Instant Pot Vegetarian Lentil Tacos are delicious and so flavorful, even non-vegetarians will enjoy them. Two of my boys are dating vegetarians, so during “girlfriend week,” I made vegetarian dinners along with regular meals to satisfy everyone’s dietary choices. The twins actually have high cholesterol (they inherited the bad cholesterol genes from my husband’s side of the family), so they have actually been eating more vegetarian meals and less red meat.
Cooking for both vegetarians and meat eaters can be challenging. However, there are certain meals that are easier to make that cater to both dietary choices. Tacos and buritto bowls are a crowd pleaser, and can easily be adapted for almost any diet.
I setup a buffet line on my kitchen island with all the fixings for tacos and burrito bowls. Guests can customize their tacos or burrito bowls with their favorite toppings.
For one of our recent “girlfriend week” dinners, I set up a taco and burrito bowl bar, lined with corn tortillas, Cilantro Lime Brown Rice, quinoa, and an assortment of fillings and toppings. Since all the toppings I prepare are naturally vegetarian, the only thing I needed to make were a few different fillings.
The vegetarians enjoyed these vegetarian lentil tacos. For the non-vegetarians, I grilled some fish (for indoor cooking, try pan roasted cod fish), and made my favorite Instant Pot chicken carnitas.
If you’re new to lentils, you may only find red lentils and brown lentils in the regular supermarket. However, many more kinds of lentils can be found in the Indian grocery store. I used split black grams or urad dal for this recipe, but feel free to use whatever lentils you can find.
How To Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Lentil Tacos
First, saute onion and garlic in the Instant Pot.
Then, add the lentils (thoroughly rinsed and drained), chili powder, taco seasoning, ground cumin, dried oregano, bay leaf, and vegetable stock (not pictured).
These lentils take just 10 minutes to cook in the Instant Pot. If you cook it on the stove, it will take about 30 minutes. Note: if you use a different kind of lentil, cooking time may vary.
I like split black grams (urad dal) for this vegetarian lentil taco filling because the lentils retain their shape even when they are completely cooked through.
Taco Toppings
The best part of tacos and burrito bowls are the toppings. Be creative – the key is to variety so everyone is happy.
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole Salsa
- Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
- Mango Avocado Pepper Salsa
- Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa
- Chopped lettuce
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped scallions
- Sour cream or plain yogurt
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Hot sauce
Instant Pot Vegetarian Lentil Tacos
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup dried lentils (I used split black grams (urad dal))
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
For Serving
- 8 corn tortillas
- romaine lettuce (chopped)
- fresh pico de gallo
- cilantro leaves
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Select “Saute” function on Instant Pot. Heat oil oil in Instant Pot and add onions and garlic; saute until onions are translucent.
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Rinse lentils well and drain; add to onions and garlic in pot. Add remaining ingredients and stir.
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Cover and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Let pressure release naturally 10 minutes. Release remaining pressure.
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Serve with tortillas, chopped lettuce, salsa, and fresh cilantro.
If you like these Vegetarian Lentil Tacos, you might also like:
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