May is one of the best months because it's officially the open of many farmers' markets across the United States. Fresh produce is everywhere and it's one of my favorite ways to get new recipe inspiration. When Frontier Co-op asked how I use farmers' markets to Cook with Purpose, I knew I'd be making tacos. These tacos highlight two of my favorite spring treats: fresh baby greens (like spinach and arugula) and crisp, red radishes. The freshness of the greens and radish salsa balance the spice-forward lentils. A perfect spring meal that is easy to throw together and highlights a couple of my favorite farmers' market treats!
PrintSpicy Lentil Tacos with Radish Salsa
Easy vegetarian lentil tacos that are topped with a fresh, spring radish salsa.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
Ingredients
Taco Filling
- 1 cup black lentils
- 3 cups water/vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¾ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Powder
- Salt (added at end)
- 1 to 2 cups shredded or baby greens
- 8 8" corn tortillas
- 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare radish salsa according to directions, set aside.
- In a sauce pan, combine ingredients for the taco filling, without the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let cook until lentils have absorbed almost all of the liquid and are tender, 25 to 28 minutes.
- Heat tortillas, either in a damp towel in a warm 200˚ F oven or use a gas oven burner to lightly char the tortillas. Assemble the tacos with a handful of greens, ¼ cup of the lentil filling, ¼ cup radish salsa, and a sprinkle of feta cheese.
Notes
Tips & Tricks: Make the radish salsa ahead of time for the flavors to come together.
Stock up: get the pantry ingredients you will need: Spices, Black Lentils, Corn tortillas
Nutrition: see the information.
Nutrition
- Calories: 319
- Sugar: 2.2
- Sodium: 199
- Fat: 5.3
- Carbohydrates: 54.1
- Fiber: 8.9
- Protein: 17.1
- Cholesterol: 12.6
Step by Step
Variations for the Spicy Lentil Tacos
While it's easy to turn to black beans for vegetarian taco fillings, I love spicy lentil tacos. The lentils soak up all the flavors while cooking and when it comes to black lentils, still have the perfect amount of texture left after cooking. I'll cook up an extra batch of the lentils and eat taco salads throughout the week- a perfect lunch in my book.
Salsa: This radish salsa is a favorite way of mine to use up spring radishes. However, if you're in the throws of summer with no radish in sight, I highly recommend this roasted tomato salsa.
Vegan: An easy variation- just skip the cheese. I like the flavor of salty cheese on my tacos but you could easily just leave it off the taco.
Cilantro/Lime: One of the things I love most about these tacos is the fact that they don't have cilantro. I'm a cilantro lover but I know many aren't- the lemon/parsley still adds the bright citrus and herb flavors without using the traditional taco herb. You could, however, switch it up and use lime and/or cilantro.
Explore Frontier Cayenne Pepper
While I could have highlighted any of the spices from the tacos (all the Frontier spices are great), I chose cayenne because it's the perfect way to add a little kick to meals without being overwhelming (and even my spice-avoiding husband loves it). I love to use Frontier's Cayenne Pepper in chilis, soups, and especially in enchilada sauce.
Vegan Spinach Enchiladas with Lentils
Turmeric Egg Skillet
Red Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes
Fernando @ Eating With Your Hands says
Lovely char on those tortillas! Lentil tacos is something that I've started to see popping up on my Pinterest feed, pretty interesting take on tacos I must say.
Alison @ Alison's Allspice says
I love the farmer's market too. I like to go there and stock up on produce before I menu plan so I know what I have to work with that week! The radish salsa looks like a great compliment to tacos!
Sarah | Well and Full says
I love how simple but delicious these tacos look! Lentils as a filling is such a smart vegetarian option 🙂
mia says
these look amazing. I usually use lentils in my tacos but this is a great idea for trying them a different way!
Catering Den Haag says
This looks incredible!
★★★★
Jessica | Deux Baguettes says
Made these last night and they are SO great! Great use of all those beautiful radishes at the market right now... thanks for sharing!
Lisa Roth says
I don't see the recipe for the radish salsa?
Erin Alderson says
I'll get that updated but here it is: https://naturallyella.com/radish-scallion-salsa/
Jen says
I came across some organic home made tortillas and after having steak two days in a row, I wanted a vegetarian meal for balance. These are delicious and incredibly satisfying. My boyfriend laughed when I told him we were having vegetarian tacos until he had a bite. The radish salsa is a perfect compliment. The leftovers were enough for us to have another taco dinner the following night. If this recipe is indicative of what else I can find on this blog for delicious and meatless meal options, then sign me up.