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Crispy Baked Lentil & Chickpea Tacos

Flavor-packed Crispy Baked Lentil & Chickpea Tacos.

Course Main Course
Keyword crispy baked lentil and chickpea tacos, vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Taavi Moore

Ingredients

Pico De Gallo

  • 5 roma tomatoes, chopped
  • ½ medium white onion, diced
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Tacos

  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • ½ white onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1-15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chile powder
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 cup cooked brown lentils (~½ cup dry, cooked in broth preferably)
  • 1-4.5 oz can green chiles
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or vegan mozzerella)
  • 14-15 corn tortillas

Avocado Cilantro Crema

  • 2 medium avocados
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened, plain greek yogurt (or non dairy yogurt)
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Juice from 1 medium lime
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

Pico de Gallo

  1. Start by making the pico, so it has time to “marinate” in the fridge. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Adjust seasoning to taste (additional salt and pepper, as desired). Cover and refrigerate. 

Tacos

  1. Add roma tomatoes and onion to a baking sheet. Broil on high for 8-10 minutes until blistered. Add to a high powdered blender along with garlic cloves and 2 tbsp water. Blend until combined, set aside. 

  2. Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet, set aside.

  3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chickpeas and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Add blended tomato mixture and spices. Cook for 5-6 minutes until reduced and flavorful. Add lentils and canned green chiles and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, salt, and pepper.

  4. Working one at a time, spread lentil-chickpea mixture on half of a corn tortilla tortilla. Top with 1 tablespoon cotija cheese and fold over to seal. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

  5. Place tacos in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with remaining 1 tbsp oil. Place into oven and bake until toasted and crispy, about 12-15 minutes.

Avocado Cilantro Crema

  1. While tacos are baking, prepare avocado crema. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blend until creamy. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

  2. Serve tacos with pico de gallo and avocado crema. Enjoy!