You really wont miss the meat in these flavorful, filling, and healthy Instant Pot Lentil Tacos! Ready in 20 minutes, and easily adaptable to use ingredients and toppings you already have, this vegetarian instant pot recipe is a WINNER.
I’m a big fan of mixing up our dinners with some meatless meals. I’m not a vegetarian (far from it 🙂 ) but I also don’t like my family eating heavy servings of meat every single night.
One of my favorite vegetarian meals is black bean burgers — so dang easy and TASTY! I love that I usually always have what I need to make them. I also really love this Lentil Salad.
I feel like Mexican flavored dishes are even easier to make meatless because of all of the delicious flavor and spices you can add to the dish. These sweet potato and black bean enchiladas, and these black bean and corn quesadillas, for example, always leave us feeling satisfied.
What I really love about these Mexican inspired lentil tacos are how hearty the mixture is–you wont even miss the meat! They are soo flavorful, and delicious, and one of my absolute favorite vegetarian instant pot recipes.
The Instant Pot makes this meal even more genius. Throw everything in the pot, and give it a stir. That’s it! Cook it for 15 minutes on high pressure, and you’re ready to eat. No babysitting the lentils, no stirring the pot. You don’t even need to let the pressure naturally release!
This Instant pot lentil tacos recipe is also really easily adaptable to what you have on hand.
Substitution Ideas:
Chopped onion for onion powder.
Use the saute function on the instant pot to saute 1 cup chopped onion in a little bit of oil, before adding the rest of the ingredients.Â
Water for chicken broth.
You can use water if you don’t have chicken broth. I just like the extra boost of flavor that the chicken broth adds. Or you could add 4 teaspoons/4 chicken bullion cubes to the water.
Tomato sauce instead of salsa.Â
Additional veggies:
Try adding corn, diced green chilies (if you like it spicy), or another chopped vegetable, like zucchini.
More great Instant Pot Dinner recipes:
Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls
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Recipe
Instant Pot Lentil Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry lentils , green or brown
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Topping ideas:
- corn or flour tortillas , for serving
- shredded cheese
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- avocado , chopped (or guacamole)
- fresh cilantro
- green onion , chopped
- olives
- sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- salsa , or hot sauce
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to instant pot and stir to combine.
- Close the lid and move valve to sealing position.
- Cook on manual (high pressure) for 15 minutes.
- Once the timer beeps, cover the valve with a towel and switch it to quick release to release all of the pressure.
- Open lid and gently stir.
- Allow to cool while you prepare toppings.
- Serve warm, inside corn or flour tortillas, with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
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Recipe adapted from My Plant Based Family.
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Nutritional label is based off a ¼ cup servings (to fill 1 taco). Does not include toppings.
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Have you tried this recipe?!Â
RATE this recipe and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
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I love this recipe! I have been using it since 2020, and that summer I worked an early shift. After work, I came home and had tacos for lunch almost every day! These days, I usually halve the recipe. Instead of separate spices, I often use 2 tablespoons of my homemade taco seasoning for 1 cup of lentils. Then I have enough for tacos right away plus 2 or 3 more meals with the leftovers. Thank you for the inspiration!
Love this recipe. I throw in a small can of green chili as well. Make it and use for lunch for the week. With tortilla. Avocado and cheese.
Lauren, I love your recipes and tell everyone that I get some of my best ideas from you. I don’t have an instant pot. So how long would you cook this on the stovetop or would you use a crock pot? Thanks
So good and so easy! I like it better than the meat way! On extremely lazy days, do you think it would taste just as good if I just threw a packet of taco seasoning mix in there?
It is so easy to make and so good!!! My family are big fans!!! 🙂
Yep! These are delicious!
Flavorful, filling, and super easy to make and serve. I will definitely make this again!
I can’t believe a recipe this simple can be so delicious! I’ve made this many times now. Such a perfect meal for a lazy day.
I’m thrilled with this recipe! I used the Instant Pot method and it was perfect. There was just a bit of extra liquid but it was absorbed by the lentils the longer it sat. I’ll use this recipe often, and it’s inspired me to try lentils as a replacement for ground beef in other recipes to limit animal fats in my diet. Thank you so much!