Vegetarian Tacos . . . made with lentils

   

All the fixings for tacos + a side dish of Zucchini & Corn in the background.

     Our niece, Colette West, told us about this recipe some time ago. And, then I forgot about it until just recently. When she originally sent the recipe she mentioned that it could be modified to taste but I made it pretty much according to her instructions. I did use regular cheese and sour cream versus the fat-free products and provided some variables for the seasonings.

     Love the idea that the lentils can cook throughout the day in a slow cooker which is ideal for a busy schedule. I actually had time to cook them on the stovetop today but opted for the slow cooker version just so I could give it a try.

Lentil Tacos   Makes 6+ servings (ideal slow cooker-size: 4-quart)
Recipe Note -- the recipe calls for ½  lb. dry brown lentils; we had enough lentils to fill 10 taco shells and still had about three-fourths of a cup left over. 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

¾ cup onions, finely chopped

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

½  lb. dry brown lentils (1 heaping cup), picked clean of stones and floaters   (l lb. lentils = 2 ¼ cups; 1 cup dry lentils = 2 to 2 ½ cups cooked)

2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2+ cups chicken broth

About 1 cup salsa

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12 taco shells

Topping possibilities: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream,

additional salsa

1. Heat oil in skillet or Dutch oven. Add onions and sprinkle with garlic powder; sauté until onions are tender.
2. Add lentils and spices. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
   
3. Place  lentil mixture and 2 cups broth in slow cooker. Add more broth as lentils cook if needed.
   
4. Cover. Cook on LOW for 3 hours for somewhat-crunchy lentils, or on LOW for 6 hours for soft lentils. (Ours were perfectly cooked in about 4 hours in the slow cooker – they were soft but still held their shape giving them a mouth-free that is similar to meat.)
   
   
   
   
5. Add as much salsa as desired.
6. Spoon about ¼ cup into each taco shell. Add toppings of your choice.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Lentil Tacos   Makes 6+ servings (ideal slow cooker-size: 4-quart)
Recipe Note -- the recipe calls for ½  lb. dry brown lentils; we had enough lentils to fill 10 taco shells and still had about three-fourths of a cup left over. 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

¾ cup onions, finely chopped

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

½  lb. dry brown lentils (1 heaping cup), picked clean of stones and floaters   (l lb. lentils = 2 ¼ cups; 1 cup dry lentils = 2 to 2 ½ cups cooked)

2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2+ cups chicken broth

About 1 cup salsa

-----

12 taco shells

Topping possibilities: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream,

additional salsa

1. Heat oil in skillet or Dutch oven. Add onions and sprinkle with garlic powder; sauté until onions are tender.
2. Add lentils and spices. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
3. Place lentil mixture and 2 cups broth in slow cooker. Add more broth as lentils cook if needed.
4. Cover. Cook on LOW for 3 hours for somewhat-crunchy lentils, or on LOW for 6 hours for soft lentils. (Ours were perfectly cooked in about 4 hours in the slow cooker – they were soft but still held their shape giving them a mouth-free that is similar to meat.)
5. Add as much salsa as desired.
6. Spoon about ¼ cup into each taco shell. Add toppings of your choice.