennel to the cooking water.

What’s a meat alternative for tacos?

Instead of meat, you can use ingredients like lentils, beans, tofu, mock beef-mince like Impossible as a protein-rich alternative in tacos. Mushrooms and jackfruit are also popular choices as they can be cooked to have a similar texture to meats like pulled pork.

Serving Suggestions and More Recipes

Looking for a tasty Mexican-inspired side dish to serve with these tacos? Or maybe you’d like to try a cheese or sour cream topping? Check out these favorites: Simple Salsa, Garlic Rice, Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce, Vegan Sour Cream, Easy Melty Vegan Cheese.

Open tortilla topped with vegetables and avocado.

Next time you’re planning a taco Tuesday night, save this recipe and give it a try! It’s filling and delicious enough that I can guarantee even non-vegans will love it. Leave a comment and star rating below to let me know what you think, and if you added any extra sides or toppings.

If you take a photo, you can tag me on Instagram @glowdiaries___ and I will reshare your post to my stories, I always love to show off what you guys are making.

Sweet Potato Lentil Tacos

These hearty lentil tacos with sweet potatoes with fresh Mexican inspired toppings are a tasty, easy weeknight dinner. Ready in 35 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword gluten free, main dish, mexican, nut free, soy free, vegan

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings tacos

Calories 250kcal

Ingredients

2 medium Sweet potato (600g) peeled and cubed
2/3 Cups Lentils (135g) brown/grey variety
1 ½ Cup Vegetable broth (355ml)
1 large Jalapeno minced
2 cloves Garlic (10g) minced
1 tsp Smoked paprika (2g)
1 tsp Dried oregano (1g)
1 tsp Ground cumin (2g)
¾ tsp Sea salt (4g)
1 Lime juice
3 tbsp Neutral oil (45ml) divided
10 medium Corn tortillas about 6”/15cm

Toppings

2 medium Avocados sliced
2 large Green onions chopped
Fresh cilantro leaves washed and chopped

Sour Cream (optional but recommended)

1/2 cup neutral vegetable oil
1/2 cup natural yogurt unsweetened, plant-based (I use soy)
1/2 cup raw cashews
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

In a medium pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil over medium heat. Add the lentils, cover, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, and the lentils are just tender but not falling apart – about 12-15 minutes.
Peel and chop* the sweet potatoes into ½”/12mm cubes.
Peel and mince the garlic.
Cut the stem off the jalapeno and slice in half lengthwise. Remove some or all of the seeds and ribs for a less spicy filling. Mince finely.
In a large, heavy bottom pan, heat 2 tbsp/30ml oil over medium. Add the cubed sweet potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sweet potatoes are just soft.
Add the lentils, minced garlic and jalapeno, and spices. Cook for 3-5 minutes over medium, stirring frequently. Add 2-3 tbsp/30-45ml water or vegetable broth as needed if the mixture feels too dry.
Once the spices are fragrant and everything is cooked through, remove from heat and squeeze the lime juice on top. Start with 2 tbsp/30ml and adjust to taste.
Slice the avocados in half, then lengthwise in thin slices. Scoop out with a spoon.
Chop the green onions – white and green portions – into very thin circles.
Wash and dry the cilantro leaves. Chop finely.

Sour Cream (optional but recommended)

Place cashews into a small bowl. Cover with boiling water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse cashews under cold water until cool to touch.
Combine all ingredients in a small high-power blender.
Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste test and add extra salt if desired.

Assemble

Heat a large pan or griddle over medium low. Add about 1 tsp/5ml oil, spreading around to evenly coat the pan.
Cook the tortillas 1 or 2 at a time for about 1 minute per side until just a little colored and crispy in spots. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding more oil as needed.
Place 2-3 tbsp of filling into each tortilla and top with 2-3 slices of avocado and a sprinkle of chopped green onion and cilantro. Eat immediately.
Sweet potato mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and reheated in a lightly oil pan over medium heat. Fry tortillas fresh before serving.

Video

Notes

The sweet potatoes do not have to be peeled. They can be scrubbed thoroughly and have any damaged areas cut off. Peeling is easier for a more uniform look.
Leftover sour cream will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.