Vegetarian Taco Salad

Vegetarian Taco Salad

This taco salad uses lentils instead of ground beef, cooked up picadillo style with many of the same spices. It’s a great alternative for veggie-heads, and it’s tasty enough to get the meat-eaters interested, too. Please note that this recipe is for full-sized taco salads; those pictured are smaller.

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Vegetarian Taco Salad


Yield: 4 servings

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the lentils:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup lentils, cooked and drained
  • 1 teaspoon chile powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne

For the salads:

  • 4 taco salad shells (click here for a how-to)
  • 1 cup refried beans, heated (click here to make your own)
  • 1 small head green leaf lettuce, chopped
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 1 medium avocado, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • Hot sauce, to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add lentils, chile powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne, and stir to combine well. Stir in remaining oil, and allow to cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  2. To assemble the salads, spread the bottom of each taco salad shell with a thick layer of refried beans. Distribute lettuce among the shells, and top with a big spoonful of lentils. Cover with tomato and avocado, and sprinkle with cheese. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a few shakes of hot sauce.