Home » Recipes » Dinner » Vegan Slow Cooker Lentil Tacos
by Taesha Butler on Oct 31, 2020 (updated Jun 15, 2024)
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5 from 52 votes
These vegan slow cooker lentil tacos are a super easy dinner! Flavorful, family-friendly, and beloved by all kinds of eaters, this is the perfect healthy dinner recipe to make again and again.
Slow Cooker Lentil Tacos
I try to love all of my kitchen appliances equally, but my slow cooker has won a special place in my heart. It is, after all, the only appliance in the house that offers to spend the whole day cooking dinner for me. It really goes above and beyond and I just love it so.
Now that I have found a way to make lentil tacos with my beloved kitchen contraption, I love it even more.
Why these lentil slow cooker tacos are awesome!
Tacos are one of those classic dinners I think many of us grew up eating. I loved taco night in my house as a kid. All the toppings! The wonderful flavor of the filling! It was just a great dinner that everyone in the family looked forward to.
These slow cooker lentil tacos are a little extra special in my book because…
- Super flavorful. You will be amazed by how satisfying these vegan tacos taste! Even my friends and followers who swear they don’t like lentils love this taco filling.
- Easy to make. Throw it together in a few minutes and into your slow cooker or crockpot to cook to perfection while you are busy lifing.
- Family-friendly. These are mellow on the spice, so kids and spice-iffy people will enjoy them. You can also pump up the spice level if that is something you enjoy!
- Adaptable! As always, be sure to check out the suggested adaptations portion of the post below.
- Plant based. If you have been trying to get more plant-focused meals into your meal plan or are vegan, these tacos are a delicious and easy dinner to add to your rotation.
Lentils are great because…
If you aren’t already good friends with lentils, allow me to introduce the two of you. Lentils are a protein-rich legume that can soak up whatever flavors you dump onto them. They are also part of the legume family, right there with beans, and come in lots of different colors. For this taco recipe, I used brown and/or green lentils since they are cheap, easy to find, and work in lots of different recipes.
Lentils taste great, but they are also inexpensive and versatile! Perfect for when you are on a budget and/or feeding a crowd.
Lentils are packed with some serious nutrition like… (source)
- B vitamins
- magnesium
- zinc
- potassium
- protein
- fiber
- iron
Suggested Adaptations
- Pump up the spice. I use a mild salsa to keep these tacos kid-friendly, but buy a medium or hot salsa to add extra spice. Or toss in some chopped jalapeños when these tacos are cooking.
- Veggie-load them! Add some grated carrot, finely chopped spinach, minced mushrooms or diced bell pepper to this taco recipe before cooking and you have instantly added veggies to dinner!
- Enjoy them outside a tortilla. Use this taco filling as part of a bowl with rice or quinoa, in a taco salad or even on nachos!
- Make these lentil tacos in your Instant Pot. Combine all ingredients, stir and place IP lid on, locking it in place. Cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for your Instant Pot to come up to pressure. Once cooking is done, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes before carefully quick releasing the remaining pressure.Carefully lift lid off of your pressure cooker, stir and enjoy.
Other lentil recipes you are going to love
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup (+ slow cooker instructions)
- Mushroom Lentil Pasta
- Easy Lentil Veggie Quesadillas
- Vegan Carrot Muffins (with lentils)
- How to Cook Lentils On The Stove, In A Slow Cooker or Instant Pot
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5 from 52 votes
Vegan Slow Cooker Lentil Tacos
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 8 hours hrs
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Course: Main Course
Author: Taesha Butler
These vegan slow cooker lentil tacos are a super easy dinner! Flavorful, family-friendly, and beloved by all kinds of eaters, this is the perfect healthy dinner recipe to make again and again.
Print RecipePin RecipeLeave a Review
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups green or brown dry lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 ¼ cup salsa
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley, or 1/4 cup fresh
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, or sub soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 medium tortillas
- taco toppings
Equipment
slow cooker
Instructions
Combine ingredients in your slow cooker. Stir a few times and cover.
Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 7-8 hours. Each slow cooker cooks a little differently, so exact time will depend on your unique slow cooker or crockpot. Cook until lentils are tender and most of the liquid has cooked off.
Use a slotted spoon to portion out lentil taco filling into tortillas, over rice, greens or however you opt to enjoy this taco filling. Top with sliced avocado, extra red onion, cilantro or whatever your favorite taco toppings are.
Let leftovers cool and store in air-tight container in fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
To make in Instant Pot:
Combine all ingredients, stir and place IP lid on, locking it in place. Cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for your Instant Pot to come up to pressure. Once cooking is done, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes before carefully quick releasing the remaining pressure.
Carefully lift lid off of your pressure cooker, stir and enjoy.
Serving: 0.75cup, Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 825mg, Potassium: 527mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 247IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.
Dairy-Free Dinner Gluten-Free Grain Free Slow Cooker Vegan Vegetarian
originally published on Oct 31, 2020 (last updated Jun 15, 2024)
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Comments
83 comments on “Vegan Slow Cooker Lentil Tacos”
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Taesha Butler —Reply
I love a good taco. Especially a good crockpot taco! I hope you enjoy them!
Madeline —Reply
Sounds amazing I want to make it today but don’t have 10 hours! Would you recommend it on high? And if so how many hours would you cook it!
I love your instagram and website! You have saved me numerous times with recipe ideas!Taesha Butler —Reply
Hi Madeline!
Sorry I didn’t get to answer your question sooner! I would recommend on high next time for 3-4 hours! And if in the last hour, there is still too much liquid, you can remove the lid and let it simmer off!So glad the website and IG are helpful! That kind of feedback is always music to my ears!
Taesha —Reply
I have updated this recipe to be a bit more time friendly! And IP friendly if you have a pressure cooker!
Katherine Dugan —Reply
7yo and I love these! Thanks for great recipe!
Taesha Butler —Reply
I usually cook it for 15 minutes on manual high pressure with a quick release.
Claire Tsetsos —Reply
Super delicious! My kids loved them too!!Taesha —Reply
I love kid reviews! Especially rave reviews! So glad it was a hit with the whole family.
Agnieszka Printz —Reply
Hi Taesha! I’ve made this so many times.. and after making it last night my whole family was wondering why it tasted different… I then noticed you made changes to the recipe. Could you tell me if its possible to find the original recipe before you made the edits (looks like this past October)?? We absolutely LOVED this and it was a staple recipe for us (but I would prefer the older version if possible??)Taesha —Reply
So glad you enjoy this version and the old. The only change I made was reducing the amount of broth in it because I noticed that others had commented that it was too watery. The original recipe called for 32 ounces of broth and cooked for 10 hours on low.
Jessie Root —Reply
So, while I’m a total TNN fan girl I have to admit that every time I saw this recipe I thought “meh, not for me”….. I was dead wrong. This has got to be the easiest recipe on the site, and the flavors were just terrific! I can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch!Jane —Reply
Will the amount of broth be reduced in pressure cooker recipe? 3 Cups seems like a lot…
Thank u 🙂Taesha —Reply
It definitely is a bit wetter in the IP version because it can’t cook off as much. You can either use a slotted spoon to serve to avoid wet tacos, use the sauté function to cook off some liquid after the cooking is done or reduce the liquid a bit…maybe to 2 or 2.5 cups.
Janice —Reply
I tripled this shared with my daughter and family and the next night made enchiladas with this recipe. Used the slow cooker because I thought the flavors would marry better. I wasn’t wrong but wow truly a fabulous recipe. Made some enchilada sauce on 2nd day and made them into enchiladas with some cashew queso. We are all sitting here happy.
Taesha —Reply
Oh I totally love all that! And I will so have to try this with enchiladas next batch!
Angie Allen —Reply
I made this for lunch today and it is a delicious filling for tacos! My husband is a reluctant WFPB eater so I am constantly trying to find ways to give him the experience of his favorite foods in healthier form. I used red lentils knowing they may get a little softer than brown ones and it was just the right texture. This will go into the regular rotation. Thank you!Taesha Butler —Reply
I am so glad you love this recipe as much as we do (it is in the slow cooker as we speak!). So glad the red lentils worked! I know this will help other readers.
Kimberly —Reply
We made these the other night for the first time and really enjoyed them! So easy to throw together, and they were hearty and flavorful without being too heavy. I was pleasantly surprised that the mixture didn’t end up soupy or mushy. We’ll be adding this to our regular meal rotation. Thanks again, Taesha!Taesha Butler —Reply
I’m so glad you liked them as much as we do, Kim!
Mandy —Reply
My first ever venture with lentils and I’m obsessed. I’ve passed this recipe on to no fewer than 3 friends and love how easy it is to make.😊Taesha Butler —Reply
Yay! I love that you love it! It really is such a good recipe and a wonderful way to ease into lentils.
Cameron G —Reply
These look great!! Is this a freezer friendly dish? Trying to figure out how many portions to make!
Taesha Butler —Reply
I love freezing this recipe after cooking! So great to have on hand.
MacKenzie Aitken —Reply
We love this recipe so y! We enjoyed it as taco filling and also as a tasty topping for sweet potatoes with a bit of mashed avocado mixed with a little lime juice and sea salt this is a great recipe for anyone trying to eat an alkaline diet since lentils are one of the only legumes that aren’t highly acidic, especially when it paired with sweet potato and avocado these lentils made an amazing meal,thank you! One of our favourite recipes for sure!
Taesha Butler —Reply
I am so glad you love it as much as we do! Love the addition of the lime juice!
Jenne —Reply
Hi and thank you for this recipe! I have this in my crockpot right now for visiting vegetarian family members arriving tomorrow. Question: what purpose does the tablespoon of oil serve in this recipe? I don’t often include oil in a crockpot dish, so wondering what I might be missing if I do not add it. Thank you! (P.S. this is my first time trying coconut aminos too – thanks again!)
Taesha Butler —Reply
You can totally omit the oil if you like! I just found that it gave the lentils a lovely richness that I like in a dinner recipe, but they will still be delish without it!
Eliza Nicole —Reply
I just tossed all the ingredients into my crock pot on high. I used salsa verde and added orange sweet bell peppers with the onions. I’m looking forward to this!
Taesha Butler —Reply
Oh yum! I love the swaps! Let us know how they go….I’d love to try your version!
Angela —Reply
Is there a way to make this without a crockpot or slow cooker?
Taesha Butler —Reply
Under suggested adaptations, I share how to make this with an Instant Pot. However, I’m thinking you are looking for a stovetop option, which I truthfully haven’t tried. I have no doubt you could totally do it on the stovetop, just combine the ingredients in in a pot and let simmer until done. I don’t have an estimation on time since I haven’t tested this method, but I find that lentils usually cook up from dry in about 25 minutes on the stovetop. You might find that you need to cook longer to let the cooking liquid cook off and make for a thicker taco filling.
Amy —Reply
Delicious!!! I tried this on a whim having never made lentils before. Soooo good! Even my meat-loving husband and sons thought this was great and asked me to make it again. So easy and so flavorful!!Taesha Butler —Reply
I am so glad it was a success, Amy! This is one of my go-to recipes for feeding a crowd with a variety of eating styles because it is loved by all!
Jackie —Reply
This recipe was delicious! My husband and I loved it!! So filling and flavorful!
Taesha Butler —Reply
So glad you liked it as much as we do! I just made it for a potluck this weekend and it is always a hit
Sandee —Reply
These were incredibly easy to make, and absolutely delicious. The texture of the lentils and the seasonings in a taco makes it so similar to a ground beef taco in taste, texture and appearance. I will definitely make these again and again.Taesha Butler —Reply
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Sandee! I agree, this is a wonderful recipe to make to please a crowd with various eating styles since it appeals to many. Or is one of my favorites to make as we try to eat more plants!
SRobbins —Reply
This is SO good! I made a huge batch and have been eating it all week for lunches and sometimes dinner too. It’s great in actual taco shells and I’ve been putting it on a big bed of lettuce for salads as well. I’ve tried several different versions of this type of lentil taco ‘meat’ in the crock pot, but this is, hands down, my favorite one!! Thank you for the recipe!Taesha Butler —Reply
Yay! I’m so glad this one is a winner for you! I adore this recipe and love to eat it in all the ways you mentioned. Thanks for taking the time to share!
Kristen —Reply
I am IN LOVE with these lentils. I doubled the recipe and shared with two other friends. I did tacos the first night and then made a super comfort food the second night – leftover lentils as a chili replacement over pasta and topped with cheddar cheese.
Taesha Butler —Reply
I’m so glad, Kristen! We love this recipe so much and I’m delighted to hear it was a hit in your home as well. I adore the idea of enjoying it over pasta! Must try.
LeeAnn —Reply
Hello, these look tasty but I wonder about the nutrition info listed. Is that sodium for one taco or for the whole recipe?
Taesha Butler —Reply
Hi LeeAnn! It is for 1/8 of the recipe. The sodium is mostly from the salt and coconut aminos/soy sauce. If you are looking to reduce it, you could reduce the salt or use a low-sodium soy sauce.
Hannah —Reply
This was my first time trying lentils and I was surprised how much I liked it! Very flavorful and extremely easy to make! Definitely will be making again soon.Taesha Butler —Reply
So happy to hear that your first go with lentils was a positive one, Hannah!
Moggy —Reply
These are absolutely delicious!!!!! The guys didn’t even have any idea it wasn’t meat. I am saving this recipe as a favorite. I will be making tacos this way from now on. Thanks so much for sharing these excellent recipes with everyone.Taesha Butler —Reply
So delighted you loved it, Moggy! It truly is a wonderful plant based recipe that even the biggest diehard meat eaters seem to adore. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Donna Ward —Reply
I’ve made these twice and my family loves them. They’re definitely going to be on our menu quite often. 🙂Taesha Butler —Reply
I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe as much as we do, Donna! It is one of my go to for an easy, budget friendly dinner that is always enjoyed!
Donna Ward —Reply
I love that it’s so budget friendly and yummy at the same time.
Lillian Arocho —Reply
I’m trying to change my eating habits and for the first time trying lentils for tacos in my slow cook <3 just now put everything together lentils, Italian seasoning and a complete seasoning chicken broth -added a can of dice tomatoes, not good for inflammation so next time no tomatoes for me. I’ll let you know how they come out! Thank you so very much!!!! No-meat & heartyTaesha Butler —Reply
Thanks for sharing, Lillian! Let us know how they go with no tomatoes! I’m sure others will be interested in that modification too.
Lillian Arocho —Reply
I will most definitely let you know!! By the way, with a can of dice tomatoes lentils taste like meat for sloppy Joe or tacos!! I love it!! Hearty & meatless! Thank you Tasha! 🙂
Jessica —Reply
If I use canned lentils do I need to change the amount of liquid?
Taesha Butler —Reply
I wouldn’t use canned lentils for this recipe because they are already cooked and the lentils would turn to mush in the slow cooker. Sorry!
SBS —Reply
I have wanted to like lentils, but I just don’t. Since my teen son and I went plant-based (but the rest of the family and many friends who eat here have not) I wanted to find a nutritious option for us to eat on taco nights. Not only do my son and I love this recipe, but so do our omnivore friends! I’m so glad to find a recipe for the TON of lentils I bought hoping to find a lentil recipe I’d love. You did it! (I’m looking at the Lentil Shepherd’s Pie next!)Taesha Butler —Reply
What an incredible review! I am so happy you have found a recipe that helped you enjoy lentils but that works for the others in your life! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I deeply appreciate hearing these stories.
Maria —Reply
The parsley was an odd flavor for tacos. I used. Cilantro and preferred that choice.
Rachel —Reply
This is amazing!!! First time trying lentils so I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. I figured it would be dry but it is soooo good. Can’t wait to share it with friends. Thank you!!!
Taesha Butler —Reply
Delighted that you love this recipe as much as we do, Rachel! Wooohooo for lentils!
Elise —Reply
We love this recipe and it’s a staple in our house. One time I ran out of green lentils and subbed red for about 1/3. We liked it even more! Loved the extra creaminess in the texture almost like a refried bean. I now use a mix of red and green lentils intentionally.Taesha Butler —Reply
So happy to hear you love this one as much as we do! Love the adaptations you mention!
Becca —Reply
Absolutely amazing as is! Made it in the instant pot and will definitely be adding to my usual rotation.Taesha Butler —Reply
So happy to hear that you loved this one as much as we do, Becca!
betsy green —Reply
Thank you! Can’t wait to try! Could I double this so as to make a bigger batch all at one time? Thanks!
Taesha Butler —Reply
I think as long as your slow cooker is large enough, you can double it without issue!
Dana Ashby —Reply
I’ve been making the recipe for at least a year but probably more! It’s delicious and my kiddos gobble it up! We love it so!Taesha Butler —Reply
So love hearing this, Dana! This is one of my favorite easy dinner to make! It always hit the spot and never disappoints. So glad it is a hit in your home too!
Diane —Reply
My daughter recently decided that she is vegetarian and I was looking for something I could make for taco night. This is easy and yummy!Taesha Butler —Reply
Yessssss! This a great veggie option that is so easy + a crowd pleaser for all different eating styles. So glad you enjoyed it as much as we do, Diane!
Gina —Reply
I made these tonight in the instant pot and they made exactly 30 tacos! We put them in the fridge to pop in the air fryer for a crispy and delicious snack! We topped ours with thinly sliced cabbage, tomatoes, fresh jalapenos diced, avocado and fresh salsa. Awesome recipe – thanks so much! Also, I read the reviews before making in the instant pot and here is what I did different. Same amount of lentils as the instant pot recipe calls for but only 2.5 cups of water. I also used he entire jar of salsa; I think there was only a half a cup left in the jar anyway after I used the amount the recipe called for. 15 minutes in instant pot and 10 minute natural pressure release. Perfect consistency. Very tasty.Taesha Butler —Reply
So glad you enjoyed these, Gina! And thanks for sharing your tips for making them in the Instant Pot!
Kelly —Reply
Easy to make yet great depth of flavor— I didn’t miss the meat at all in these tacos!Taesha Butler —Reply
So happy you loved these, Kelly! I agree, so satisfying in all the ways! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Devan —Reply
Another great recipe from TNN! These were delicious, filling, and flavorful. Our 7 year old loved them. Wonderful for meatless Mondays!Taesha Butler —Reply
So glad you all loved these as much as we do! I have some in my fridge right now and I feel like the leftovers are almost better than the fresh!
Terry —Reply
Yummy! So easy adn tasty!Taesha Butler —Reply
Yay! So glad you loved these lentils as much as we do. True staple around here!
