Celebrate Meatless Monday or Taco Tuesday with this delicious vegetarian Lentil Taco Salad! It’s loaded with veggies and topped with all your favorite extras.
Taco salads are by no mean rocket science, but I’ve made it my mission to give you TONS of options to choose between so you can find the taco salad of your dreams. This especially includes versions that are gloriously vegetarian.
Past taco salad creations of mine include my INFAMOUS Black Bean Taco Salad and my beloved Crispy Chickpea Taco Salad. SO GOOD!
Whether you’re looking for a new dish to make for “Meatless Monday” or “Taco Salad Tuesday” (pretend that’s a thing!) or if you just want to get some extra plant based goodness in your face, this Lentil Taco Salad is a delicious option!
Ready to rock some veggies? Let’s do this!
Taco Salad Ingredients
Here’s a little breakdown of the main ingredients in this tasty lentil taco salad! I’ll add a list of all the awesome extras you can add below too for a custom and colorful taco salad that rocks your socks!
Seasoned Lentils and Black Beans
Spiced to perfection and made saucy with your favorite jarred or homemade salsa, these flavorful seasoned lentils and black beans are the star of the show!
I kept things super speedy by using canned lentils and black beans. These can also be cooked up fresh if you prefer.
Lettuce
I love chopping my lettuce up into small shreds so it’s easier to get a nice forkful of everything in each bite. I opted for fancy leaf lettuce this time around but romaine lettuce is equally amazing here! If all you have is iceberg, don’t fret! That should work well too.
Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes are a great addition to taco salads and you can use any kind you enjoy! Chop larger tomatoes into bite-sized pieces or opt for quartered cherry tomatoes. You can even use fresh pico de gallo to get your tomato fix in this salad – it’s AMAZING!
Corn
To get the most irresistible corn clusters for this salad, I cooked my ear of corn (I typically just boil it) and sliced the kernels off the ear myself. Another great option is to steam frozen sweet corn kernels and add them to the salad. I’ve done both and enjoy them equally!
Cheddar Cheese
Coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese is one of my favorites for taco salads. It has such great flavor! No cheese? No problem! You can easily make this salad without it. For a vegan taco salad, skip the cheese and use vegan sour cream.
Guacamole and Sour Cream
Between the creamy guacamole and sour cream and the sauciness of the salsa-kissed beans, this salad doesn’t actually need dressing. The only reason you’d really need one is if you’re leaving these ingredients out. Simply plan accordingly and you’re good to go!
Tortilla Chips
Tortilla chips or strips add the most amazing crunch to a taco salad. For a little tortilla chip flavor in every bite, crush them up into the salad before diving in. Delicious!
Optional Extras
When it comes to taco salads, the options are endless! Snag your favorite extras from this list and add as much to your salad as you’d like:
- sliced avocado
- diced red onions
- pickled red onions
- corn salsa
- sliced jalapeño peppers
- cilantro and/or green onion
- lime wedges
Lentil Taco Salad
Feel free to make a single salad or a large bowl to serve your fam. The great thing about taco salads is how customizable they are! Make a little… or a lot!
Whenever we have leftover toppings and such from taco night I like to make myself a big taco salad with the leftovers the next day. They’re a great way to use everything up!
Lentil Taco Salad
Ingredients
SEASONED LENTILS
- 1 can lentils (14 oz can)
- 1 cup black beans
- ½ cup salsa (use your favorite variety)
- 1 ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt or season to taste
TACO SALAD
- 3 cups finely chopped lettuce (romaine or fancy leaf lettuce)
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 ear of corn, cooked or 1/2 cup steamed kernels
- ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese (skip for vegan)
- ¼ cup guacamole
- ¼ cup sour cream (regular or vegan)
- tortilla chips for topping (I like to crush mine)
EXTRA TOPPINGS – CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITES!
- fresh chopped cilantro
- chopped green onion
- pico de gallo
- pickled red onions
- hot sauce and/or taco sauce
- sliced jalapeños
Instructions
- Drain and rinse lentils and black beans. Add to a small pan and add your favorite salsa. Season chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Heat on medium-low until beans are warmed through and spices are fragrant.
- Cayenne can be added for spicy lentils and smoked paprika or chipotle seasoning for some smoky flavor – play around with flavors and add any extra spices to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prep corn via desired method. I either boil an ear of corn and cut my kernels right off the cob or steam 1/2 cup or so of frozen kernels.
- Chop veggies and prep remaining toppings. Let the measurements above be a basic guide, as you can add as many veggies and toppings as you'd like!
- Divide lettuce and lentil mixture between two bowls.Top with fresh veggies all your favorite toppings and extras, saving the guacamole, sour cream, and tortilla chips for last. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try this black bean and lentil taco salad recipe, let me know!
You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your taco salad creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Questions & Reviews
Always looking for new vegetarian recipes for my daughter. Thank you so much. This recipe is amazing!!
This deserves 5 stars. Very good!
I couldn’t find canned lentils at my grocery store. I bought a bag of dry lentils, but I wasn’t sure how much to use, any ideas?
Hi Kari! One cup of dried lentils typically yields between 2 and 2.5 cups of cooked lentils. I believe a can is around a cup and a half of cooked lentils.
I have an awesome tutorial for cooking saucy taco seasoned lentils in the Instant Pot here: (instant pot lentil tacos) and a stove-top version here: (lentil tacos) if you need some help or want to make a larger batch of lentils and have some to either meal prep for the week or freeze for later. Hope this is helpful! xo
This recipe is amazing.
YAY! Thank you!